My brilliant friend Andrea had a bone to pick with me at dinner tonight. (She got your back Sabrina Tavernese...maybe, see comments.)
A usual, we went to the new Matchbox on Capitol Hill, drank our favorite Malbec Felino, I ordered an awesome pizza, while Andrea ordered one of sub-par value. One thing Andrea and i can be sure of when we go to M-box: neither of us will ever really ask for a slice of the other's pizza.
Andrea made an important point about my post, directly below, on militancy in Pakistan and its connection, or lack thereof, to Islamic schools.
Andrea and I are both people at all costs try to steer people away from the dangerous stereotype that Islam is a violent religion; that Arabs have a violent culture. However, she reminded me that sometimes, I might be too overprotective of Islam. I am used to defending it against relatives who think that Muhammad was a predator (my Uncle Billy - that's a whole different story for another day) and sometimes I need to let my guard down and admit that there of course, are issues with Islam. Heaves to Betsy, I don't want to sound like a stinkin apologist.
Most importantly, she reminded me that something about these Islamic schools is contributing to militancy:
The Qur'an, taken out of historical context, just like the old and new Testaments are violent books. Stories of battles and hatred are intertwined in stories of compassion and empathy. Manipulated and perverted by the 'right' kind of people - militants in Islamic school - they are all dangerous. (Ie the use of the Bible to justify Christian militancy and the Torah to justify that of violent Jewish settlers.)
Big Dre's (Andrea) important point el numero dos: The manner of teaching at these schools - the way, the pedagogy, or lack thereof (sorry to use this phrase twice), is problematic; it is indoctrination. These kids are taught to obey, to follow, to listen. They are not taught to question, to think critically, to evaluate. Anything the 'teacher' says, goes. And he has a gun, so, even if you don't believe him, you're eventually intimidated into doing so.
The Qur'an taken out of historical context (like all holy books) combined with the indoctrination style teaching a la Stalin or Mussolini are a recipe for disaster.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
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3 comments:
Whoa! I am not saying I have her back! You made awesome points about her reductive analysis. I just think she is not 100% wrong. I think it's important that we hold Muslims who practice bullshit Islam to the same standards that we hold those same Christians whom we excoriate for their ridiculous black-and-white views (which led, inexorably, I think, to the invasion of Iraq). Following the literal word of some dead white OR brown dudes who wrote books hundreds of years ago is dan-ger-ous. And I know we agree on that. I understand the protective impulse, especially since you and I both have to deal with d-bags who don't see the other side. But I think we're more persuasive when we take the wider view.
Well said habibi. But I am still wondering, if Tavernese and I were in a dark alley, about to rumble, who would you be behind? I am sad to say, I just don't know anymore. I just don't know.
Dude, were I in a dark alley, I would run the other way. Both of you would be on your own. You know that's how I roll.
You're at an Iraq event tonight. I must have details.
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