May be Mustafa could explain what it means to be a muslim "fundamentalist".
(Hi, I am Annamaria Vitale and I am sending this mail from Italy. So,
please, excuse me for my (broken) English).
At 17.09 22/09/01 +0100, you wrote:
>It is clear that Mustafa is unable to defend his own politics since he
>makes no
>attempt to present a counter argument to the one made by me.
>
>There is too much of this Muslim/non Muslim dichotomy. Mustafa talks as if
>the way in
>which the Muslim is to be treated must be special and unique. It is as if
>the term
>Muslim carrys some kind of special unique characteristics in contrast to
>christianity
>that I am obliged to pay reverence to. I am not a Muslim nor a Christian.
>I am a
>communist. I have every right to make criticisms of the muslim religion. I
>can even
>make fun of that religion if I so wish after all I dont believe in it and
>much of it
>is makes for daftness. I am under no obligation to pander to reactionary
>religions
>whether they are Muslim or christian or hindu. When it gets down to it
>they are all
>the same -reactionary ideologies designed to prop up capitalism --and
>sometimes its
>worst aspects.
>
>So god bless the virgin mary allah and mickey mouse.
>
>Regards
>Karl Carlile
>Be free to join our communism mailing list
>at http://homepage.eircom.net/~kampf/
>
>
>Members,
>
>I am very dissappointed with the ignorant manner in which the below message
>was written by a non-muslim who is a know-all about how it is to be a Muslim
>(fundamentalist!). Lumping all muslims together is a grave error of
>judgement, which fails to recognise the diversity within the Muslim
>population.
>
>Before I unsubscribe in protest, I would urge you to get out of your small
>worlds and see how transfer of wealth in the world pushes people to the
>margins. I will not read any more messages from this group.
>
>Thanks for your moment.
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Karl Carlile" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 6:44 PM
>Subject: Muslim fundamentalism
>
>
> > Many Muslims have been declaring that all Muslims must obey the
>declaration of
> > a holy war by the Taliban mullahs.
> > This view that emanates from many Muslims flies in the face of the facts.
> > Muslims have over the years violently attacked each other. In Afghanistan
>the
> > Northern Alliance consists of Muslims. Yet they have been engaged in
>combat with
> > the Muslim Taliban. The current Musharrif military dictatorship in
>Pakistan
> > violently ousted a democratically elected leader of Pakistan. Saddam
>Hussein,
> > leader of Iraq, has imprisoned and killed many a Muslim. The Iranian
>theocracy
> > has been responsible for the deaths of many a Muslim. The last King of
>Jordan
> > engaged in a massive attack on the Black September in Jordan. The Syrian
>regime
> > have been responsible for similar killings.
> > The degree to which Muslims internationally will obey the declaration of a
>holy
> > war is questionable. Fundamentalism is not as strong as it is often
>portrayed.
> > It can suit both sides to engage in hyperbole to promote the particular
> > political interests that each respectively represent. The Taliban is a
> > reactionary regime that is bitterly hostile to communism. The entire
>programme
> > of the Taliban is the active hindering of the economic and political
>development
> > of Afghanistan.
> > In any anti imperialist war movement we cannot take either the side of the
>US
> > led imperialist coalition nor the Muslim organisations or states that may
>be
> > subject to attack from this reactionary coalition. We must mount a popular
> > attack on this prospective imperialist war on the basis of an attack on
>the
> > capitalist state. Such a movement must challenge the very existence of
> > capitalism and the forces that support it such as the Taliban, the Iranian
>state
> > and, above all, the imperialist states. Indeed Muslim fundamentalism is
> > capitalism's saviour. Its ideological and political function is designed
>to
> > prevent the masses from turning towards communism. In Iran where a
>revolutionary
> > situation emerged the Muslim movement led by Khomeni was the form assumed
>by the
> > counter revolution. It prevented the Iranian working class from deepening
>the
> > revolutionary process and thereby challenging capitalism. The
>Afghanistanian
> > mujahideen was sustained by imperialism through the CIA and the Pakistani
>state
> > in the struggle to preserve and develop the class interests of imperialist
> > capital.
> > Islamic fundamentalism is not as strong as it has been presented even by
>its
> > apparent enemies. There has been much hyperbole in this regard. If it
>posed a
> > threat to the stability and development of capitalism it would not be
>compelled
> > to resort to terrorism. The current condition of the Palestinians is
>irrefutable
> > evidence as to the weakness of Islamic fundamentalism. Islamic
>fundamentalism in
> > the Middle East has shown its complete political bankruptcy. Instead of
>the
> > situation improving as a result of its growing influence the situation has
>been
> > deteriorating. This is because its strategy is incapable of solving the
>problems
> > of the Palestinian masses. Its sectarianism has generated division and
>further
> > polarised Jew from Arab. The problems of the Palestinian masses can be
>only
> > solved when Jewish and Arab worker join hands against Middle East
>capitalism and
> > its states --the Israeli, Jordanian, Syrian and Egyptian states. There is
>no
> > essential difference between the Israeli and Jordanian state. All such
>states
> > ultimately exist to perpetuate the class interests of imperialist capital.
