Back of the Envelope

Given all the brouhaha over the Danish cartoons, the Palestinian elections, and the sectarian struggles (still well short of a Civil War) in Iraq, many on the Right are starting to question their assumptions. We have argued for a while that there is nothing barbaric about Muslims or Islam, that the vast majority want to live in peace and let us do the same. The main difficulty is not the religion, but the totalitarian regimes under which they live, which squelch their political will and radicalize their religion in service to the despot. We still want to believe this, and indeed, Dean Esmay will argue for it quite emphatically. But quietly, many on the Right, Left, and Middle, including millions of voters who don't identify themselves with any of those groups, are beginning to wonder whether we can really peacefully co-exist with the Muslim Middle East. The cartoon controversy put things in stark relief, forcing us to realize that many Muslims don't accept a live and let live mentality, but they want to force their way of life on us. It's that realization, along with the spectacle of watching Western politicians and media elites tripping over each other in their rush to knuckle under, which set off a backlash that sank the Dubai port deal. Are these Muslims who threatened violence in order to silence us representative? I pray that they aren't. So where are the moderate Muslims who are supposed to be the majority. Mark Steyn offers a theory (reg required):

Meanwhile, we prattle on about "moderate Muslims," telling ourselves that the "vast majority" of Muslims aren't terrorists, don't support terrorists, etc. Okay, why don't we hear from them then?

Because they live in communities where the ideological bullies set the pace, where the price of speaking out is too high, and so they find it easier to say nothing, keep their heads down. And why would we expect them to do any differently when the mighty BBC and CNN do the same? If there is such a thing as a "moderate Muslim," he's surely thinking, "Well, if the CBC and the Toronto Star have to knuckle under to the imams, there's no point me tossing in my two bits."

That is my second most preferred theory--that they're out there but afraid to speak up given their oppressive communities, especially when no one in the West has the courage to back them. My first most preferred theory is that they did speak up, but the BBC and CNN were so busy not offending the radical Muslims that they didn't have time for those who were offended by the violence. The third theory, the one I hope and pray is wrong, is that there really aren't that many "moderate Muslims" after all.