Respectable views
Reader comment on item: Here's what [Hussam Ayloush of] CAIR doesn't say about me - or its record

Submitted by Gabriel G (Italy), Dec 26, 2002 at 08:10

By distinguishing between Militant Islam and traditional Islam you have avoided any generalizations about Muslims. Your argument is very focused and you denounce totalitarian Muslims as opposed to ordinary Muslims. Like you have argued, Militant Islam is an ideology rather than a religion. You respect traditional Islam and you denounce Militant Islam. You also argue that Militant Islam is a totalitarian ideology like communism and fascism. Your views are perfectly respectable and anybody who accuses you of Islamophobia is in bad faith.

I live in London (Great Britain) where the risk of being accused of Islamophobia is even greater than in your country. There is nothing Islamophobic about what you say. You are trying to help Americans to gain an understanding of Militant Islam while explaining that there are a lot of moderate non-totalitarian Muslims who deserve respect. You are right to denounce Militant Islam as a totalitarian ideology and to fight against racist and anti-Semitic groups. You are entitled to denounce intolerance and apology of violence. You are right to expose the hipocrisy of certain charities who seek to establish Sharia Law in the United States of America. You are entitled to fight against the most extreme Militant Islamic organisations.

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