Cultural Relativism

Big words. Stretch brain. Ow!

den Beste started it. But I like this quote from Miguel at Ciao:

While democracy has spread throughout the world in the last twenty years, the "third wave" of democracy has left the Arab world untouched. These countries are also not known for their religious or political tolerance. Many of the people who would condemn Den Beste for his statement against "Arab culture" would, no doubt, condemn many of the social norms practiced in the Arab world. Is this not also a condemnation of the dominant culture? What about the rights of women, religious minorities, homosexuals, political dissidents, and others? Are they less important for Arabs than for us? Are universal values not really universal? The next time someone approaches me to sign a petition or march in opposition to female circumcision, should I respond w/ "hey, man, it's their culture, you have to accept it"? I don't think so.

I have stated the obvious is comments here and on other blogs. The high point of Moslem culture, in effect the flowering of Arab culture, was over 500 years ago. September 11, 1683 the Moslem Turks were turned away from the gates of Vienna, the last serious threat to Europe. By that date, the Moslem Moors had been driven from Spain. In just over 200 years, the Moslem Turks would be driven from all but a toe hold of Europe.

And, as is pointed out by many, the flowering of Arab culture took place upon the backs of the conquored. The Crusades themselves were a REACTION to the conquest by Moslem Arabs of Christian Israel.

When we speak of the interaction with the West of Islam, we are really speaking about that curious Arab/Islamic cultural and religious mix. And Arab culture is as much involved as is their religion. We should not forget that. We should not forget that this mix is now a failed mix, living in a past five centuries and more gone. We are dealing with a culture that still considers itself tribes of herders and raiders. Slave holders far worse than any the United States ever produced. Imperialists that put the Conquistadors to shame.

If we must hold our own culture and our own past up to the microscope, then we should do the same for the Arabs as well. Where is their progress from the evils of their past? Democracy, pluralism, anti-slavery, women's sufferage? Where is their cultural progress?

Why should we respect a culture that repeats the same things over and over, achieves the same results, and never learns from their mistakes? If we came across a small tribe of Picts in the wilds of Scotland, still wearing skins and painting themselves blue, should we honor them, or just laugh? It's been pointed out that in the cities of Moslem Arabia, pedestrians walk into traffic all the time. When asked about the danger, the answer is invariably "If God wills it..." So, if I walk in front of a bus, and get killed, it is God's will.

Folks, that's a failed culture. It doesn't get my respect, only my derision.

-- posted by Chuck at Wednesday, July 30, 2003 | E-mail | Permalink | Main | 0 comments

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Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Cultural Relativism