>All
> > must be abolished. An attack on the Middle East capitalist states is an
>attack
> > on imperialist capitalism.
> > Muslim fundamentalism, and Islam in general, is a sectarian religious
>ideology
> > and even political philosophy and practice. It essentially promotes the
>class
> > interests of imperialism. Muslim and Christian fundamentalism are
>particularly
> > sectarian. Muslim fundamentalism has been effectively promoting
>polarization
> > between Eastern and Western workers at a time when the globalisation of
>the
> > working class into a unified political reality is an urgent necessity.
>While
> > attacking racism it sustains racism a multiplicity of ways because it is
> > inherently racist.
> > The conflict now developing between US state and Islam fundamentalism has
>its
> > source in the needs of US imperialism. US imperialism to survive must
> > relentlessly extend and deepen its influence economically, politically
>and
> > ideologically. The developing global economic crisis is testimony to this.
> > Consequently it must engage in specific geopolitical actions in pursuance
>of
> > this aim. It cannot tolerate relatively autonomous, albeit contradictory,
>forces
> > that hinder it in its desperate effort to extend and deepen its influence.
> > Muslim fundamentalism is, largely speaking, one such force. Its
>destabilising
> > character in the current situation outweighs its benefits for
>imperialism. It
> > is a destabilising force in Asia and the Middle East. Regimes that
>American
> > imperialism has needed are threatened with destabilisation and even
>collapse by
> > Muslim fundamentalism. Iran is a classic example where Muslim
>fundamentalism led
> > to the collapse of an actively pro-imperialist regime that was the
>lynchpin of
> > US geo political regional strategy.
> > However imperialism is a contradictory force which means that it engages
>in
> > policies and actions that lead to its own undermining. Although the
>function of
> > Muslim fundamentalism, as a counter revolutionary force, is the
>prevention of
> > the development of the working class into a communist working class it is
>these
> > unique characteristics that, in the immediate sense, obstruct imperialist
> > expansion. Consequently imperialism's relationship to fundamentalism has a
> > contradictory character. It uses it in pursuance of its class interests
>while
> > simultaneously undermining it. In the same way Muslim fundamentalism is
> > contradictory. While actively sustained by imperialism it at the same time
> > attacks imperialism its very source of nourishment. Bin Laden personifies
>this
> > contradictory relation. While sustained by the CIA in his struggle in
> > Afghanistan he turns his guns on it.
> > In many ways Muslim fundamentalism is similar to Stalinism. Stalinism is
>a
> > counter revolutionary force that prevents the existence of communism.
> > Consequently it serves imperialism's interests. Yet to maintain its unique
>role
> > as a counter revolutionary form it has acted, at the same time, in a way
>that
> > obstructs imperialism. This generates conflict between the two forces. The
>Cold
> > War was just such a conflict.
> > Muslim fundamentalism is a religious and political ideology and practice
>that is
> > petty bourgeois. It serves the class interests of small capital. It is
>this that
> > makes it reactionary. However the very fact that it serves the interests
>of
> > small capital in the context of increasing capitalist globalisation is
>what
> > lends it its acutely anachronistic image in the eyes of the Western
>working
> > class. However it is its specific class character that gives it its appeal
>to
> > the masses that exist outside of western capitalist society. Its
>representation
> > of the interests of small capital means that it expresses a hostility to
>big
> > capital. And what bigger capital than US imperialist capital --the Great
>Satan.
> > It is this hostility by small capital against big capital that gives its
> > anti-imperialist appearance. It is this anti-imperialist appearance that
>lends
> > its anti-oppressive appearance. Consequently the Muslim masses identify
>with it.
> > Despite its anti-imperialist appearance it ultimately serves imperialism
>class
> > interests --essentially it cannot exist independently of global
>capitalism.
> > Muslim fundamentalism is a politics of the image. This is why it presents
>itself
> > as quixotic pageantry -- religious rhetoric, images, long beards etc. This
>form
> > of politics assumes a religious form because it is a politics of
>appearance. And
> > what more suitable a form for such a contradictory politics than its
>disguising
> > itself in religious --the class image system.
> > Given the political character of Muslim fundamentalism there is no
>possibility
> > that it can successfully resist the enormous power of capitalist
>imperialism
> > bearing down on it in the form of this Washington led coalition of
>"Infinite
> > Justice". Only the modern working class can effectively challenge the
>might of
> > the imperialist bourgeoisie.
> >
> > Note: Forgive the unpolished character of this posting since it was
>written in a
> > hasty manner because of the pressure of time and the fast pace of
>developments.
> >
> > Regards
> > Karl Carlile(Global Communist Group)
> > Be free to join our communism mailing list
> > at http://homepage.eircom.net/~kampf/
> >
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