Assimilation Among American Muslims

Stephen Schwartz, a Sufi, has an insighful column about the American Muslim community at TCS. After detailing the paths of several radicals whose stories have come to light in the past few years, he offers this advice:

"As I have written and otherwise argued so often since September 11, 2001, it is up to Muslims -- especially Muslims in America -- to demonstrate that Islam is a religion of peace, of support for democracy, and of loyalty to legitimate authorities, non-Muslim as well as Muslim. Now is the moment for American Muslims to form new organizations, independent of the "Wahhabi lobby," and actively committed to these principles. Indeed, time is running out for American Muslims, whether born to or new to the faith, to free themselves of the suspicion of terrorist sympathies."

Sclerotic institutions need reformation, if not replacement. Now's the time to get in on the ground floor of new pro-liberty Muslim organizing.