Abu Gharib

TROP: Do Muslims
ever ask themselves why the moral expectations are so much lower for
Islam?
Take Abu Ghraib, for example, which has been burned into the world's
consciousness as a symbol of American atrocity. Despite the premature and
incendiary accusations, sober investigations showed that not a single rape or
murder was determined to have taken place there by any of the seven U.S.
soldiers charged and convicted in the scandal. Though clearly beneath
American standards, the "torture" was largely characterized as psychological
abuse and humiliation.
By contrast, thousands of Muslims were murdered in
gruesome fashion at Abu Ghraib under Saddam Hussein, whose torturers brazenly
employed rape as a sanctioned form of punishment both there and at other
locations. Yet, the Muslim world managed more sympathy and concern for
Saddam's own execution than it ever did for any of the innocent souls that he
butchered.
And, while the rape of Iraqi women by Americans over the last four
years has been limited to only a single well-publicized incident, Muslim
immigrants in Europe account for the majority of rapes in several countries in
which they are a small minority of the total population. Even though the
majority of Muslims probably believe in their hearts that this is wrong, there
is little to any concern expressed for the many non-Muslim victims of Muslim
aggression, while the exceptions to the rule of Western tolerance are
rhapsodized in the wildest language.
Islam is a harsh religion. But the
harshest thing about it may be the inflated sense of self-importance that it
instills within Muslims, who seem pathologically unable to extend the same
sympathy to others that they do to themselves. This is evidenced by a
tendency to exaggerate the sins of others, while completely ignoring the far
greater harm that is being done in the name of their own religion.
Honest
Muslims should be asking themselves why it is necessary to hold Islam to such
low standards.