One hopes it’s common knowledge that the voice of a government is not necessarily the voice of its people, especially when the society in question is not a relatively free one.
With religionists ï¬ghting to keep a hand in politics, the Middle East is becoming the hardest place on Earth to voice concern with all the rampant extremism in the region. Regardless of the extreme actions of any country’s leader, though, moderates exist in every nation, however hushed their voices may be.
The concern is not just the existence of moderate voices in the Middle East but the shamelessness with which these voices are silenced.
A perfect example comes from Pakistan in the recent assassination of a governor advocating secularism.
Gov. Salman Taseer was shot (26 times, reportedly) by his own bodyguard Jan. 4 for attempting to amend the nation’s blasphemy laws. According to the law he was opposing, anyone who insults Islam should be executed, and the newest victim of this theocratic law was a Christian mother whom a mob had recently and violently attempted to convert to Islam.
In a series of petitions, public statements and tweets, Taseer made clear his fearless stance against extremism in Pakistan. Upon his assassination, a lawyer in Pakistan blogged, “The bastards have murdered the one honest man in the whole shameful lot of bigots, fascists and idiots. … Today is a most tragic day for Pakistan, for sanity and for humanity.”
I cannot agree more, for the prospects of peace are foiled when centrism is seen as apostasy and apostasy as a death sentence.
But again, this is not just about the voices of the moderates but the despicable pride behind the actions silencing them. For instance, when the treasonous bodyguard was brought to trial, his entrance into the courtroom saw him smiling as rose petals were tossed about him by supporters of his actions.
Members of Taseer’s political party promptly ditched efforts to amend the blasphemy law after his death, and Asif Ali Zardari, the nation’s president and co-chairman of Taseer’s party, did not bother to attend the governor’s funeral, warranting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s warning: “Societies that tolerate such actions end up being consumed by those actions.”
Other pained cries for moderation and secularization are ï¬nding voice in Palestine through the newly formed youth organization Gaza Youth Breaks Out. After a local youth forum Sharek was forcibly closed in late November by Hamas and a number of its members were either beaten or incarcerated, a few students decided the time had come to construct the Gazan Youth’s Manifesto for Change.
In the manifesto, they voice frustration with Hamas, Israel, the U.S. and the United Nations. Their grievances are summarized well in the following excerpt: “We are sick and tired of living a shitty life, being kept in jail by Israel, beaten up by Hamas and completely ignored by the rest of the world.”
Like Taseer, they say enough with “disturbed politics, fanatic politicians, religious bullshit.”
In Taseer’s last interview, a student somewhat ironically asked him about the security measures he took, given his status as a progressive political pariah. He responded by explaining he does not ï¬nd security to be an issue and much prefers to roam freely.
As an afterthought, he concluded by asking if someone did kill him, what would happen to Pakistan? Where would the news spread?
I am proud to take part in spreading Taseer’s and the Gazan youth’s message, and I extol the efforts of all in the cradle of civilization hoping for a world free of theocratic barbarism and war.
Clayton Crockett is a 19-year-old international studies and mass communication freshman from Lafayette. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_ccrockett.
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Contact Clayton Crockett at ccrockett@lsureveille.com
Rocking the Cradle: Centrism makes issues in Middle East
January 20, 2011