Islamic Freedom's Founding Father
Almost overnight, the Islamic world is in the process of metamorphosis. Beginning with free elections in Afghanistan less than six months ago, and continuing with tomorrow's historic Saudi vote, there is the unmistakable feeling of positive momentum towards an evolution of liberty among Islamic peoples. This turn of events must be surprising, and a bit embarrassing, to those who have consistently maintained that Moslems were not interested in freedom, not willing to fight for it, and after years of despotism, unable to adapt to self-rule.
Try to tell that to the men and women of Afghanistan, who cast votes for their own leaders for the first time in history, or the Iraqis, who literally faced death and terrorist retribution in January's election, or the Palestinians who voted for the first time and elected a relative moderate apparently committed to peace with Israel. With each successive event, these vastly different peoples, with vastly different societies, have provided an example of strength for their Islamic brothers. During the last few days, tens of thousands have demonstrated in Lebanon against Syrian oppressors and for self-determination, and in Iran there is a hunger for democratic reforms to replace the totalitarian theocracy now in power. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has felt the pressure, and on Saturday called for a constitutional change that will allow multi-party elections for the first time.
Since most of the Islamic world has long been ruled by dictators with the ultimate power of life and death, it is understandable that a subjugated people were hesitant to take the first steps toward liberty by themselves. Most have been beaten down with tyrannical control, crushing poverty, and astounding ignorance. Most have never had the benefit of a diverse education, or even the opportunity of unfiltered access to other peoples, cultures, and religions. Western-style democracy, which we take for granted, has been quite unknown in the Moslem world, and often rejected by fanatical Islamic leaders as evil and Satanic. What was needed, and what finally came, was a catalyst for liberty.
What is truly amazing, and quite unique in history, is that the catalyst for these monumental events, and the inspiration for change, did not arise from within, but from without. This was not the doing of some great Arab leader, sick to death of tyranny and subjugation. Quite the contrary. The Islamic peoples looked and acted more like complacent slaves than free men with God-given rights, and had they waited for one of their own, this revolution might never have begun. This revolution's hero, and Founding Father, is not an Arab, or a Bedouin, or a Persian, or a member of any clan, or even a Moslem. He has never lived in any of the places now undergoing transformation, and has never touched the soil of most.
The Founding Father of Islamic freedom is George W. Bush.
Shamefully, many criticized the President for his belief that all men yearn for self determination. They dismissed the possibility of fundamental change in the Islamic world as naive, and claimed that Moslems did not want or need democracy. They claimed that factional differences between clans and cliques would not allow positive nationalism, or successful self-rule. They berated the idea that free and fair elections could be held so soon in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that the bloodshed would prevent all but a few from going to the polls. They were all wrong.
Only time will reveal how this will end. If the longing for liberty is within each man as a natural gift from his Creator, as our Founders believed, this will be only the beginning. No one should expect success too quickly or too easily. After all, there are hundreds of years of brutal regimes and destructive religious teachings to overcome. But the best antidote to the darkness of despotism and hopelessness is the light of freedom. In Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the Islamic world, that light is beginning to shine.
If democracy does eventually spread and thrive, then it will have been George Bush, and not Mohammed, who has given the greatest gift to the Islamic world.
Try to tell that to the men and women of Afghanistan, who cast votes for their own leaders for the first time in history, or the Iraqis, who literally faced death and terrorist retribution in January's election, or the Palestinians who voted for the first time and elected a relative moderate apparently committed to peace with Israel. With each successive event, these vastly different peoples, with vastly different societies, have provided an example of strength for their Islamic brothers. During the last few days, tens of thousands have demonstrated in Lebanon against Syrian oppressors and for self-determination, and in Iran there is a hunger for democratic reforms to replace the totalitarian theocracy now in power. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has felt the pressure, and on Saturday called for a constitutional change that will allow multi-party elections for the first time.
Since most of the Islamic world has long been ruled by dictators with the ultimate power of life and death, it is understandable that a subjugated people were hesitant to take the first steps toward liberty by themselves. Most have been beaten down with tyrannical control, crushing poverty, and astounding ignorance. Most have never had the benefit of a diverse education, or even the opportunity of unfiltered access to other peoples, cultures, and religions. Western-style democracy, which we take for granted, has been quite unknown in the Moslem world, and often rejected by fanatical Islamic leaders as evil and Satanic. What was needed, and what finally came, was a catalyst for liberty.
What is truly amazing, and quite unique in history, is that the catalyst for these monumental events, and the inspiration for change, did not arise from within, but from without. This was not the doing of some great Arab leader, sick to death of tyranny and subjugation. Quite the contrary. The Islamic peoples looked and acted more like complacent slaves than free men with God-given rights, and had they waited for one of their own, this revolution might never have begun. This revolution's hero, and Founding Father, is not an Arab, or a Bedouin, or a Persian, or a member of any clan, or even a Moslem. He has never lived in any of the places now undergoing transformation, and has never touched the soil of most.
The Founding Father of Islamic freedom is George W. Bush.
Shamefully, many criticized the President for his belief that all men yearn for self determination. They dismissed the possibility of fundamental change in the Islamic world as naive, and claimed that Moslems did not want or need democracy. They claimed that factional differences between clans and cliques would not allow positive nationalism, or successful self-rule. They berated the idea that free and fair elections could be held so soon in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that the bloodshed would prevent all but a few from going to the polls. They were all wrong.
Only time will reveal how this will end. If the longing for liberty is within each man as a natural gift from his Creator, as our Founders believed, this will be only the beginning. No one should expect success too quickly or too easily. After all, there are hundreds of years of brutal regimes and destructive religious teachings to overcome. But the best antidote to the darkness of despotism and hopelessness is the light of freedom. In Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the Islamic world, that light is beginning to shine.
If democracy does eventually spread and thrive, then it will have been George Bush, and not Mohammed, who has given the greatest gift to the Islamic world.
posted by Mark Outland at 5:42 PM
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