Terrorism Is Not The Only Reason To Be Skeptical Of Muslim Immigration
“Not
a terrorist” cannot be our standard for potential immigrants. We need
to talk about the mores, customs, and beliefs that characterize migrant
groups.
When
we debate Muslim immigration—as we are again, as President Trump
prepares to re-instate a revised travel ban—we mostly think about
terrorism. This is a mistake, in part because it can border on
fearmongering. Very few Muslims are terrorists, and the proposed
restrictions are not well-tailored to stopping terrorists.
But fundamentally, it is a mistake because of what it ignores. Focusing only on terrorism—rather than on the beliefs, habits, and mores of potential immigrants—creates a false dichotomy, in which the opposite of “terrorist” is “moderate.”
This
is a fuzzy category. “Moderate” in relation to what? We apply the term
to vast numbers of people who have no commitment to political
liberalism, the bedrock of Western democracy. As we move beyond a
short-term debate about travel bans and refugees, and begin to think
about the long-term effects of mass immigration, we must confront its
most salient challenge: namely, how to form people into citizens.
But “not a terrorist” cannot be our standard for potential immigrants. That one has refrained from donning a suicide vest is a paltry indicator of character. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are not terrorists, but we know from survey data that many do sympathize with Jihadists. More importantly, an even larger number hold beliefs that many Americans, on both right and left, would consider incompatible with a free society.
A more serious immigration debate would consider some sobering findings from public opinion surveys in the Muslim world. For example, in 2013, Pew released a comprehensive report entitled “The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society.” Though the report has its bright spots—for example, wide majorities of Muslims express support for democracy—it also reveals chasms between the Muslim world and the West.
Take, for example, Muslim opinion
on whether homosexuality is morally acceptable. Remember, this is not a
question about gay marriage. Here, Uganda emerges as a relative bastion
of progressivism, with 12 percent saying “yes.” In the Middle East and
Southeast Asia, the highest figure is 2 percent.
Maybe this isn’t a big a deal. After all, there was a time in the not so distant past when most Americans disapproved of homosexuality. More important than beliefs on sexual morality is whether, and how, they will be acted upon. That is why the responses to another question—whether honor killings are ever justified as punishment for pre- or extra-marital sex—are disconcerting.
Central
Asian and Eastern European Islam tends to be more moderate—in large
part because of the secularist legacy of the USSR—but even in those
regions, between 15 percent and 50 percent of Muslims believe it is
sometimes acceptable to execute girls for sexual impropriety. In all but
two countries in the Middle East and South Asia, a majority believe
honor killings are sometimes or often acceptable.
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But fundamentally, it is a mistake because of what it ignores. Focusing only on terrorism—rather than on the beliefs, habits, and mores of potential immigrants—creates a false dichotomy, in which the opposite of “terrorist” is “moderate.”
Chasms Between the Muslim World and West
Both right and left acknowledge that terrorism cannot be ignored. They also acknowledge that very few Muslim immigrants will be jihadists. What remains is a feverish debate about just how small that small number is, and what sacrifices we should make to get it to zero.But “not a terrorist” cannot be our standard for potential immigrants. That one has refrained from donning a suicide vest is a paltry indicator of character. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are not terrorists, but we know from survey data that many do sympathize with Jihadists. More importantly, an even larger number hold beliefs that many Americans, on both right and left, would consider incompatible with a free society.
A more serious immigration debate would consider some sobering findings from public opinion surveys in the Muslim world. For example, in 2013, Pew released a comprehensive report entitled “The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society.” Though the report has its bright spots—for example, wide majorities of Muslims express support for democracy—it also reveals chasms between the Muslim world and the West.
Muslim Views On Homosexuality and Honor Killings
Maybe this isn’t a big a deal. After all, there was a time in the not so distant past when most Americans disapproved of homosexuality. More important than beliefs on sexual morality is whether, and how, they will be acted upon. That is why the responses to another question—whether honor killings are ever justified as punishment for pre- or extra-marital sex—are disconcerting.
How Mass Muslim Migration Affects Gender Relations
We might also ask what mass Muslim immigration might portend for gender relations in the West. The chart below shows the number of people—both men and women—who agreed that a wife must always obey her husband.CLICK TO READ MORE
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