Al-Muhajabah's Islamic Blogs: if you don't hear from me again...?

if you don't hear from me again...?

Date: January 14, 2003 | 11 Dhu-l-Qidah 1423 Hijriah

Apparently Instapundit feels that the mass internment of Muslim Americans may become "a regrettable necessity" at some point in the future. Zack Ajmal has collected links to some excellent responses to Professor Reynolds. See Sometimes you don't even know where to start by Jim Henley and Interning Americans by David Neiwert. Ikram Saeed has some excellent thoughts as well. Finally Atrios shares some worthwhile remarks from his comments section. I really can't think of much to add to all of this.

I wonder if I can expect to be interned in the future. Or do they really mean to intern Arabs rather than Muslims in general? Or maybe it'll be Muslims who come from Muslim countries (this of course ignores Jose Padilla, a Hispanic convert to Islam). If anybody has any insight or thoughts about whether I as a European-American convert to Islam should be worried about being interned, and on what grounds, I'd like to hear it.

God, this idea is so wrong.

P.S. Lest Canadians and Europeans get too "sanctimonious" in their criticisms of the U.S., Professor Reynolds also provides links to resources about internments in Canada and Europe here and here. Does it become OK if everybody's doing it? See also Zack's response to this.

~ Posted by Al-Muhajabah, a member of the reality-based community, at 08:32 PM

Comments

natasha said:

Total comments: 19 gold star

I found this reader comment particularly offensive, especially since Reynolds didn't contradict, but just 'added' to it:

"This is in stark contrast to many Muslims (not all) who howl about perceived civil rights violations and yet refuse to assimilate American values and culture, treat their wives and daughters as slaves and seek to supplant religious freedom with Islamic tyranny. Where are vocal Muslims denouncing Islamist terrorists and supporting America?"

I guess I don't need to spell out in this forum all the ways this is an offensive characterization of Muslim culture, but it's blatantly racist. Unless whites of protestant faiths in this culture were required to start every meeting with a pledge of allegiance, and to strongly denounce Timothy McVeigh at the beginning of every statement, it can't be shown to me that it isn't rank bigotry.

~ Posted at January 14, 2003 10:51 PM | Comment Permalink

Al-Munaqabah said:

Total comments: 996 gold star

Thanks for bringing up that point, Natasha. I was going to mention it in a subsequent post or comment. It's such a sweeping generalization, and so blatantly false, that it almost took my breath away. For their own sake, I hope those who advocate for internment have arguments stronger than this.

~ Posted at January 15, 2003 03:39 PM | Comment Permalink

natasha said:

Total comments: 19 gold star

I've seen no evidence that any of their arguments would be any better. The only thing that would hold any sway with decent people is the excuse that's stayed with my grandmother all these years for the WWII Japanese internment: that violent reactions in the community endangered the lives of the Japanese.

I guess I can't fault an 80 year old woman for wanting to remember history a little better than it was, but I'd also like to think that the American public is more mature in its understanding and acceptance of foreign cultures. The public outcry against the brief flare-up of violence after 9-11 is a hopeful sign, the Florida incident with the three students and the INS roundups not so hot.

~ Posted at January 15, 2003 04:03 PM | Comment Permalink

Ken said:

Total comments: 5

Hll gn,
Jst shrt nt n ths tm. mrc s n ncrdbl cntry fr bng mx f nrly ll rcs nd ll rlgns. Wht hs kpt mrc grt s tht ll ths grps hv bn mrcns frst nd Cthlc, Prtstnt, Rssn tc. scnd.
Y my dny t bt cmmnts hv sn, frm mny rs f Mslm scty, ln strngly n th drctn f bng nbl t rprt r "g gnst" nthr Mslm.
n xmpl: Mslm FB gnt wld rprt n ctvty n chrch r syngg bt rfsd t rprt n ctvty n msq bcs thy wr "hs ppl".
Y cn rd rtcls lmst dly whr ppl f th Mslm fth mv frm cntrs gvrnd by "shr" t lss rprssv cntrs yt wnt t lv ndr "thr wn rlgs lws" nd nt th lws f th cntry t whch thy mvd. Lk t th Phllppns, Frnc, Blgm, Nthrlnds.
m wrng?
Kn
nd y r cmpltly n rrr f y ttmpt t ttrbt my cmmnts t rcsm. d nt bs vltns n rc bt n bhvr. f ny grp xhbts sffcnt ngtv bhvr hv n hsttn t "dmn thm ll qlly" Th chrg r rcsm s mst frqntly sd by ths tryng t gnr thr wn shrtcmngs.
( wld lv t hng Jss Jcksn nd Trnt Ltt frm th sm tr!)
t s spclly fl whn n ttmpt s md t blm tht "trrrst" bhvr n cmpltly ndpndnt grp rthr thn ccptng rspnsblty fr mmbrs f grp qlfy s "wrthlss pls f dng ".
Gd Nght.
Kn

~ Posted at January 16, 2003 07:51 PM | Comment Permalink

Al-Munaqabah said:

Total comments: 996 gold star

Oh, yes, the "Muslims refuse to assimilate" argument. Could you provide any evidence to show that members of other ethnic groups and religions have never acted like this and did not at a comparable stage in their immigration into the U.S.?

Could you also calculate how many people are mentioned in the news stories compared to how many Muslims there are in the U.S. The Muslims who assimilate aren't newsworthy and don't get mentioned. That doesn't mean they're not there.

PLEASE stop making sweeping generalizations about an entire people based on what you read in the news. How many immigrants from Muslim countries do you know and how many of them have you talked to?

Oh, and wanting to keep up religious observances like prayers and headscarves is no different from Jews wanting to take the Sabbath off or wear yarmulkes. No one should have to give up their religion to "fit in". The First Amendment guarantees the right to free exercise of religion.

veiled4allah: if you don't hear from me again...?

if you don't hear from me again...?

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