Tariq Ramadan
Tariq Ramadan is the grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan al Banna. He was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and, of course, speaks native French. He is considered one of the most influential Islamic intellectuals in the world. Due to his suspicious connections, he was banned for several years from entering the US, a ban that was lifted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Previously, he lost his teaching position at Erasmus University in Rotterdam due to his having a program on Press TV, Iran's English-language news organ. In 2005, he aroused controversy with a letter advocating that a "moratorium" (not an outright end) on stoning be issued in the Muslim world until Islamic scholars could study the issue of it being applied unjustly to the poor and powerless. Most recently, he has issued the below comments on the murders in Toulouse. The below link from Gates of Vienna has the statement both in English and in the original French. In the statement, Ramadan blames the tragedy on the isolation from French society that Merah was supposedly subjected to.
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2012/03/tariq-ramadans-take-on-toulouses.html
Make no mistake; Ramadan is a formidable intellectual figure, but here he ranks right up there with other Western apologists who try to rationalize for the horrible act of Mohamed Merah. It is despicable.
In a related devolpment, French police have now charged Merah's brother, Abdelkader, with conspiracy in the case.
Oh, for a moment I thought this link would offer Ramadan's own thoughts in his own words. Silly me. It's a ponderous translation by his avowed critics. Even so, Ramadan makes clear that the actions in Toulouse are inconsistent with Islamic values.
ReplyDeleteTalking about "root causes" has a bad rap because confused liberals tend to lend that the imprimatur of extenuating circumstances. If deplorable "root causes" have made someone into a psycho pathic killer, the need to apprehend and confine that person is no less. However, if we do not want to find ourselves facing more such psychopaths, it would be a good idea to fix the root causes.
Being underprivileged seems to entitle him to all kinds of crimes. It is society's fault in this world- view. I read where he was only getting $600 a month from the French government. This must forgive his going out and murdering children and others.
ReplyDeleteBeing underprivileged seems to entitle him to all kinds of crimes. It is society's fault in this world- view. I read where he was only getting $600 a month from the French government. This must forgive his going out and murdering children and others.
ReplyDeleteKeep trying Miggie. If you arrange the words in enough different combinations, you might end up with something that makes sense.
ReplyDelete