Taking a Stab at It (Mark Steyn)

National Review Online ^ | June 12, 2013 | Mark Steyn

[neverdem]

Daniel Pipes, a regular contributor round these parts, appeared on a somewhat fractious panel in Toronto recently, and toward the end (scroll down) was asked where the “moderate Muslims” were. He responded that many of them were in the room. Indeed, it seems entirely possible that all of them were in the room. Daniel eventually took a crack at the numbers and concluded that “Islamists” made up 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim population, “moderates” about 1 to 2 percent, and the remaining 85 percent in between are presumably either cowed or indifferent.

I’ve no idea whether Daniel’s estimate is correct, although, in my experience, “moderate Muslims” invariably turn out on closer inspection to be apostates or so syncretic as to be barely recognizable as co-religionists to their livelier brethren. But I thought of Daniel’s words after the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich, when as is traditional the vast army of non-Muslim Muslim scholars, from David Cameron down, rushed forward to explain that beheadings on London streets are “nothing to do with Islam.” Unfortunately, it seems to be rather more dangerous for actual Muslims to make the same point. From the Darlington And Stockton Times:

A MAN is facing court over claims he slashed two friends when they sympathised with murdered soldier Lee Rigby.

Ziko Sulliman – from Sudan – is said to have attacked his friends as they chatted days after the gunner’s death…

Sulliman is alleged to have knifed the two men in Fife Street, Middlesbrough, on May 29 – a week after Drummer Rigby was hacked to death in Woolwich, south London…

One of Sulliman’s alleged victims, Zakaria Hamed, suffered a three-inch wound to his cheek and was stabbed in the leg.

And the other, Khalid Osman, is said to have...

[neverdem]

Ping

[Zuben Elgenubi]

“moderate Moslems” are like those two brothers up in Massachusetts. Left Chetchnia early in their lives, lived off welfare through college and then started murdering people and blowing up racing events. These are typical “moderate Moslems”.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

There was also some moderate Moslems on tv. A husband and wife who demonstrated a Westernized world view for their viewers, promoting harmony and understanding. Then the husband beheaded his wife.

These are "moderate Moslems" and they even had their own TV program.

[USNBandit]

Those guys aren’t moderate muslims, they are born-again muslims.

[upchuck]

Thanks.

[tumblindice]

“their livelier brethren”
You crack me up Mark.

[ClearCase_guy]

A good Catholic avoids birth control.
A bad Catholic uses birth control.
How many good Catholics are there in the world? Perhaps not enough, at least if you ask a priest.

A good Muslim wants to kill all the infidels. All of them. You. Me. Wants to cut our heads off.
A bad Muslim wants to live along side of us.
How many good Muslims are there in the world? Perhaps not enough, at least if you ask an Imam.

[Corey Ohlis]

Those two brothers from Mass. are moderate Muslims because they used remote detonators.

[SoldierDad]

How many muslims came out to protest the 9/11/01 attacks by their “brethren”? How many protested the Embassy bombings in Africa? How many protested the attack on the U.S.S. Cole? What was the number of the protest groups who came out against the British Bus bombings? How many muslims have protested any act of violence perpetrated by muslims around the world in the past 15+ years? None! Moderate my Arse!!!

[Prospero]

Moderate, indeed. You have to accept the whole liberal and progressive idea of some neutral position, which is why so many of them cling to their headless idol of "Science."

There is no neutral position. A moderate Muslim in a Pakistani madrassah is someone who doesn't rock the sharia boat, firmly in the middle of the road, united and gifted with that propensity for self-sacrifice peculiar to all who give themselves over to mass movements.

What we in the West would accept as a "moderate" Muslim would be nothing less than apostate among those hoards.

Consider what similar westerners think of when they dare speak of "moderate" or "extremist" Christians, for example.

The neo-pagan West makes little distinction, and Pipes makes his first mistake in accepting the secular definition for terms, and their presumed neutral stance at making definitions.

It's all bull, and they have no such right.

[JLS]

Mark Steyn ping.

Freepmail me, if you want on or off the Mark Steyn ping list.

Thanks for the ping neverdem.

[metafugitive]

I am not sure if I entirely agree with Mr. Steyn. I think one of the reasons that NYC has not been attacked is that local officials take their job seriously and there is profiling going on whether or not it get publicized.

Although there has been a lot of finger pointing at the federal level in the Boston bombing, I am not sure Tsarnaev brothers carrying backpacks at the New York City marathon would not have been noticed, and very carefully scrutinized.

The stomach to do the right thing exists in the west, unfortunately it is isolated to NYC which a prime terrorist target and whose leaders understand that, and have the stomach to do what it takes whether or not it offends Muslims.

[BwanaNdege]

"The stomach to do the right thing exists in the west, unfortunately it is isolated to NYC "

Actually, for a jihadist muslim to "do his thing" requires prodigious amounts of "liquid courage" in the form of 32 oz soft drinks.

Your Dear Leader, Mayor Bloomberg, in his unceasing vigilance to keep his beloved serfs oops, fellow citizens safe, has, of course, banned these terrorism abetting large soft drinks, thereby protecting New Yorkers from the Boston fate.

/s

[dead]

Brilliant!

[dead]

NYC's vigilance on terrorism predates Bloomberg. It's a culture instituted under Guiliani and continued in the NYPD by Commissioner Kelly.

It is a very no nonsense approach, which openly includes profiling, the squealing of liberals be damned.

To his credit, Bloomberg has not significantly impacted the NYPD's efforts, though he sometimes diverts a few to engage in the war on fireworks or the war on cigarettes.

[dead]

he was asked where the “moderate Muslims” were. He responded that many of them were in the room. Indeed, it seems entirely possible that all of them were in the room.

Steyn never disappoints.

[metafugitive]

Actually, for a jihadist muslim to "do his thing" requires prodigious amounts of "liquid courage" in the form of 32 oz soft drinks

Thanks for the info. It actually answers two questions that I had been wondering about. I always wondered where jihadists got their courage as well as why Mormons had never went on a jihad.

[Rummyfan]

There seems no obvious reason why a violent fanatic who can’t speak the language of the country should ever have been granted residency in the United Kingdom, and quite a few reasons why he shouldn’t. But you can’t say that, can you? As the Gang of Eight would put it, he’s just another hardworking immigrant doing the jobs Britons won’t do — like stabbing moderate Muslims. The reason the United States now has universal surveillance by the creepy liar James Clapper of every American’s phone calls, emails, website visits, and credit-card purchases is because Western nations lack the stomach for a more focused emphasis on the likes of Mr. Sulliman.

Bravo Mark!

[RicocheT]

BINGO for post 9 !