Reply #8: I can understand why you might say . . [View All]

[msmcghee]

. . that I am making an argument from ignorance. That's what I said myself in my post - that I was "ignorant" of "mainstream Islam's" efforts at halting or reducing the anti-semitism that seems to permeate current Arab/Muslim views of Jews and Israel. I asked you to provide some examples of that.

You did give me two examples but I'm still having trouble seeing how those examples support your assertion. The first was "onemillionvoices.org" that describes itself as a "grassroots", non-partisan effort at reconciliation of the conflict through negotiations toward a two-state solution. I applaud this organization's efforts and mission. Almost every member of this forum supports the two-state solution including me. However, a self-described grassroots effort of anonymous people and corporate members who sign up on the internet to endorse a two-state solution can hardly be described as the voice of "mainstream Islam", much less the voice of "mainstream Islam" regarding antisemitism, which was your assertion and topic under discussion. I could find no mention of antisemitism on their website.

Similarly, the words of King Abdullah II of Jordan from a moderate Islamic conference he sponsored in 2005, seems hardly reflective of mainstream Islam then or today. I notice though that at least in the article you linked, while he did call for an end to fatwas and he denounced "extremism and terrorism carried out in the name of Islam", he didn't say anything about antisemitism - which is what we are discussing.

You made a specific claim - that Bostom's assertion that mainstream Islam is a major source of antisemitism was "extremely incorrect". There's no need to argue about Bostom's history of Islamic antisemitism. I can provide dozens of links to videos of mainstream imams of important mosques in the largest Arab capitals as well as videos of Hamas spokesmen calling Jews the sons of pigs and apes and Palestinian kid's shows teaching hatred of Jews as an essential part of being a good Muslim - all within the last few weeks. I'll do that if you doubt me but you know those videos are there.

Can you provide anything comparable - any current (like in the last few weeks) evidence of truly mainstream Muslim / Arab leaders - like a state leader who has not signed a peace treaty with Israel - or Palestinian TV offering messages that oppose and renounce those frequent antisemitic messages?

I am not making any argument from ignorance or otherwise - as much as I am questioning your view as you stated it. I am not trying to convince you that I am right. I am questioning your view because I don't see what you see. I am asking for evidence that you are right so I can understand why you could possibly believe that mainstream Islam in the Arab ME is not virulently antisemitic.