Posted by Sir Four at 12:21pm May 25 '07PBS airs a provacative interview on this very topic (I recommend the video, though it runs a bit long. There is also a transcript).
Bill Moyers talks with Bruce Bawer, a gay American living in Europe who recently wrote a book about the dangers posed by intolerant Islam. (Bawer was formerly a critic of the fundamentalist Christians in America, and by the way, I applaud PBS for having the stones to segue into their interview by referencing the late Jerry Falwell's intolerance at home.)
Bawer talks about the trap of European tolerance--the idea that all cultures are to be accepted, and none is superior to another. This is why, says Bawer, places like the Netherlands have been so successfully liberal and modern and free. But is it wise to extend that welcoming tolerance to a culture that is intolerant and oppressive? He cites the lunacy of a statement by Piet Hein Donner, a minister of justice in the Netherlands, who said that if one day a majority of the population were to vote in Sharia law, it would be a disgrace to say no.
As a gay man, Bawer feels particularly threatened:
Another example of capitulation is brought up: a judge in Germany denied a Muslim woman's divorce request, citing that the woman's "cultural environment" allowed husbands to beat their wives. Examples of Muslim unrest are mentioned: the protests against Danish cartoonists, the murder of Theo Van Gogh.
Anyway, an interesting interview, and timely to our recent debate.
Bill Moyers talks with Bruce Bawer, a gay American living in Europe who recently wrote a book about the dangers posed by intolerant Islam. (Bawer was formerly a critic of the fundamentalist Christians in America, and by the way, I applaud PBS for having the stones to segue into their interview by referencing the late Jerry Falwell's intolerance at home.)
Bawer talks about the trap of European tolerance--the idea that all cultures are to be accepted, and none is superior to another. This is why, says Bawer, places like the Netherlands have been so successfully liberal and modern and free. But is it wise to extend that welcoming tolerance to a culture that is intolerant and oppressive? He cites the lunacy of a statement by Piet Hein Donner, a minister of justice in the Netherlands, who said that if one day a majority of the population were to vote in Sharia law, it would be a disgrace to say no.
As a gay man, Bawer feels particularly threatened:
BILL MOYERS: Under Sharia law as you see it, and I know you're not a Muslim, but under Sharia law, what would happen to you as a gay man?
BRUCE BAWER: There are different interpretations. Some of them favor stoning. Some of them favor dropping a wall on you. There are disagreements about exactly which is the best method of execution.
BILL MOYERS: But I can hear many American Muslims saying "No, no, no. That's not what we're in America-that's not what we're about. He may be talking about a radical core of Islamic extremists. But we're in America because we don't agree with them."
BRUCE BAWER: Yeah, but when you have Sharia law, it's not run by people who are moderate and open minded. It's run by people who are judging according to what they read in the Koran and in their other holy books. And there are no questions about that as far as they're concerned.
Another example of capitulation is brought up: a judge in Germany denied a Muslim woman's divorce request, citing that the woman's "cultural environment" allowed husbands to beat their wives. Examples of Muslim unrest are mentioned: the protests against Danish cartoonists, the murder of Theo Van Gogh.
Anyway, an interesting interview, and timely to our recent debate.