It’s not that Marty Peretz doesn’t raise some issues worthy of discussing. He does. But his conclusion has to be condemned.
Why do not Muslims raise their voices against these at once planned and random killings all over the Islamic world? This world went into hysteria some months ago when the Mossad took out the Hamas head of its own Murder Inc.
But, frankly, Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims. And among those Muslims led by the Imam Rauf there is hardly one who has raised a fuss about the routine and random bloodshed that defines their brotherhood. So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse.
There is so much wrong with this. There’s the assertion that Muslims never condemn violence, even when it is Muslim-on-Muslim violence. That’s a false assertion. There’s the assertion that Muslim life is cheap. There is the assertion that no one associated with Imam Rauf has ever said a word against random acts of terrorism carried out by Muslims against Muslims. That’s a false assertion. There’s the use of the word “brotherhood,” not to denote the Muslim Brootherhood, but to equate all Muslims with terrorists. There’s the telling use of the term “these people” to refer to all Muslims everywhere. There’s the idea that people have to be worthy of their constitutional rights and that people like Peretz ‘honor” people by acknowledging and respecting their constitutional rights. And, finally, there’s the conclusion that we ought not respect Muslims’ right to freely exercise their religious rights and right to free speech and assembly because they can’t be trusted.
I just to have ask the folks who are working at The New Republic (some of whom are doing some good work) whether or not you really want to compromise yourself this much to get that paycheck. At what point do you have to resign in disgust and seek less befouling employment?
If I didn’t think Peretz just hated Arabs I’d criticize him for lacking faith in the power of our institutions and ideals to make people embrace liberal principles. But I don’t give Peretz that much credit. He’s just filled with hate.
