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Qanta Ahmed

Submitted by Casey Cartwright, Jun 1, 2014 00:40

Qanta Ahmed as salaam alaikum I am a convert to Islam from Christianity I am male white western I am a Muslim who supports what Steven Emerson does I do get tried of people calling him anti muslim or anti islam when in fact I don't believe he is anti muslim I watch watched his films and seen his books I don't believe he hates all muslims as some muslims and as some leftists claim not all left wingers but I notice on a site like think progreess that claim is made I wish there was a way I could email someone like Abdur-Rahman Muhammad I also like Jasser and Zeyno Baran anyway thank you for letting me comment Qanta Ahmed could you please email me at casey1987@kc.rr.com please thank you ?

 

Semantics

Submitted by Geppetto, May 24, 2014 13:38

Most of the world has no problem in making any distinction between Nazi and Nazism. There is none. The vast majority also have no problem with the fact that many prewar Germans, perhaps a plurality, were not Nazis but were patriotic Germans who were caught up in the world war ambitions of the head Nazi and bombastic German leader, Hitler, spurred on by his fiery rhetoric exalting the "super race" and their invincibility all successfully reinforced by his propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels and the iron fist of the Gestapo. There was no problem with semantics here. In any discussion or reporting on events in this era the distinction between Nazi and German remained reasonably clear.

Not so with Islam, Islamism, Muslims, Jihad, etc. In writing or speaking about the most prominent, dangerous and determined attempt to achieve what Hitler so fervently desired, world domination, chroniclers are faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem in semantics. The big question is not yet, "who is the enemy?" but what do you call them? How do you define and identify them? Muslims? They are undoubtedly that, as mountains of evidence indicates, but are they all? As was the case with the Germans in Nazi Germany, of course not. And what is their common denominator regardless of nationality or race? Islam. But in navigating this verbal minefield, using the "wrong" terminology will evoke a firestorm of rage and condemnation from the likes of CAIR, etc. and their media and political enablers.

What CAIR, et al, have successfully created is the dreaded "disease," "Islamophobia," as if a rational fear of the extreme brutality of a subset of Muslim culture irrevocably mired in 7th century mores and customs, is extremely irrational and psychotic. The "subset" are terrorists, Jihadists, radical Islamists, Islamists, Muslims who have "hijacked a religion," etc. Point being it is impossible to verbally separate the adherents of "political Islam" and Muslims. Point is, contrary to the popular consensus, Islam is not a religion in the conventional, western sense. It is a political, social, judicial system with a religious component; i.e., a belief in Allah, their infallible G_d, whose immutable proclamations are written in the Quran.

There are cracks beginning to appear in this wall of deception and the constant whining and claims of victim status by a religious group that available crime statistics prove is completely bogus, is slowly becoming exposed for what it is; organized and largely successful attempts to completely sever any connection, no matter how obvious or trivial, between terrorism and its Jihad and Islamic roots. The vast majority of western media remains righteously subdued, smugly ignorant and content in their cocoon of multiculturalism, political correctness and collegial camaraderie, with few exceptions in the so called "mainstream"; Megan Kelly of late, perhaps the most prominent and fearless of the latter. That this is the same media glorified for the much touted, heroic exposé of Watergate, makes their self immersion in this quagmire of deception befuddling, disturbing and dangerous. It is no mystery that an enemy cannot be defeated unless it is first clearly and definitively identified. Almost 13 years after 9/11/01 this is still not the case but these challenges to the Islamophobia narrative are a step in the right direction.

 

"The Ummah is beginning to rise...."

Submitted by Tammy Swofford, May 24, 2014 09:00

In 2009 (while still a LCDR in the US Naval Reserves) I released what had become a yearly white paper on Islam.

"Rise as One Man: Islam in the 21st Century", used a quote from "The Myth and Reality of the Islamic State by Abid Ullah Jan as an opening salvo:

"The Covenant of Madina stipulates that the Muslims 'Constitute one Ummah" and 'All believers shall rise as one man against whomsoever rebels or seeks to commit injustice, aggression, wrong action or spread mutual enmity between the believers, even though he be one of their sons....All believers are banded together to the exclusion of other men."

*Attribution given from the English translation of Mithaq al-Madina (The Covenant of Medina) by Montgomery Watt "Muhammad at Medina", 1962 edition, pp. 221-225

My research regarding the emancipation and self-determination movements within the Muslim majority regions pre-dates the Arab Spring by four years. Although the movements we are noting within these regions may seem chaotic, there is a rising global consciousness of what it means to be a Muslim, and how that identity fits into a greater global paradigm.

As a veteran correspondent within Pakistan media I can attest to a complete freedom of expression as I write commentary which both identifies radical Islam and seeks to bring societal homeostasis. But the continued script for public consumption of American mainstream media in collusion with our government is misplaced sentiment. The cordon and self-censorship of jourmalists must cease. Problems must be identified and addressed. Societal homeostasis is only possible when Americans identify as Americans first, not in a jingoistic nationalistic way, but in a way which degrades the ethnocentric, sectarian tendencies embraced by those who are never happy with the blessings which America offers them.

Thank you, Mr. Emerson, for the continued efforts on behalf of a healthy America.

Tammy Swofford

Daily Times Pakistan - Friday correspondent

Economic Affairs Pakistan (SECP journal) - senior writer

 

Excellent

Submitted by Cathy D, May 23, 2014 23:23

People must wake up to groups such as ISNA and CAIR. It's about time their names become the subject of a debate. Re: Quanta - CAIR would consider you as an apostate. We know what that means for you, don't we? Thank you for writing brave words. If only more would do the same.

 

Battle for the Islamism Narrative

Submitted by Qanta Ahmed, May 23, 2014 18:08

To all at the Investigative Project of Terrorism this was a terrific ad and great article here. Thank you for your efforts to preserve truth in the battle for the narrratives relating to Islamism and Islam, two quite separate ideas.

Muslims who understand political Islamism- Muslims like me- recognize that ISLAMISM per se, whether violent or non violent, is intrinsically radical in every meaning of the word. Demanding the use of 'radical' as a qualifier before the word Islamist is borne either of ignorance or of apologism or perhaps both. Pluralistic Muslims -who thrive best within the freedoms afforded us by secular pluralistic democracry - recognize that your efforts are far from Islamophobic and infact intriniscally Islamophilic as you strive to challenge the Islamist worldview, a worldview which particularly exploits the privileges of the very democracy it seeks to subvert and ultimately extinguish. Any claim otherwise has to be questioned for motves and intention. Congratulations on brave and honest work.

Keep up the great work.

 

More Reader Comments

Title By Date

Qanta Ahmed [132 words]

Casey Cartwright 

Jun 1, 2014 00:40

Semantics [539 words]

Geppetto 

May 24, 2014 13:38

"The Ummah is beginning to rise...." [320 words]

Tammy Swofford 

May 24, 2014 09:00

Excellent [54 words]

Cathy D 

May 23, 2014 23:23

Battle for the Islamism Narrative [165 words]

Qanta Ahmed 

May 23, 2014 18:08

  Islamism [132 words]

Abdul Ameer 

Jun 4, 2014 14:54

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