The West and the "Other"

My recent posts have clearly centered on the problem of imagining a just and responsible response to the growth of the truly dark and frightening force of militant Islamic extremism in its myriad of Sunni/Shiite, state-based/terrorist group, Arab/Asian/European forms throughout the world. I have tried to articulate a post-Bush vision which, while without failing to critique the current Administration's horribly planned and executed vision for an unnecessary and illegitimate war, keeps in mind the threat posed by anti-Semitic, totalitarian, misogynistic, and violent extremism to the democracies of the West--Europe and Israel in particular, the United States, and--to a far lesser extent--Canada and Australia. Europe--Britain in particular--is slowly awakening to this threat, as the proliferation of extremist groups continues to grow relatively unchecked throughout the countries of the Continent. I have also tried to articulate a common ground between the United States and Europe; that, despite the current and tragic trans-Atlantic rift, the strength of democratic institutions and a shared tradition of freedom and secularism will ultimately land the United States and Europe firmly in the same boat as the threat of mass-based, violent, racist totalitarianism continues to grow unabated. My position certainly relies on some cognitive simplicity, as "the West" is certainly not an ideologically-free, neutral, or politically harmless concept. It relies, necessarily, on an "Other" against which it can be defined. According to the tenor of my posts, this "Other" appears more and more to be a certain brand of Islamic extremism. I have tried to emphasize that the values of the West--as imperfectly as they have been applied throughout history--imply an openness to the "Other", to Islam and to all other religions, races, etc. However, I believe that the failure to distinguish between healthy and just multi-cultural pluralism and the toleration and protection of those groups whose ideology and violent practice call for its overturning is a real threat. Unfortunately, Europe--particularly guilt-ridden Germany--has been poor at making this distinction and has done little to stymie the growth of an extremely virulent brand of Islamic extremism in its midst. I believe, however, Europe may be reaching a turning point, and is coming to realize that the vitality of an open society depends both on its ability to protect the marginalized and the capacity to see clearly from what sectors of society the threat to free institutions come. Democracy cannot be so polite that it allows its own murder.

I invite a thouroughly post-modern, cultural relativist critique. I acknowledge the simplicity of my position and its potential for ultimately destructive "Othering."

I am convinced, however, that the very potential for a debate of this sort relies upon exactly the freedom that Islamic extremism wishes to do away with.