Ok, my .02
I have traditionaly been mostly in the Len camp of American-Muslim relations. I read and try to understand the Koran (not an easy feat), I have had plenty of muslim friends, I was in a romantic relationship with a moderately religious Pakistani Muslim woman for almost 2 years in the beginning of my college career, etc.
I have been of the opinion that in certain areas of the world, Muslim populations are very radical. In others, they are really normal people. Especialy in the U.S., I have argued that the vast majority of Muslims here like living here and have no "religious problem" with America, and are fine and upstanding people just like most Americans.
However, over the course of the last year or so, I have been noticing a really disturbing trend. American Muslims, namely the ones in my age group 18-25 are going through some changes.
I know several sets of arab Muslim sisters; one sister wears hijab, the other doesnt. One hangs out with guys, the other doesnt. One will go out to a bar and drink, the other would never touch alcohol. They constantly argue with each other about what is haram (forbidden) in Islam, and how much their religion expects them to do, in contrast to living in a secular society. They are smart and educated people. For the most part, their parents could care less; the appreciate the devout daughter for dressing conservatively, but they dont mind that their other daughter is more secular or integrated into American norms.
My point is, that IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, young, wealthy, educated Muslim men and women in this country are often drawn to radical or fundamentalist Islam. Many of them were born in the US to relatively secular parents. But they see a return to "traditional" Islam as taking their religion and heritage seriously. They look down upon their peers who arent as religious as they are. They attend Muslim youth conventions in Houston and Dallas and Austin, where equal time is given to scholars and imams who preach a religion their parents follow, as they give to scholars and imams who preach a more radical and fundamentalist point of view that many of them are drawn to.
These are not Al Quaeda indoctrination centers. To young Muslims in America, a secularized and modern form of Islam, and a fundamentalist or traditional school of thought are BOTH valid points of view. They debate points of theology passionately and inteligently. They have disagreements about how scripture should be interpreted and applied to daily life; similar to how different sects of Christianity argue over points of faith.
The unfortuate part is, that the fundamentalist or traditional form of Islam being preaced and followed is basicaly Saudi Wahabbi. The events, literature, and speakers are funded by mosques in Saudi. These young American Muslims do not call it Wahabbi, and would strongly disagree with you if you claimed it was, and they are technicaly right. The differences are negligable, however.
These kids are pretty normal. Me and my friends socialize with them, date their more "Americanized" brothers and sisters, etc. However, there is a clear line drawn. It pops up in conversation, sometimes making things very akward and uncomfortable.
Sister 1: I really liked that scholar who talked at the convention this weekend.
Sister 2: You did? I hated him. Did you hear when he said the NYC firefighters who responded to 9/11 should be seen as heroes? What is that?
::uncomfortable silence::
It really came to life when I read a book called Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. It describes her experiences as a Muslim woman, the the interworkings of Islamic countries that facilitate the subjugation of women, foster hatred for the West, etc. She also speaks to how the religion ITSELF, taken literaly, facilitates this. This got me thinking, she had lots of valid points.
The most interesting part of her story was that she wrote the film Submission, the film for which Duth director Theo van Gogh was murdered in the streets of Amsrterdam by a Muslim fanatic. She was named as the next target, and went into hiding. She still lives with heavy secuity for her own safety.
The shocker came when I told some of my Muslim friends, particularly the more "traditional" ones about the interesting book I was reading. They recognized the author instantly. Their responses varied, but were uniformly along the same lines:
She deserves to die, I hope they kill her. Any Muslim who speaks out and lies about god and Islam deserves to die.
This has me re-thinking exactly how benign the American Muslim population is. These aren't 3rd world people living in poverty looking for the Great Satan to blame it on. These are young, inteligent, educated and wealthy Americans whose opinions, attitudes, and beliefs like the one above come purely from religion.
Take it for what it's worth. Anecdotal evidence, but this is MY EXPERIENCE as a young man living, studying and working at the University of Texas in SA.
