I have been radicalized!

Why? Because they resort to terror and we in the West cannot get our heads around it. So we make excuses-radicalization

I have been radicalized!

I confess. I have been radicalized! I am a radicalized westerner. I am a staunch supporter of the morals, values and ethics that underpin my country, Canada; ethical monotheism-the Judeo/Christian ethic that tells us we are all intrinsically equal and must care for the other.  I am so radicalized that I spend hours writing articles, posting them, going to events, speaking at some. As I wrote in my book ‘Back to the Ethic: Reclaiming Western Values’, I have been “swaddled and bathed in freedom”  from birth - from the womb. “We intrinsically know, when we awake every morning, that we can gather in public places and speak our minds, spreading our words through a plethora of media platforms. We don’t think twice about our right to choose those who will lead us, because we know that we can change those leaders through free elections. We have the right to practice our religion in peace. We can choose where we wish to live, when we want to move, and with whom we wish to share our life.”  This is western culture and I will defend it with my life.

Just as there are hundreds of millions of us, billions, who are deeply embedded in Western culture, so too there are millions, hundreds of millions of people, billions, who are deeply embedded in a different culture; one that is based on Sharia law. And they want to share their beliefs with us.  In these countries not all are equal. Muslims think of themselves as on a higher plane: “better than”, while others, Christians and Jews, are viewed as “lesser than.” This is dhimmitude. Women are not treated as equals. They are under the authority of their husbands who have the right to beat them. And if there is no husband then they are under the authority of male relatives. They are told to cover up - as if there were mere shadows.

Asra Q. Nomani and Hala Arafa of the Muslim Reform Movement felt the need to write about the hijab. It is not merely a headscarf.  It means “curtain” in Arabic. “It also means “hiding,” ”obstructing” and “isolating” someone or something. It is never used in the Koran to mean headscarf.”

The two Muslim women added,  “To us, the “hijab” is a symbol of an interpretation of Islam we reject that believes that women are a sexual distraction to men, who are weak, and thus must not be tempted by the sight of our hair. We don’t buy it. This ideology promotes a social attitude that absolves men of sexually harassing women and puts the onus on the victim to protect herself by covering up.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/12/21/as-muslim-women-we-actually-ask-you-not-to-wear-the-hijab-in-the-name-of-interfaith-solidarity/

The hijab is not some benign symbol. They also point out “The rush to cover women’s hair has reached a fever pitch with ultraconservative Muslim websites and organizations pushing this interpretation, such as VirtualMosque.com and Al-Islam.org, which even published a feature, ‘Hijab Jokes,’ mocking Muslim women who don’t cover their hair ‘Islamically.’”
 http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/hijab-jokes

Islam also allows for honour killings. Gays are hanged. Their justice system is based on the literal implementation of an eye for an eye. Sentences for breaking their laws include flogging. Hands and feet are often amputated as retribution. And then there is decapitation. Just as we in the west are “ swaddled and bathed in freedom” people living under Sharia Law, whether it is called “moderate” or not, are also“ swaddled and bathed” in their morals values and ethics-which are diametrically opposed to ours. When they come to the West they bring their beliefs with them as we would bring ours if we moved to a Muslim country.https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1505017409827199&fref=nf

Just as most of us don’t think about our freedoms, taking them for granted because our ethics are part of our DNA, those who are raised in Sharia Law feel the same way. It’s part of their DNA. So at what point does one who believes in Sharia Law, whether in a Muslim country or in the West, become radicalized?

Are they tied down on a chair, water boarded, until they accept “radical” views? I think of their moderate views as radical compared to ours. Their values don’t fit in with our way of life at all. To fit in to the West requires dumping the vast majority of their morals, values and ethics. Why would they? Would you let go of your western values if you moved to Saudi Arabia?

We make excuses for terrorism. As Phil Gursky, former intelligence expert in Canada wrote in his book,  ‘The Threat from Within’,  there is no use searching for root causes because there is no common path to terrorism.http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/internet-isnt-single-path-to-radicalization-its-not-even-a-game-changer-says-ex-csis-analysts-book

The latest canard is that radicalization may be caused by comments from Donald Trump. Fits in with the excuse for Benghazi; it was caused by a “defamatory” video. The massacre by Muslims at Charlie Hebdo was caused by defamation of the prophet by a cartoon. Can you imagine the number of deaths we would see in the West if people attacked because of the disrespect shown toward Jesus and Mary and religion for that matter?  Take a look at the actions of Freedom From Religion Foundation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12065340/American-atheists-go-to-war-against-Christmas.html

Yet we make excuses for Muslim terrorism. Why?

And what we don’t want to acknowledge in the west is the vicious anti-semitism that is taught in all Muslim countries-especially in the Middle East



That hate comes with them to the West. And why not?  We in the West have been living with anti-semitism for a very long time. Only recently have Christian leaders talked about ending this illogical hate. Why would anyone expect people from Muslim countries, bathed in Jew-hatred, to let go of it just because they come to the West? Yet we seem to be turning a blind eye to this hate. Why?

Then think about the double standard in the West. We accept the fact that Muslim countries will not allow Jews to live there. In 1948, 850,000 Jews were ethnically cleansed from Muslim countries.  Since then, Jewish organizations have helped remaining Jews to prevent their slaughter. Yet here we are in the 21st century prepared to make room for another Jew-free country in the Middle East. Why?

Why do we accept this? And then after we accept this we question Muslim terrorism?  We are telling Muslims that we accept Sharia law by accepting the possibility of another legally declared Jew-free Muslim country ruled by Sharia law.

When Muslims in the West turn to a strict implementation of Sharia Law why do we say they have been radicalized? Why are they any more radicalized than those of us born and bred in western values who stand loud and proud for our morals values and ethics?

Why? Because they resort to terror and we in the West cannot get our heads around it. So we make excuses - radicalization.



Diane Weber Bederman 

Pro Deo et Constitutione – Libertas aut Mors
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Joseph F Barber