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I'm a big fan of Jon Stewart, but he really dropped the ball on this interview. I was shaking my head at every question, and then I found someone else online who has taken him to task over it.
I'll respond as I watch the video (to the parts where a man with a microphone talks over a picture of Kurt Cobain).
First of all, if this is the Islamic reformation (comparable to the Protestant Reformation), then it certainly has some similarities. However, the majority of violence done by Christians was separate from the reformation. There was some conflict in Europe, but most of the violence Christians committed over a 500 years period was related to other issues. I also wouldn't call Jon Stewart a self hating Jews, since the Protestant Reformation did nothing to help the Jews. Martin Luther was a raging anti-Semit, as was basically every other Christian for hundreds of years. Really, only in the last 50 years have the need to protect Jews been instilled into Christians, and we have Hitler to thank for that. He brought the issue to our attention... by committing acts against Jews that haven't been committed for quite some time in numbers much larger than had previously been thought possible.
90% of terror attacks are done by Muslims... Not sure if that's true. Only 6% of terror attacks that occur in the US are done by Muslims, which is actually less than the amount of Jewish terror attacks on the US (at 7%). Similar statistics (regarding Islam) are found throughout Western Europe, and I imagine the number is even lower in South America. North Africa, The Middle East, and East Asia/south Asia (which is basically the ME) might probably have the most Muslim terror attacks. Is it possible the concentration of terror attacks in the ME bump the number of terrorist acts committed by Muslims up to 90% of terrorism... I suppose technically, but I find it doubtful. It's also a misleading number. It's mostly concentrated into a single geographic region, meaning the global threat is actually quite low. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be critical of Islam. Of course we should. We should be critical of everything. But Jon does have somewhat of a point. Western media makes Islam seem like an imminent threat to the world when it clearly isn't. And there is nothing wrong with Islam that wasn't wrong with at least some other religions. Islam is especially violent because now is when they're being most violent, and they have the most effective weapons that have ever happened. If Christians of the 1400s had the weapons Islam has today, there would be no Jews, Native Americans, and probably black people (unless they survived as slaves). The past is still relevant. What Jon is doing wrong is being too defensive. But Islam can and likely will evolve to be no different than Christianity and what we need to do is look to the past to see how to accelerate the process, something this video is not addressing.
Yes, many Muslims would like to see someone like Jon die. Christians don't anymore. Anymore. You can say it's not relevant but it is. If Christians can go from forcibly expelling them from Europe and killing them to wanting to support Israel as a Jewish state, I would imagine Israel probably could too. The foreskin point is also too stupid to even care about. It's a ridiculous point that literally makes no sense and no intelligent person would buy that crap.
I'll agree, Jon's point on gay rights is poor. But Africa is still relevant because it didn't happen 500 years ago, so it's still a problem. Which was the main point of all previous points, so I find this sudden change of what constitutes as relevant as bizarre. Same for the beheading point. Same with the beheading point. And are you sure 99% of beheadings are done by Muslims. Because that's clearly BS. Unless you only count that last 25 years as world history, which may be true since the past is only relevant when it fits the point of the video.
I'm almost certain Muslims are killed by Muslims most of the time. And no, Muslims do not make up most of the violence in the world. Violence committed by 'the good guys' is still violence. And there's plenty of violence through South and Central America that is hardly better than what's happening in the Middle East. And not all Muslims can be held accountable for the actions of the few. We don't hold that standard to any other group, and that is a fact. Why aren't Buddhists fighting the radicals who are chopping of heads in Tibet? No one asks that. Why? A complex political issues that basically comes down to 'we don't give a **** about Tibet.' Or North Korea that is in every way worse than ISIS.
Martyrdom has been around long before Islam. Jihad means 'holy war' which is referenced in every Abrahamic religion. Killing of apostates may be Islam specific, I'm not 100% sure on that one. And when I say Islam specific, I mean written down. Other religious groups have done it. It wasn't a Muslim invention. Gays and women... more violent about it but it was borrowed from other groups. The Nazis are the kings of anti-Semetism, but does that not count since it's in the past and contrary to the point? So, yes, other groups hold these views. And North Korea is worse the Somalia. But where's the attention of the atrocities of North Korea? I also can't help myself. Every person on earth besides Muslims kill cartoonists? Except the other Muslims who didn't, which is most of them... At least, according to math. There weren't nearly 2 billion Muslims storming magazine companies.
Yeah, Jon was clearly not saying ISIS is a good thing. And why keep pointing out he's a Jew? So what? He's not obligated to think or feel anything because of his heritage.
Jon is pointing out the Jews and Christians stopped doing the horrible things, and Islam can too.
Yes, she had views challenged. All views should be challenged... unless this internet hero disagrees....
I wouldn't call this a failed interview. The failure was how rushed it was, but that's the Daily Show's time restraint. Jon was asking why Isla can't be expected to change the way Christians have. It's a valid question. Ayaan made some excellent points as well. As whole, I think the interview never seemed to reach common ground, but in reality, both were technically getting at a similar point. Islam can reform. Jon believes in a more apologetic approach that will take time, while Ayaan believes it needs to happen now. Her point is better, but Jon's is unfortunately more realistic.
So Dusty, you agree that Islam as it is practiced by the majority of Muslims needs to change?
I don't know about the majority. Islam certainly needs a change. While I don't necessarily agree that the western world had everything right (they clearly didn't), but secular government is vitally important for stability. Europe had it's experience with theocracy and the reaction was appropriate. The Middle East and Muslim world needs to do the same. A reactionary group like ISIS cannot gain true power in the Middle East for this change to happen.
I don't know about the majority. Islam certainly needs a change. While I don't necessarily agree that the western world had everything right (they clearly didn't), but secular government is vitally important for stability. Europe had it's experience with theocracy and the reaction was appropriate. The Middle East and Muslim world needs to do the same. A reactionary group like ISIS cannot gain true power in the Middle East for this change to happen.
Well for example the majority of Muslims believe that apostasy should be punished, in several countries the majority think it should be punished by death. Do those muslims need to change? Is such thinking compatible with modern civilization?
Well for example the majority of Muslims believe that apostasy should be punished, in several countries the majority think it should be punished by death. Do those muslims need to change? Is such thinking compatible with modern civilization?
Yes, that should change. They can feel leaving Islam is immoral, in the same way that Christians and Jews do. They can even act like children and disown their children and friends who leave, as the Christians do. But death should not be an option for leaving a religion; not under secular law anyway.
I watched that interview. I think they both appeared uncomfortable with each other. I have seen other Ayaan Hirsi Ali interviews and when I heard she was going to be on Stewart's show, I didn't think it was going to go well. She is not a good fit for a comedy show - there was no way she was going to allow levity into the interview, which, of course, is what Stewart is all about.
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