On radicalism

On radicalism

I was deeply disturbed and saddened by the interview of Nur
Syam published in your paper under the title Radicalism, a
reaction to West's failures (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 18).

When are religious leaders like Nur going to stop serving as
apologists for the deplorable violence that is perpetuated by
terrorists throughout the world? Nowhere does he state as he
should unequivocally that this violence is deplorable and
inexcusable in all cases.

"Leaders" like Nur are gravely failing their followers by not
informing them to put aside hatred. If it is acceptable to view
"everything coming from the West as a deviation" does that
mean medicine, education, and democracy are deviations?

If "secular regimes fail in formulating social policies" does
this imply that religious societies succeed? If so where is
the evidence? Afghanistan? The Sudan? Iran? I think not!

Nur reaches his lowest point when he accepts the Palestinian
suicide bomber as courageous by offering the canard that they
attack "troops". It is a profound disservice to characterize
people who have been raised on hatred and intolerance to the
point where they commit horrific acts of murder as courageous.

When they hate so much that they disregard their own lives and
those of defenseless women and children, how is that anything
other than demented and disgusting?

I would suggest that Islamists work within the framework of
the secular governments to seek out freedom of religion for
themselves and others and not impose their deliverance on non-
believers. This is a central tenet of American-style democracy.

A GALLI, Brooklyn, Ny-U.S.