“Can Democracy Co-Exist with Extremism?”
In light of the violent reaction from Muslims around the world as retaliation over a Danish newspaper’s cartoons of Mohammed, the prophet of peace, Stop the ACLU asked this important question:
Can democracy co-exist with this kind of extreme mentality?
The answer: Yes. There are 2 types of democracies at the center of this question: reasonable and unreasonable ones. The term “co-exist” may be open to interpretation.
Stop the ACLU went on to say:
Can democracy co-exist with such large numbers of this kind of extreme mentality? They have no alms with destroying freedom. They have no tolerance for freedom, and illustrate that very well. I’m not advocating anything like wiping them off the face of the earth, but have no doubt that this is the kind of mentality they would advocate for us, and for freedom. So, as groups like CAIR, and the ACLU are quick to defend these extremists, make note that these very same folks would be the first to do away with our First Amendment. If we stand by and appease them, they will destroy us.
Democracy relies on governing of the self (1)… Freedom requires love and responsibility. Freedom used “for an occasion to sin” (2) rather than an opportunity to do good is a fundamental violation of freedom. Cultures that carry out their sense of justice through violence are almost always subdued or destroyed. They then become isolated and take out their wrath on each other.
Iraq is a vulnerable experiment in democracy. As Iraqis are still basking in their new freedom and government, there are Muslims protesting the Mohammed cartoons and demanding justice for Israel/Christians/United States. None had anything to do with the cartoons, of course, but the fire under Islam is always hot and waiting to wage war against those three. Iraq is the one country that has so far showed the most restraint during these riots, perhaps proof that democracy can promote reason without a total disregard for culture.
While the Palestinian elections of January 2006 cannot be called an exercise in self-discipline, it is an exercise in Democracy. With Hamas at the wheel and the people behind this new government, it is an example of the will of the people. The problematic nature of the movement in Palestine has yet to be worked out.
In a democracy, the people decide their own course. If in the middle east, as with the Hamas victory in Palestine, Muslims decide that fanaticism is the route they wish to take, they will ultimately forfeit the freedom that they think they possess and it will be replaced by fear and violence.
At the end of the day, Arab states experiencing democracy may not be as civilized or humane as other democratic republics, which usually have foundations in Judeo-Christian ethics, but there is good news. If democracies insist on fighting each other (as Muslims insist on carrying out Jihad), the civilized democracies are more skilled in their national defense. Extremism produces a military that fights without precision (which is more dangerous for civilians), but civilized democracies make more effective the defense of it’s people with one bullet. The success with which the enemies fight each other will be determined by the accuracy of the rifle and psychological operations. This is the advantage of a self-disciplined, self-governed people.
Co-exist? We have to whether it looks like we are or not.
1: “Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of self.” (*George W. Bush, Inaugural speech 2005)
2: For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. (*Galatians 5:13)
RELATED:
What In God’s Name Is Going On?
Islam: “The Religion of Peace”
Cross-posted at Amy’s Blog