Anti-semitism explained away

Submitted by Matthew on 11 April, 2012 - 9:59

The slippery, urbane face of Islamism, Tariq Ramadan, has excelled himself explaining away the actions of Islamist murderer Mohamed Merah.

Ramadan, proving Merah was no Islamic militant, writes that, “Two weeks before the shooting… he spent an evening in a nightclub in a very festive mood.”

Hardly unique. The BBC reported that “Many [of the 2004 Madrid train bombers] appeared westernised and integrated into the Spanish community, with a liking for football, fashion, drinking and Spanish girlfriends.”

Ramadan assures us: “Religion was not Mohamed Merah’s problem ; nor is politics.” Merah was not motivated by the “values of Islam, or driven by racism and anti-Semitism.” No, Merah was a “French citizen frustrated at being unable to find his place, to give his life dignity and meaning.” He just happened upon “two political causes through which he could articulate his distress: Afghanistan and Palestine.”

And, “[y]oung, disoriented, he shoots at targets whose prominence and meaning seem to have been chosen based on little more than their visibility… He attacks symbols : the army, and kills Jews, Christians and Muslims without distinction.”

Sorry, many young people are frustrated. Some take drugs, some become leftists, some fight in the streets after the pubs close, some get jobs and work hard, some go to college, some get girl or boyfriends… But all make choices. Good and bad, they all make choices.

Not many make the choice to go into a Jewish school, armed to the teeth, and murder Jewish children and teachers. For that matter not many analysts make such a conscious, deliberate, cynical choice to try to “explain it away”.

The murderer’s older brother, the Islamist Abdelkader Merah, apparently told investigators that he was “very proud” of what Mohammed had done. “I regret nothing for him and approve of what he did.”

Around Toulouse graffiti appeared: “Viva Merah” and “Fuck the kippa.” Clearly the brother and the youth with aerosol cans don’t feel the need to prettify the actions of the anti-semitic, Islamist bigot.

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