Elaph, most respected electronic daily in the Arab world, says 58% readers object to building mosque at Ground Zero

Iman Iman Rauf returned early to the U.S. He asserts cancellation of the Ground Zero Mosque risks our soldiers, our troops, our embassies and American citizens in the Muslim world. So, is Rauf’s mosque project a matter of national security? Are his remarks largely a veiled threat by an Islamic militant radical?

“This self appointed bridge between America and the Arab-Islamic world is a false witness to the sentiments in Islamic lands” says Fouad Ajami in the WSJ 9-20-2010. Ajami says that Rauf’s sentiments do not match those of many in the Arab world.

A survey by Elaph, the most respected electronic daily in the Arab world, shows 58% object to building the mosque. Elaph asked its readers whether America was a “tolerant” or “bigoted” society. The split was 63% to 37% that America is tolerant.

There are problems with the above numbers. Elaph’s readers can read. In contrast, over 60 percent of the Arab world cannot read. And those millions of illiterate Arabs can be readily inflamed by militant, radicalized imams. such as Rauf.

If 58 % don’t support the mosque then the other 42% do — and these are educated Arabs. Add to that 42% the opinions of illiterate Arabs and probably more than a majority of Arabs do support a mosque — at Ground Zero and anywhere.

We have to stand up to veiled threats by immans such as Rauf. Discretely and prudently. The mosque is not a matter of national security. However, perhaps it is in our national interest that Arabs learn English and are exposed to Western values. What this country offers to the world is liberty and freedom.

How is the United States communicating directly with illiterate Arabs? Is there a modern equivalent to the Radio Free Europe of years ago? How about broadcasting over the Internet the great movie classics with English at the bottom to encourage learning our language? Why not use the Internet to broadcast our language, our values, our freedoms?

One Islamic conqueror who acted prudently:
In 638 A.D. the Caliph Omar went to Jerusalem to accept the city’s surrender. Patriarch Sophronius, the city’s chief magistrate is by Omar’s side. Prayer time comes for the Caliph Omar and he asked where he could put his rug. At the time he asked he was inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Told he could stay where he was Caliph Omar refused because his followers, he said, might then claim for Islam the holy shrine of the Christians. The right to put a mosque at Ground Zero is not prudent nor wise.

It is in our natioal interest that the world can read. When people can read the Koran they can learn for themselves what Mohannand said. This might reduce – or break – the power of the imams such as Imam Rauf who interprete the Koran for those who cannot read.

An example of do what I say, not what I do in the Koran:
Mohannand had 9 wives when he died. Yet, Mohannand told his followers that they can only have 4 wives. Those who read the Koran will discover that Islam is a man’s religion both in this world and the next.

Rather than send people like Imam Rauf overseas, better that the State Department spent money to reduce illiteracy. Then the 60% of illiterates in the Arab world can read the Koran for themselves.

Give Arab/ Islamic women a choice how they want to raise their families and what values they will follow. Make Arab/ Islamic literacy a top priority.

Cameron Jackson drcameronjackson@gmail.com