Moderate Muslim Groups Give Their Support To Anti-Jihad Film
The American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) and the American Islamic Leadership Coalition (AILC) have both come out in support of the anti-Jihad film The Third Jihad. The press releases that relate to AIFD and AILC support for The Third Jihad film can be found HERE and HERE. This follows calls for the resignation of New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. There have been accusations that the film is ‘Islamophobic’ and that therefore, presumably, its use as a training film by the New York Police Department is example of Islamophobia.
However, at the beginning of The Third Jihad film it is made perfectly clear:
“This is not a film about Islam. It is about the threat of radical Islam. Only a small percentage of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims are radical.”
This makes it very clear that the film is not about Islam but is about Islamism. The film is even narrated by Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser who is himself a Muslim. It seems that critics of the film are implying that Muslims who speak out against extremism are Islamophobes too. Such suggestions are outrageous and show clearly how the term ‘Islamophobia’ is used as a political weapon. If supporting the film is Islamophobic then perhaps it can be argued that those who oppose it are in effect supporters of Islamism and the Islamist narrative? Where are the members of the political, academic and media establishments when moderate Muslims speak out against extremism?
The objections to the film seem to be motivated by the same impulses as the objections that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has towards freedom of speech. Accusations of Islamophobia are designed to shut down debate on issues of important public interest. Many will undoubtedly see the complaints against The Third Jihad as religiously motivated bulling that give encouragement to reactionary Islamists who want to crush dissent from liberal Muslims and other supporters of Enlightenment values.
Our political, academic, and media elites have spoken a great deal about moderate Muslims, but have done very little to support these courageous people who are willing to openly stand up to the extremists. Western governments and the chattering classes seem more willing to lend their support to Islamists and Islamism than to the growing liberal reform movement. Why is the American Government not backing up groups like the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), and the American Islamic Leadership Coalition (AILC)?
Other articles about the recent criticism of The Third Jihad film can be found HERE and HERE – they are well worth reading.
Sharia Watch UK