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One of the stories I've been keeping an eye on is how the Western world is waking up to the dangers of the Islamofascists, and moving to deport and expel them. When I first recommended deporting Islamic extremists, it was considered an unusual proposal. Now, it's official policy in France, England, Italy and Australia.
Daniel Pipes has a great article today on how the Western world is waking up:
Islamists, Get Out
As the full implications of the London terrorist attacks by domestic jihadis sink in, Westerners are speaking out about the problem of radical Islam with new clarity and boldness.
The most profound development is the sudden need of the British and others to define the meaning of their nationality. In the face of the Islamist challenge, historic identities once taken for granted must now be codified.
This can be seen on a diurnal level, where Islamist assertion has provoked a new European willingness in recent months to stand up for tradition – as seen by the banning of burqas in Italy, requiring a German school boy to attend co-ed swimming classes, and making male applicants for Irish citizenship renounce polygamy. When a ranking Belgian politician canceled lunch with an Iranian group after its members demanded that alcohol not be served, his spokesman explained, "You can't force the authorities of Belgium to drink water."
Pipes continues:
...where are the Americans? No major U.S. politician has spoken of making American-based Islamists unwelcome. Who will be the first?
Second, note the consistent focus on the law and legal issues. This correctly picks up on the fact that ultimately, the Islamist project concerns the application of Islamic law, the Sharia.
Read the whole thing.
As discussed here previously, in July President Musharraf moved to ban foreign students from studying in his country's madrassas. We now have news of another, very significant, curb being placed on the madrassas by Pakistan.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has issued a ruling that will, in effect, bar students from many religious schools (madrassas) from holding public office.
It has said that unregistered madrassas do not teach a curriculum suitable to prepare students for mainstream life.
Hundreds of successful candidates backed by religious parties in August's local elections could now face the prospect of disqualification.
More than half of Pakistan's madrassas are currently unregistered.
The court observed that most madrassas were managed by the private sector and were not affiliated with any recognised university or educational board.
And it said that these madrassas had made no efforts to include the subjects of Urdu, English and Pakistan studies in their curricula despite repeated requests by the authorities.
This left the students unfit for mainstream jobs as they could only work as teachers or researchers at the madrassas, the court ruled.
This is a tremendous step forward for Pakistan. And notice that it comes from the Pakistan Supreme Court. It appears that President Musharraf has the support of his country's chief justices in his efforts to curb the madrassas.
The 2005 Liberty Film Festival will be held October 21st - 23rd in West Hollywood, CA at the Pacific Design Center. This site's coverage of last year's festival is here.
