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February 28, 2006
The New Totalitarian Threat

Agora translates a self-titled "Manifesto" against the latest in a series of global threats to freedom and liberty: radical Islamism. The manifesto has twelve signatories, including such leading lights (and targets for Islamists) as Salman Rushdie, Bernard-Henri Lévy, Irshad Manji, and more. The declaration deserves the widest possible publication:

Together facing the new totalitarianism

After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism.

We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.

The recent events, which occurred after the publication of drawings of Muhammed in European newspapers, have revealed the necessity of the struggle for these universal values. This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field. It is not a clash of civilisations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that confronts democrats and theocrats.

Like all totalitarianisms, Islamism is nurtured by fears and frustrations. The hate preachers bet on these feelings in order to form battalions destined to impose a liberticidal and unegalitarian world. But we clearly and firmly state: nothing, not even despair, justifies the choice of obscurantism, totalitarianism and hatred. Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present. Its success can only lead to a world of domination: man’s domination of woman, the Islamists’ domination of all the others. To counter this, we must assure universal rights to oppressed or discriminated people.

We reject « cultural relativism », which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions. We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of "Islamophobia", an unfortunate concept which confuses criticism of Islam as a religion with stigmatisation of its believers.

We plead for the universality of freedom of expression, so that a critical spirit may be exercised on all continents, against all abuses and all dogmas.

We appeal to democrats and free spirits of all countries that our century should be one of Enlightenment, not of obscurantism.

12 signatures

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Chahla Chafiq
Caroline Fourest
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Irshad Manji
Mehdi Mozaffari
Maryam Namazie
Taslima Nasreen
Salman Rushdie
Antoine Sfeir
Philippe Val
Ibn Warraq

Salman Rushdie knows firsthand what Islamism has done to free expression. His inclusion in this effort by Charlie Hebdo in France shows a unity that others in the media would do well to emulate.

UPDATE: Jyllands-Posten reprinted this, but it originated with the French weekly Charlie Hebdo. I've made the correction, and also corrected the blog attribution to respect the anonymity of the blogger ... for obvious reasons.

Sphere It Digg! View blog reactions
Posted by Ed Morrissey at February 28, 2006 7:40 PM

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» A Manifesto Against Islamism from Stop The ACLU
Hat tip: Michelle Malkin and Agora From 12 brave intellectuals at the Jyllands-Posten MANIFESTO: Together facing the new totalitarianism After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Isl... [Read More]

Tracked on February 28, 2006 9:21 PM

» Manifesto Against The New Totalitarianism from GM's Corner
MANIFESTO: For those that do not believe that Islamism or Islamofascism is the greatest threat to world peace at the present time, please read this and ponder its message. [Read More]

Tracked on February 28, 2006 9:25 PM

» Manifesto Against The New Totalitarianism from GM's Corner
MANIFESTO: For those that do not believe that Islamism or Islamofascism is the greatest threat to world peace at the present time, please read this and ponder its message. [Read More]

Tracked on February 28, 2006 9:27 PM

» The Manifesto Against The New Islamic Totalitarianism from All Things Beautiful
Freedom of expression is our western heritage and we must defend it or it will die from totalitarian attacks....The manifesto below will be published in the French weekly Charlie Hebdo today. Philippe Val @ Charlie Hebdo has urged other papers to print... [Read More]

Tracked on March 1, 2006 5:56 AM

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