 |
|
July 18, 2008
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The Sanctification and Importance of Time
Caroline B. Glick: US wants it absolutely clear it has no intention of attacking Iran's nuclear installations
Mona Charen: What can you say about a people who welcome a child murderer as a hero?
JWisdom::
Living a dog's life, dawg? by Rabbi Dovid Gross
July 17, 2008
Steven Emerson: Deals with devils
Libby Lazewnik: One Step at a Time
JWisdom::
Leader the follower? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky
July 16, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Poaching humans
The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Meaty pasta salad with summer berries perfect for warm evenings
JWisdom:: Keeping A Secret
by Rabbi Mordechai Becher
July 15, 2008
Dennis Prager: False Equation: Opposing Same-Sex Marriage and Opposing Interracial Marriage
Joel Greenberg: Researchers look to Israeli circumcision program to help combat AIDS 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work
JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part V: Why Judaism ISN'T Spiritual by Rabbi David Aaron
July 14, 2008
Jonathan Rosenblum: A warning from Canada to those who value life
Jonathan Tobin: 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work
JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism, Part II
July 11, 2008
Rabbi Francis Nataf: It's hard to be humble when you're great
Caroline B. Glick: A tale of two hostages
JWisdom:: Profane for Prophet by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky
July 8, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Duty to save gullible from themselves?
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Islamists have the West just where they want us
JWisdom::
Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 3: The Fully Loaded Human Being by Rabbi Dovid Gross
July 3, 2008
Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)
Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat
JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron
JWisdom:: The Moses Method by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky
July 2, 2008
Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots
The Kosher Gourmet
By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!
JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life
July 1, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?
Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?
JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism
June 30, 2008
Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world
Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?
JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child
June 26, 2008
Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil
Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy
June 25, 2008
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem
Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies
JWisdom:
Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky
June 25, 2008
Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists
Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?
JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III
June 24, 2008
Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge
JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence
June 23, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma
Jeff Jacoby: A world without children
JWisdom:
Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction
June 20, 2008
Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation
Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week
JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky
June 19, 2008
Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in
Chris Christoff:
Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub
June 18, 2008
Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem
The Kosher Gourmet
by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups
JWisdom:
Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher
June 17, 2008
Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein
Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies
JWisdom:
Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron
June 16, 2008
Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?
Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'
JWisdom:
Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire
March 22, 2007
J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)
Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Feb. 12, 2008
/ 6 Adar I 5768
Westerners must mount a united front against Islamic law
By
Daniel Pipes
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Westerners opposed to the application of the Islamic law (the Shari'a) watch with dismay as it goes from strength to strength in their countries — harems increasingly accepted, a church leader endorsing Islamic law, a judge referring to the Koran, clandestine Muslim courts meting out justice. What can be done to stop the progress of this medieval legal system so deeply at odds with modern life, one that oppresses women and turns non-Muslims into second-class citizens?
A first step is for Westerners to mount a united front against the Shari'a. Facing near-unanimous hostility, Islamists back down. For one example, note the retreat last week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in a dispute concerning guide dogs used by the blind.
Muslims traditionally consider dogs impure animals to be avoided, creating an aversion that becomes problematic when Muslim store-owners or taxi drivers deny service to blind Westerners relying on service dogs. I have collected fifteen such cases on my weblog, at "Muslim Taxi Drivers vs. Seeing-Eye Dogs": five from the United States (New Orleans, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Brooksville, Fl.; Everett, Wash.); four from Canada (Vancouver, twice in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Alberta); three from the United Kingdom (Cambridge, twice in London); two from Australia (Melbourne, Sydney); and one from Norway (Oslo).
News accounts quote Muslim cabbies rudely rejecting blind would-be passengers, yelling at them, "No dog, No dog, Get out, get out"; "Get that dog out of here"; and "No dogs, no dogs." The blind find themselves rejected, humiliated, abandoned, insulted, or even injured, left in the rain, dropped in the middle of nowhere, made late for an appointment, or caused to miss a flight.
Islamist organizations initially responded to this problem by supporting anti-canine cabbies. The Muslim Association of Canada pointed out how Muslims generally regard dog saliva as unclean. CAIR on one occasion echoed this assertion, claiming that "the saliva of dogs invalidates the ritual purity needed for prayer." On another, the head of CAIR, Nihad Awad, declared that "People from the Middle East especially … have been indoctrinated with a kind of fear of dogs" and justified a driver rejecting a guide dog on the grounds that he "has a genuine fear and he acted in good faith. He acted in accordance with his religious beliefs."
However, when the police and the courts are called in, the legal rights of the blind to their basic needs and their dignity almost always trump the Muslim dislike for dogs. The Muslim proprietor or driver invariably finds himself admonished, fined, re-educated, warned, or even jailed. The judge who found a cabby's behavior to be "a total disgrace" spoke for many.
CAIR, realizing that its approach had failed in the courts of both law and of public opinion, suddenly and nimbly switched sides. In a cynical maneuver, for example, it organized 300 cabbies in Minneapolis to provide free rides for participants at a National Federation of the Blind conference. (Unconvinced by this obvious ploy, a federation official responded: "We really are uncomfortable … with the offer of getting free rides. We don't think that solves anything. We believe the cabdrivers need to realize that the law says they will not turn down a blind person.") And, finally, last week, the Canadian office of CAIR issued a statement urging Muslims to accommodate blind taxi passengers, quoting a board member that "Islam allows for dogs to be used by the visually impaired."
CAIR's capitulation contains an important lesson: When Westerners broadly agree on rejecting a specific Islamic law or tradition and unite against it, Western Islamists must adjust to the majority's will. Guide dogs for the blind represent just one of many such consensus issues; others tend to involve women, such as husbands beating wives, the burqa head coverings, female genital mutilation, and "honor" killings. Western unity can also compel Islamists to denounce their preferred positions in areas such as slavery and Shar'i-compliant finances.
Other Islam-derived practices do not (yet) exist in the West but do prevail in the Muslim world. These include punishing a woman for being raped, exploiting children as suicide bombers, and executing offenders for such crimes as converting out of Islam, adultery, having a child out of wedlock, or witchcraft. Western solidarity can win concessions in these areas too.
If Westerners stick together, the Shari'a is doomed. If we do not, we are doomed.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading."
Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
JWR contributor Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum.
© 2005, Daniel Pipes
|
