Sam Harris has an essay worth reading up on HuffPo. He starts by considering the hubbub over Geert Wilders's short film, Fitna, and then moves to a larger theme. If you know Harris, this will sound familiar:
The position of the Muslim community in the face of all provocations seems to be: Islam is a religion of peace, and if you say that it isn't, we will kill you. Of course, the truth is often more nuanced, but this is about as nuanced as it ever gets: Islam is a religion of peace, and if you say that it isn't, we peaceful Muslims cannot be held responsible for what our less peaceful brothers and sisters do. When they burn your embassies or kidnap and slaughter your journalists, know that we will hold you primarily responsible and will spend the bulk of our energies criticizing you for "racism" and "Islamophobia."
Our capitulations in the face of these threats have had what is often called "a chilling effect" on our exercise of free speech.
He goes on to excoriate Western "political correctness" and excessive concern for "religious sensitivity," as well as Muslim moderates, for rarely speaking out against violence done in the name of (under the excuse of) Islam.
I am never sure what to say about Harris's views. Much of what he says makes sense to me. He's certainly right that all religions get a pass on criticism, and that not all of them are equally inclined to violence. On the other hand, most of the Muslim bashers here in the US are nowhere near as rational as Harris, and tend to be driven by their own religious extremism as well, so I don't really want to add my voice to theirs, either.
(h/t: Andrew Sullivan)
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