Washington Times: Finding the Moderates

By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

My new Washington Times column, which will likely ruffle some feathers, is about how to improve relations between counterterrorism experts and Muslims. An excerpt:

In the counterterrorism world, we often demand accountability and self-criticism from Muslim leaders. I believe it is right to do so. But often Muslims feel they are unfairly singled out, or automatically met with suspicion. There are some legitimate reasons for these feelings, and we who engage in counterterrorism would do well to display the same kind of self-criticism in our relations with Muslims that we demand from the community's leaders.

Three major tendencies in the counterterrorism field are worth combating. The first is the habit of criticizing the Muslim community but never complimenting or discussing its progress. Criticism is necessary, as it has brought to light individuals and organizations who openly profess moderation while actually promoting an extremist agenda.

But criticism can produce a skewed view when it is not balanced by positive news. I am frequently asked why moderate Muslims don't speak against extremism — as though moderates are cowed into silence while jihad is openly extolled from mosque pulpits. While Muslim moderates need to do more, I have seen a wide variety of moderates speaking with a stronger voice over the past few years, through such publications as Islamica Magazine and the Website Altmuslim.com. We would do well to acknowledge these voices.

A second negative tendency is the unwarranted dismissal of Muslim moderates who disagree with us on policy issues. Moderate Muslim voices are diverse, coming from both the right and the left. After a recent talk I gave, an audience member told me that the aforementioned Islamica Magazine was a "radical Islamist publication" because of an article that objected to the Department of Homeland Security's revocation of Swiss scholar Tariq Ramadan's visa.

While one might disagree with the article, that disagreement stems from policy differences — not from the supposed radicalism of Islamica. Working alongside moderates with whom we may disagree on some issues but who nonetheless genuinely oppose jihadist violence and the forceful imposition of Islamic norms will help bring more valuable, authentic voices into the discussion. Indeed, listening to and respecting differences of opinion are among this nation's strengths.

You can read the whole column here.

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