Watching last night’s ABC 7.30 Report and hearing the deluded rantings of Algerian-born Melbourne man Abdul Nacer Benbrika, it was hard not to despair although it was an easy target for the ABC.
We are increasingly being given a very negative, black and white view of Islam. The UK magazine New Statesman offers a cover story this week on the changing face of Islam and argues that the West fundamentally misunderstands the situation. For example, while travelling in Pakistan, journalist Ziauddin Sardar realised that the greatest threat didn’t come from madrassas but from the military government, warmly embraced by the West, especially Britain, America and Australia.
Throughout the Muslim world, progressive politics is rearing its head.