Middle East studies in the News

International Islamophobia Conference to Feature Turkish PM, Esposito, Armstrong, Tariq Ramadan

by Robert Spencer
Jihad Watch
December 4, 2007

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/019028.php

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/4579

Some of the world's leading lights on Islam, both Muslim and non-Muslim, are gathering at the Grand Cevahir Hotel in Istanbul December 8-9 for the International Islamophobia Conference (thanks to Metin). It's a big party! Among the speakers are Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's Prime Minister and advocate of political Islam; Iqbal Sacranie of the CAIR-like Muslim Council of Britain; Saudi-funded academic John Esposito of Georgetown University; Karen Armstrong, the renowned dhimmi author; Louay Safi of the unindicted co-conspirator ISNA; Lord Nazim Ahmed, the British Muslim peer; Professor Norman Finkelstein, late of DePaul; the notoriously slick "Muslim Martin Luther" Tariq Ramadan, who is not allowed into the U.S.; William Baker, although I don't know if it is this William Baker or not; and many, many others.

At the Conference these wise souls will spend two days bemoaning hostility directed at Muslims and scratching their heads over why anyone might be upset with them. And although the participants will no doubt enjoy the two days in Constantinople, I could save them the trip. In the next two minutes, I will solve the problem of "Islamophobia," right here, right now. That's right! And there is nothing up my sleeve, ladies and gentlemen!

In the first place, attacks on innocent civilians are never justified. Louts, thugs and vigilantes have no excuse, and anyone who targets random Muslims and commits violence against them deserves to be punished to the full extent of the law.

But if one wants to understand why it is happening, and what can be done to end it, no two-day star-studded conference is needed -- unless, of course, that conference is meant to highlight the victim status of Muslims and divert attention from jihad terror activity. if Muslims want to end "Islamophobia" instantaneously, here's how they can do it:

1. Focus their indignation on Muslims committing violent acts in the name of Islam, not on non-Muslims reporting on those acts.
2. Renounce definitively not just "terrorism," but any intention to replace the U.S. Constitution (or the constitutions of any non-Muslim state) with Sharia even by peaceful means.
3. Teach Muslims the imperative of coexisting peacefully as equals with non-Muslims on an indefinite basis.
4. Begin comprehensive international programs in mosques all over the world to teach against the ideas of violent jihad and Islamic supremacism.
5. Actively work with Western law enforcement officials to identify and apprehend jihadists within Western Muslim communities.

If Muslims do those five things, voila! "Islamophobia" will vanish.

Tariq, Karen, John, Louay, Recep: don't thank me. If you want me to come to Constantinople and explain this in more depth, just contact me at director@jihadwatch.org.

Note: Articles listed under "Middle East studies in the News" provide information on current developments concerning Middle East studies on North American campuses. These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Watch and do not necessarily correspond to Campus Watch's critique.

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