An
Open Letter to Oriana Fallaci
Anti-Islamism does not justify racism!
by Azar Majedi
07 July, 2006
Dear Oriana Fallaci
As a veteran
activist of women’s rights, for liberty and equality, as a first
hand victim of political Islam, and a veteran fighter against it,
as an atheist who is a staunch believer in a secular state and
secular education system, as a woman who has fought against hejab
in any form and shape, as a secularist who has defended the latest
French secular law to ban bearing of any conspicuous religious
symbols in public schools, as a campaigner for banning the veil
for underage girls and banning religious schools, as a campaigner
against honour killings, Sharia courts in Canada, against Islamism
and Islamic terrorism, as a staunch defender of unconditional
freedom of expression and criticism who defended the right of
those who ridiculed Mohammad in the row over the caricatures, I
share some of your beliefs and find some very offensive, and let
me make it clear, not to Islam, but to human values, egalitarian
and libertarian values which are also part of “European culture”.
When you came to
Iran to interview Khomeini, I was fighting against him and Islamic
regime for women’s rights, against the hejab, and for freedom. I
knew you first and foremost for your interview with the Shah. I
admired your courage and frankness then. I feel indignant now when
I read some of your comments and your latest interview with
Margaret Talbot in New Yorker. Your justified hatred against Islam
and Islamism has been extended to all Moslems and everyone living
under Islam. I am sure you do not need anyone to remind you that
this is racism. I am bewildered when I read your comments against
immigrants and immigration from countries under the rule of Islam,
and find this in contrast with the justified pride you take in
your history for fighting against Nazi-Fascism.
It seems to me that
the hate against Islam has pushed you towards Christianity. You
have even visited the Pope asking him to take a stronger stance
against Islamism. This I find puzzling. How does an atheist in
hate of one religion take refuge in another? Your hate against
Islamism and political Islam finds expression in Euro centrism.
Your disapproval for multiculturalism and cultural relativism has
led you to defend “western culture”, instead of universal rights
and secular, humanitarian and libertarian values.
As a young girl
growing in Iran, under the rule of Islam, I read western
philosophers and writers to educate myself with enlightened
principles and values regarding equality, freedom and women’s
rights. I chose the libertarian and egalitarian side of Western
culture, and I am bewildered why, you an atheist, a fighter
against fascism, had to resort to Euro centrism and racism in
order to defend Western culture.
Your defence of a
superior culture goes as far as expressing more concern about the
beheading of Buddha’s statue than murdered, maimed women and men
in Afghanistan whose rights are violated daily, who are victims of
political Islam and American militarism. This perplexes me. I
found it offensive that a human being who enjoys a freedom fighter
stature in the eyes of many, cares more about the cultural and
physical ambiance of her native country than all those men, women
and children who are killed, maimed and violated daily in Iraq. It
seems that in defence of “your culture” you, a self-professed
atheist, in attacking mosques end up defending the church. As a
staunch campaigner against terrorism, I feel indignant when I see
our “Western” anti Islamist can only voice condemnation of
terrorism taken place in the West. All terrorist acts which take
place daily in countries under Islam are mentioned at best only in
passing. Are people who have by draw of a lottery been born under
the rule of Islam not worthy of your attention, passion and rage?
All these become so
ironic when one looks deeply into the root of political Islam.
When one remembers how the Western governments unleashed this
monster on the people of the region, how they created the
Mojahedin in Afghanistan in the cold war era, and then helped the
Taliban, how in the fear of a leftist revolution in Iran dumped
Khomeini on us and helped bring about an Islamic state, when one
remembers these recent historical facts, one cannot help but
discern a profound sense of hypocrisy and double standard. Sadly
the saga of helping political Islam and Islamic terrorism by the
Western governments is an ongoing effort. Just look at Iraq! The
US and Britain, by invading Iraq, helped Islamists grow
monstrously therein. Have you forgotten who the friend of Bin
laden was? The tragedy is that as long as this monster was
strangling the “native” people, our rage could stay under control,
our passion not moved. Those people were not worthy of our passion
and compassion!
The Western academia
and journalists invented and nurtured the concept of cultural
relativism, so that on its basis they could justify compulsory
veiling, stoning, maiming and torturing of the people under the
rule of Islam. That gave justification for turning one’s head
while one’s government made deals with those Islamic states. This
concept was invented so under the guise of “respect for other
cultures” the brutal crimes and violation of human rights will be
brushed aside “respectfully”. We have witnessed how European
courts have resorted to cultural relativism in defending
deportation of immigrants fleeing the rule of Islam. They have
gone as far as stating that the prison conditions in those
countries are suitable for those people.
I must state that
these arrogant, hypocritical and racist attitudes and policies are
an important tool to foster political Islam. If one does not
distinguish between the Islamic movement, a reactionary and brutal
political movement, and ordinary Moslems who are the first hand
victims of this, if one does not distinguish between the oppressor
and the oppressed, one becomes an accessory to Islamic brutality.
We must try and
understand the root causes of Islamic recruitment among the
so-called Moslem communities in the West. The dominant racism in
state policies and attitude and systematic marginalization of
these communities plus the aggression and militarism of the
Western governments led by the US against the people in the Middle
East, namely, Palestine and Iraq, have directed the youth in these
communities to despair and frustration. The revolt of the “suburb”
in France is a vivid and sad example of such policies. By
rejecting these communities as part of ”us” we leave them at the
mercy of the “leaders of the community”, who foster
traditionalism, Islamism, sexism, and glorification of the “home
land”. These are poisonous brain washings. And I must say that
your stance is aiding this process.
I find it so hard to
understand that in despising the oppressor and oppressing ideology
you come to despise the victims just as much. No sympathy, no
compassion for the victims. No rage and passion provoked for these
people who live under these inhumane and brutal conditions. It is
amazing that in Mexico witnessing the brutal crushing of a student
demonstration, and becoming a victim of it, you came to hate the
sufferers just as much as the oppressors. So flippantly, you state
you hate “Mexicans” and as a result despise the most impressive
show of power and solidarity in the US for the rights of
immigrants in recent months.
I was enraged by
reading your racist comments. I was indignant by sensing your Euro
centrism, by your lack of human compassion for millions who fled
the rule of Islam and took refuge in the West in the hope of a
better life. I share your despise and indignation for the Islamic
movement. But I denounce categorically the racism that is openly
expressed by you. And last but not least I must state that I
defend the unconditional freedom of expression, and condemn the
court which is to try you for what you have expressed in your
books. One must be free to express any opinions. This is the
pillar of a free society.
Azar Majedi
The chair of
Organisation for Women’s Liberation- Iran
Producer and host of
TV programmes on New Channel satellite TV, including “No to
Political Islam”
Editor on Medusa
www.azarmajedi.com
azarmajedi@yahoo.com
www.medusa2000.com
www.m-hekmat.com
www.wpiran.org
www.azadizan.com
www.newchannel.tv
www.medusa2000.com
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