I had made a נֶדֶר (neder, or promise) that I wouldn't watch ABC's "This Week with Christiane Amanpour." Not only did I like her predecessor George Stephanopolus, but I really dislike Amanpour. Her CNN series, "God's Warriors," argued, rather tritely, that every religion - Jewish, Muslim, and Christian - has its extremists. This is the message of someone who isn't interested in facing up to the real challenges the Muslim community faces with respect to radical Islam and terrorism.
I saw an advertisement, however, on TV Saturday night, October 2 for a feature titled, "Holy War: Should Americans Fear Islam?," which would appear on "This Week." When I turned it on Sunday morning, I saw a number of participants and audience members whom I never expected to see, such as Robert Spencer, creator of Jihad Watch, and Gary Bauer, a leading Evangelical who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. These are hard personalities to relate to, though Bauer proved to be rather articulate. I wasn't sure whether they had been invited to create balance or to give the impression that only marginal, loud-mouthed individuals are concerned with radical Islam in America.
In addition, my heroine, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, appeared by satellite. Her presence was the highlight of the hour-long show and earned Amanpour and her producers credibility since I believe her to be the most important voice out there on Islamism and its relationship to Islam.
Among those who were there to cast anyone who considers Islamism a danger in America as an Islamaphobe were Reza Aslan, by satellite, and Daisy Kahn, the co-founder of Park51.
Despite its cerebral content, "Holy War" quickly took on a Jerry Springer-like quality. The large number of participants and the many degrees of separation between their various perspectives made a sensible conversation rather impossible. In a certain respect, I was glad to see "This Week's" producers produce a show on such a sensitive topic that was so ridiculously free-wheeling and borderline out-of-control. One would think that with such a title, producers would be inclined to tread trepidatiously, but they let the participants go to town.
A most disturbing exchange took place between Daisy Khan and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, which concretized my image of Daisy as an intellectually bereft, insensitive, and power-hungry figure.
Daisy: First of all, I think that if we have to create a counter against extremism, it's Muslims who have to lead that...This is what we Muslims want to do, but you have tied our hands. You don't allow us to do this because you brand somebody like me as an extremist, and throw me into the arms of al-Qaeda.
HIRSI: You have freedom to move anywhere, no one is throwing you anywhere. Your rights are protected. I think that it's your perception of being a victim, and I think that's --
DAISY: I am not a victim, Ayaan. Stop calling me that. You're the one running with all the bodyguards.
The sheer rudeness of this remark astounded me. It took what is a real concern - Ali's safety - and unabashedly diminished it. Ali was aiming for a good point - she basically made it but needed a drop more time for elaboration; however, Daisy's interjection derailed it. Her comment was saturated with immaturity and reminded me of the kind of quick jab - devoid of substance but full of mockery - high school students regularly deliver upon one another.
