"Those Whacky Saudis!"

Imagine an ordinary Saudi citizen getting a whiff of the xenophobia and generalization fired up by the Neanderthal American Muslim movement called Progressive Islam or PMU. On the Progressive Islam blog, Laurie Silvers writes:

Nothing is more fun than listening to the US government try to deflect our attention away from the Saudis towards Iran as if Iran were the source of all that is scary. Not that the Saudis are the source of all that is scary, but dagnabit if they don't give it all they got! Those wacky Saudis. Watch this exquistely painful interview with the head of a British Muslim school that uses books saying that all other religions are worthless, etc....

At least once they disagree with Uncle Sam and that's not about anti-war mongering but an exchange of targets. What Laurie Silvers seems to say is that the US should rather attack Saudi Arabia for its religious intolerance than Iran. A reasonable person will never invoke the American govt., which is responsible for great crimes against humanity, but work to quell the propaganda in their country that anyone with a turban offshore is a threat to national security. Laurie Silvers doesn't say it, but I can already hear that oft-familiar: "Damn those Wahabbis!" (For the benefit of those unfamiliar with it, let me mention that the term "Wahabbi" is corrupted and a label to denigrate the so-called Wahabbis. The correct term is "Salafi"; and no, I don't fall for the line that all Salafis are crazy and creditworthy for the crisis of Muslims -- frequently trumpeted by some Muslim bloggers and media spokesmen).

When you look at Laury Silvers' statements, you'll find that it comes through a sanctimonious throne of self-pride, in this sense the US government, and indicates that just because you live in the most powerful empire on earth you have the right to dictate to others, ruefully absent from your discourse is both what you're trying to address and what you mean. For what may seem like an attempt at Muslim introspection by a non-Muslim reader, it is a delightful birdsong of a progressive, delighting in using words like "whacky" and "Saudis".

Laury Silvers has every right to call for tolerance and respect by Muslims for the demonized and vilified (with racist connotations) Christians and Jews in Saudi textbooks, it should be noted. And the Saudis indeed need to wake up and erase the hatred in their textbooks and those which they export to other countries. This intolerance and hatred is indeed a tragedy for the average Muslim, and action must be taken. But unfortunately, Laury Silvers squanders such an opportunity by invoking the US government to attack the country (doesn't the writer read of what occurs in Iraq every single day?). Let me add that Saudi Arabia is rightfully called one of most intolerant countries in the world. It is from what we gather, but I think while we are at it there isn't a need to bomb it. Isn't bombing and nuking supposed to a be a haraam violent terrorist act? And so the progressives shall find reasons to bomb everyone, do fox-trots around the White House, and ask: "Why do they hate us?" I didn't think I would have to say this, but all the Muslim Saudi-haters need to familiarize themselves with the unbearable fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a Saudi. And if any progressive is curious, no, I'm not a Saudi but I wouldn't mind. All people on this earth are beautiful. Unfortunately, that is an old-fashioned thought.

Check out PMUNA Debate, Dr Maxtor, Living Tradition and Progressive Muslims for more on the the so-called progressive movement. For a more tasteful and helpful overview of Saudi textbooks, visit the Wikipedia page.