Australians To March Against Dhimmitude

This is why I love the Australians.  In reaction to comments made by mufti Sheik Taj el-Din el-Hilaly, who referred to women as "uncovered meat," a group of spunky female Aussies have decided to march on Melbourne's Brunswick mosque -- wearing bikinis.  

As much as I hate to admit it, this is where Australians demonstrate a greater resolve and cultural confidence than Americans.  A multitude of Americans would never support such a march because it would be deemed "insensitive" to the religious convictions of Muslims.  We have become a culture of tip-toers, petrified to step on any line or crack that could provoke cries of damaged feelings, ethnocentrism or "intolerance."  Islamists are aware of and aggressively exploit our suicidal predilections to political correctness and extremist "tolerance" to advance their religious agenda.

Tolerance simply means that I can abide by the existence of someone or something.  It does not mean that I can't outwardly criticize or condemn that with which I disagree or find repugnant.  At some point in our culture, the belief became ascendant that tolerance meant something more that "to tolerate."  Tolerance now means that you must think, speak and act in such a way that confirms the absolute equality and social good of all beliefs, religions and ideas.  If one doesn't accept this extreme definition, one is considered to be insensitive, closed-minded, reactionary and mean-spirited. 

Does it ever occur to those who accept this broader redefinition of "tolerance" why such an effort was made to redefine the word in the first place?  The consequence of people accepting the redefinition is that intellectual debate and discussion become stunted.  Rather than debate serious and consequential issues on the merits, the champions of extreme "tolerance" declare certain topics of discussion as out of bounds.  Can't talk about it.  Socially impolite.  End of discussion.  If you persist, you'll be called a name or associated with an unflattering moniker.  People should be inherently suspicious of any cultural idea or intellectual movement that seeks to stifle opposing ideas through the use of social intimidation and name-calling.  It's nothing more than intellectual tyranny. If a viewpoint cannot be defended through rational argumentation and debate, it's probably not worth defending to begin with.  The intellectually vigorous among us make arguments.  The intellectual cowards hurl insults or find certain ideas to be so inappropriate that discussion is disallowed.  They are either being intellectually lazy or have been intimidated into silence.

Back to the Aussies.  The decision to publicly confront the sheik for his comments about women's clothing is exactly what needs to happen.  Those who believe that women parading by a mosque in bikinis are "insensitive" are playing into the hands of the Islamists and perpetuating a double-standard.  Why should the sheik be afforded the cultural freedom to criticize what he views as innapropriate dress while the marchers are considered insensitive when they make a bold statement to remind the sheik that they can decide how to dress themselves in a free country and to hell with what he thinks?  Most Australians won't put up with this nonsense, including Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello:

Mr Howard told the Herald, "when you come to this country, you become Australian". Similarly, Mr Costello had said: "Before becoming an Australian, you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objections to those values, don't come to Australia."

In the interview, Mr Howard said multiculturalism had become distorted and too often stupidly meant "a federation of cultures". And he said Muslims must work at avoiding their alienation. Mr Costello condemned "confused, mushy, misguided multiculturalism".

Oh to hear more Western leaders speak so directly about the need for immigrants to accept pre-existing national cultural values!  Howard's remarks were partially made in response to the call among some Muslims for Costello to be censured for making remarks they didn't like about core Australian values.    The call for censure just confirms that Islamists have discovered and will relentlessly exploit the soft underbelly of the West -- multi-culturalism and the extreme conception of "tolerance."   The Islamists will try and guilt us into submission to the strictures of sharia law.

This is what the West must do.  No, not parade around in bikinis, but capture a little bit of that Aussie spirit.  Culturally push-back against the Islamists, or anyone who tries to fit us with politically-correct straight-jackets.  The spread of extreme tolerance will only serve to end additional and important debates before they can even get started.  Muslims need to know that they can live and worship among us in peace and friendship, but we will not be manipulated into dhimmitude. 

Others Blogging:
Michelle Malkin (H/T)
Ace of Spades 
Tammy Bruce 

Comments

[atheling2]

I'm with you on this. I'm so damned frustrated here in the U.S.

The only people who protest and march are the bloody liberals. It's about time the Right get off their butts and start making waves.