Originally Posted by
IvoShandor
But that's to ignore several significant differences between then and now. Fear of Jews then was based on rumour,on supposition and stereotype. Suspicion of Muslims now is based on real-although much may be misinterpreted and exaggerated-facts. There was never a Jewish 7/7 or Rushdie affair or cartoon affair. Such Jewish radical activities as existed were not based on religious principles but on political ones. The other difference is that the old integrative processes went in one direction,but it seems that in some segments of the Islamic community,integration has gone into reverse with the newer generation being more religious and more susceptible to radicalization than their fathers.
Some of this is because of specifically modern factors. The speed and efficiency of modern communications has meant that ideas-and people-can move back and forth between the Old Countries and the country of settlement. Young men can go back to say,Pakistan,to get married, and pick up dangerous ideas while over there, ignorant rural preachers that know nothing about the West travel west to mosques,Jihadi propaganda can be seen easily on the Web, Saudi money flows freely all around the globe. So some of the younger generations have a kind of split personality,divided between the call of Western modernity and some of the archaic and repugnant traditions of the past, and because of things like YouTube its not as easy to get rid of ideas. In the century before last emigration was a terrible,final thing,so there was a real feeling of starting a new life and shedding the old skin. Events in the Old Countries were easier to escape. Muslims in the past were more likely to think of themselves as British (or French or whatever) but these events in the broader world have interfered with this process and some now have an identity more strongly focused on religion as opposed to nationality or ethnicity: I remember hearing on the radio,about ten years, one young man saying vehemently "I am not a British Muslim.I am a Muslim who happens to live in Britain".
In the centuries past Jews in the East end were less likely to be disturbed by events in Jerusalem or Prague,and Moslems-such as there were then-were much less likely to have been bothered by the rise of the Wahhabi or the uprising of the Mahdi in Sudan. This is no longer true.
So I think the old notion of benign neglect is no longer an option.It's been the British-and Dutch and Scandinavian-way and and its not been-to say the least-an unqualified success. But what worked in the past may not necessarily be appropriate now.
1236Likes
