Religion and Violence

Either Kennedy’s 444 days in captivity have softened his brain, or he is another classic example of the intellectual and moral bankruptcy that seems to characterize much of liberal education these days. Like many multiculturalists, Kennedy seems to slaver over any barbarism that emanates out of the Third World, yet at the same time casts only a critical and jaundiced eye toward his own moral and political traditions.

How, may I ask, Mr. Kennedy, do fundamentalist Muslims think they are going to acquire self-respect and self-determination? Pray tell, by blowing up the World Trade Center? If I understand Kennedy’s contorted logic correctly, he would have us believe this type of barbarous behavior is the direct result of young Islamic sensibilities being harshly assaulted by Western secular corruption. Well, mea culpa and please pardon my cultural degeneracy and bad manners. Speaking for myself, however, I’d be willing to tolerate a little illicit sex and social corruption, along with the notion of a little personal freedom.

Kennedy rightly asserts that Islam is not just a religion, but rather an interlaced political, religious and legal system. Exactly. Such a mode of society existed in the West when the Catholic Church was supreme--800 years ago. This is a quaint way of saying that traditional Islamic societies are by their very nature organized on a medieval structure, and as such do not recognize Western notions of individual rights.

If Muslim extremists want to live in the 10th Century, that is their business. However, if they choose to extend their violent activities to these shores, don’t ask me to be culturally tolerant.

A. MARK NEDELMAN

Laguna Niguel