Islam has now become an imminent danger; no longer can the West continue to overlook its basic principle of jihad, whether violent or non-violent: the clear fact is that it professes an unmitigated surrender to the will of God by an authoritarian clergy that does the thinking for the masses, thereby reducing the value of the individual to having no rights whatsoever and living for an afterlife only. That it is in competition or outright intolerance of other world religions is of no consequence; but that it is out to destroy principles of democracy is crucial and must be stopped with the same furor of any imperial design to end civilization as we know it. The West must embark on a cold war of ideas to clearly show that Islam is unalterably opposed to life. There is no logic in being tolerant toward an intolerant religion.
First of all, we must clean up the current preoccupation with religion, especially in this nation. There can be no room for fundamentalists noisily fighting against our secular principles that in no way interfere with their right to worship non-publicly as they feel they must. The President himself must begin to tone down his rhetoric that reflects incessantly a new-born Christian with its imposition of prayer and assertive evangelism. Catholics and liberal Christians must return to the ecumenical spirit by showing greater tolerance of the unfortunate’s inability to set a course for their lives not entirely their own doing. Jews must end its noisome love affair with, and lobbying for, Israel as should all nationalities terminate their influence on foreign affairs, particularly Cuban Americans. The Bible as a religious authority should be cleansed of all passages denigrating women, professing damnation, violence and unseemly ancient customs, such as sacrificial ritual. The Bible unabridged would be for study of literature and history. Abortion and homosexuality must be non-issues. Any cult that advocates authoritarianism, stripping their followers of democratic rights must be outlawed.
Cultures, too, must begin to exercise the spirit of fairness and decency as set forth in the founding of the nation. The Internet is being inundated with perversion and criminal activity and must be monitored. There is no need for excessive violence on TV and film, nor graphic, prolonged sex scenes. Those that must have this nonsense — as it used to be — let them be inconvenienced by having to go to adult rentals and porn theaters. Music should go back to the basics which is primarily for the ear, not the eye. If there must be concerts let them be artistic and classy without disorderly frenzy. Revive the tradition of low cost night clubs for the young to patronize, sitting at table and occasionally dancing with a partner to romantic music. Revive community dances for the youth and decent hangouts like the sugar bowls of old. Arguably Jack Benny was the funniest comedian ever and yet never had to resort to profanity, smut and racial slurs. Advertising agencies must be harnessed — their excessive snob appeal; revving up cars with touted horsepower; unproven or arrant dishonest claims; parading models as though they were the all American girl next door, or implying no one wants plain Jane from next door; women drinking beer with the guys as though they could be victorious in a chug-a-lug contest; bombardment of commercials that depict the essence of business is purely communications, implying that the hardworking business man is a loser without telecommunications and a cell phone in his ear, ad nauseam.
By cleaning up our own act, we can then justify declaring war on a menacing religion which aims at world domination.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: March 31, 2004.