In addition to the horror of Friday’s slaughter in Norway, there has been the secondary shock of what it has revealed about so much of the west’s attitude to terrorism.
Islam
Crikey Says: Bracing for the name of the perpetrator …
Considering the knee jerk coverage from some of the world’s media outlets over the weekend, this is worth the click.
The ideology dividing both parties
Ideology and personalities are usually the stumbling blocks to political unity. But they work in quite different ways in the Liberal and Labor parties.
Danish newspaper still draws terror controversy
It might have been five years since a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Mohamed the Prophet, but five suspects have been arrested in a suspected foiled terror plot against its offices.
A pro-Islam bias in Texan schools?
Members of the Texas Board of Education think that the current prescribed school textbooks are too pro-Muslim and anti-Christian in their focus. A worthy recipient of our ‘USA: WTF?’ tag, we think.
Praying for peace: the Muslim prayer room in the Twin Towers
The twin towers of the World Trade Center held a Muslim prayer room, a popular and calm place. It’s an important fact to remember amongst all the mosque near Ground Zero vitriol: Muslims and Islam have always been a part of life there.
Manhattan mosque sparks nationwide debate
Approval for a new mosque to be built near ground zero in Manhattan has sparked furious debate about democratic values and religious freedoms across the US. The Tea Party are out in force, bringing dogs and picket signs to Muslim prayer meetings.
Fresh calls from Fred Nile to ban the burqa
Anti-burqa advocate New South Wales MP Reverend Fred Nile has introduced a private members bill to the state’s parliament in his latest attempt to ban people from wearing full-face covering in public places.
Crikey Clarifier: What sparked the attack on the cartoonist?
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks was attacked last week for depicting the prophet Mohammed as a dog. Why the sensitivity? Academic and broadcaster Waleed Aly explains everything to Crikey intern Matt de Neef.
Atheists and conservatives hide behind the veil
Calls to ban the burqa come from both the conservative and liberal sides of the fence. But a possible ban has nothing to do with women’s liberation and everything to do with defending the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, writes Jacinda Woodhead.
Make cartoons, not war: how Muslims should protest
For Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, a group at a US university walked around drawing stick figures of Muhammed on the pavement. The Muslim Students Association drew boxing gloves over them, turning the figures into mini Muhammed Alis. Smart move.
Mocking Mohammad: just because we can, doesn’t mean we should
Today is Everybody Draw Mohammad Day on Facebook, with bloggers around the world sketching lewd pictures of the prophet to protest censorship. But is this really about free speech, or just an excuse to be a jerk?
Beware of the burqa bandits infiltrating parliament
Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has called for a burqa ban in Australia. Great, I have to weigh in on this ridiculous old “un-Australian” argument against Muslims again? asks Shakira Hussein.
Cory Bernardi: Ban the burqa
SA Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi says Australia should ban the burqa, so it can’t be used as a disguise by “bandits” when they rob banks and mug people.
Is Hitler responsible for Islamic extremism?
A new book claims the roots of Islamic fundamentalism can be traced back to Nazi radio broadcasts across the Middle East during WWII.
Undercover in Yemen’s radical mosques
For four years, American writer Theo Padnos went deep undercover into the world of radical Islam in Yemen. But his cover was blown last year, and now he’s speaking out about his experiences.
Sheridan: Ban the burqa
Immigrants must adhere to and embrace the values of their adopted countries, says Greg Sheridan. In western societies, like France and Australia, that means equality for women, and burqas have no place.
Iran on the brink of civil war
It’s not a revolution that seems inevitable for Iran, but rather civil war and social breakdown as the government and opposition divide the nation along religious and political lines. Abbas Barzegar reports from Iran.
How India could fall to militant Muslims
If Pakistan fails, its territory and population could be consumed by India — adding 180 millions Muslims to the country, many of them a little upset about the loss of a Pakistani state. Throw in some radical Hindu nationalists and neo-Maoist guerrillas, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Freidman: Islam needs a civil war
The West can’t defeat the ideology of militant Islam, says Thomas Friedman: only other Muslims can. The Islamic world needs a war over ideas akin to that of the US civil war, the fight out the extremist minority.
The Islamic veil: prayer, prison, protection
The Islamic veil is perhaps the most powerful piece of cloth in history, dividing opinions and provoking strong emotions of both fear and faith all over the world. CSM meets the women behind the veil: who wears it — and why?
The implications of the Minaret vote bleeds outside Switzerland’s borders
The Swiss ban on Islamic Minarets sends the message that the rights of religious minorities are subject to the whim of the majority, writes Shakira Hussein.
Switzerland sticks its head in the sand
The Swiss have voted to ban the construction of new Minarets — the prayer towers on Islamic mosques — in the country. It will achieve nothing except further European intolerance towards Muslim migrants, says the WSJ.
Turkey debates a deal with terrorists
Turkey’s government is showing that an “Islamist” party can become a force for democracy and progress, challenging so many of our usual assumptions about Muslims, terrorism and the Middle East.
