5/3/2015 TheAmericanGuiltSyndromeJagritBharat

http://jagritbharat.com/index.php/opinions/thoughtleadership/163overarchingguidance/rajivmalhotra/689theamericanguiltsyndrome 1/3

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TheAmericanGuiltSyndrome

ThesubconsciousmindofavictimofheinouscrimeoftenrespondstothetraumabydevelopingaVictimsGuiltSyndrome,whichisapsychologicaldefensemechanismtostophavingtodealwithanexternaladversary.Thisisaccomplishedby internalizing theadversarywithin the victimsownnotionof selfhood.For instance, rapevictimsareoftenknown toacquireguilt,asa rationalization that rapewas theirown faultand that theyevendeservedit.Fearfulofdishonortotheirfamilies,theyhideinshameovertheirstatusasrapevictims.Avariationof this pathology exists amongst some kidnapping victims, a prominent example being the case of PatriciaHearst.Afterbeingkidnappedbyaterroristorganization,namedTheSymbioneseLiberationArmy,inthe1970s,thisyoungwomanfromabillionairefamilyjoinedhercaptorsideology.

Utilizingthishumantendency,colonialistsengineeredthemindsoftheirsubjectsintoaninferioritycomplexaspartofthepsychologyofgovernanceandthenupgradedthestatusofasmallsliceoftheruledcommunitytobethesepoys(withphysicalpower)andtheMacaulayites(withintellectualpower)tohelpruleovertherest.ThisalsohappenedtotheIrish,intheformofanewcategoryofIrishbeingcreatedbyBritishrulers,thatwascalledtheAngloIrish.ThissyndromeisthebasisofHindushamethatissoprominentonmanyAmericancampusestoday,withIndianAmericanMacaulayitefacultymembersbecomingtherolemodelsofselfhate.

Inthewakeoftheterroristattack,areweasAmericansbeingmadetofeelguiltyofhavingcausedtheterrorismofwhichweare thevictims?Thetopic, WhydidAmericacausehateagainst itself?hasbecomeacommontheme forcollegediscussions in thepast threeweeks.Mostantiwaractivism is rooted in the theory thatUSforeignpolicyandIsraelsattitudetowardsPalestinianscausedIslamtobecomenasty.Hence,Americansarebeingaskedtoaccepttheresponsibilityfortheirownvictimhood,andtobeapologetictotheMuslimworld.

However,IslamicjihadpredatesIsraelandtheexistenceoftheUnitedStatesbyathousandyears.For1,300years,agreatmanyindividuals,societiesandrulershaveinterpretedIslamic jihadasa licensetokill infidelsandasamandateforexpansionism.The7thcenturyinvasionofSindh(India)byArabswasexplicitlycelebratedasjihad,andhistoryisfilledwithonewaveofIslamicplunderofIndiaafteranother.ModerndayAfghanistanandPakistanwerelargelyBuddhistuntiltheseconquests.TheTalibansatrocitieslookbenignbycomparison.TheseIslamicjihads,suchasthosebyMohammedofGhazni,Ghauriandall thewaydowntoAurungzeb,werenotrationalizedbytheconquerorsbasedonanydispute.Rather,thesewerejustifiedaswarstokillsinfidelsandtodestroy their idols. Therefore, attempts to rationalize terrorismby blamingUSand Israeli policies ignore thehistoryofjihadthatprecedestheexistenceoftheUnitedStatesandIsrael.Thisguilt ispartofthedenialandinternalizationoftheproblem,soastoavoiddealingwiththeexternalrealitythatappearstooominous.

Todays leftistantiwar ideologyisbasedonthecommuniststruggleagainstcapitalism,andthis is thewrongframeworktoanalyzetheproblemsofIslamicterrorism.TheTalibanarenotfightingforeconomicdevelopmentormodernization theway communist terrorists did. Islamic fundamentalists are fighting against the forces ofmodernizationingeneral,astheseseemtothreatenthestrangleholdoffundamentalistdogmaandthepoweroftheclergy.Theyareequallyagainstcapitalismandcommunism,andagainstanymodelforsecularprogress.The leftists need a new ideology today, since the communism versus capitalism dialectic is obsolete andirrelevant. Unfortunately,many leftists are left with slogans and anger but no resources to bring to the 21stcentury.

IamdisappointedthatveryfewleadersfromtheIslamicpublicrelationsmachinery,whichhasswungintorapiddeployment, call forhonest introspectionon thepartof Islam itself, especially to reexamine itsownpoliciestowardsnonMuslims. Islamic lawdivides theworld into twocategories: darulIslam (theworld ofMuslims)anddarulharb(theworldofnonMuslims,alsocalledkafirs).Muslim lawdemandsdifferentstandardsandnorms by whichMuslimsmust deal with insiders and outsiders. Such builtin chauvinism towards others isdangerous and deserves public attention. PanIslamic organizations should focus on Muslims respect andresponsibilitiestowardsothers,andnotjustpushforgreaterrightsandprivilegesforIslam.

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5/3/2015 TheAmericanGuiltSyndromeJagritBharat

http://jagritbharat.com/index.php/opinions/thoughtleadership/163overarchingguidance/rajivmalhotra/689theamericanguiltsyndrome 2/3

Inmedieval Europe,Muslims tolerated Jews better than theChristians did. But in the 20th century,minorityreligionshavebeenoppressedinIslamiccountries.RightsofnonMuslimsinIslamiccountriesneedtobemadecomparabletotherightsthatMuslimsdemandforthemselvesinthewest.IslamicleadersshouldcreateIslamiccommissionsandforumsonpluralism,wherenonMuslimscouldsubmitcomplaintsandgetafairhearingoninstancesofMuslimhatespeechagainstinfidels,prejudiciallawsorpracticesinIslamiccountriestowardsnonMuslims,andcrimescommittedinthenameofIslam.TheyshouldrejectIslamictriumphalism,sinceithasledtoreligiouscleansingofreligiousminoritiesinvirtuallyeveryIslamicstatesinceWorldWarII(asevidencedbyadecline inthepercentageofreligiousminorities).Noreligion is freefromradicalelements,andnoreligion isessentially radical.Therearemanymoderateand liberal Islamicscholars,but they fear theclerics,and theirvoicesaresubdued.

PanIslamicglobalorganizationshaveawesternized faceofpeaceand tolerance, incontradistinctionwithadifferentinternalfaceofIslambackhome.TherulersofIslamicsocietieswhodealwiththewestareprojectinganimagethatisdemocraticandpeaceloving,whereastheMuslimclergywhocontrolthereligiousteachingsandinterpretationsoftentendtoberadicalexclusivistsandexpansionists.HencethereisawesternizedIslampracticedbyasmalleliteandadifferentnativeIslampracticedbythevastmajority.Thishasresultedinagoodguy/badguyroleplaying,inwhichIslamiclobbyistsarethegoodguysclaimingtosavethewestfromsomebadguysofIslam.

UnlikeChristianity,Islamhasresistedattemptsatreformationandenlightenment,tosecularizeand/orpluralizeit.SincetheSunniMuslimlawwasfrozenbyorderofthecaliphinthe10thcentury,theonlymechanismwhichexistsinIslamtoupdatethelawisthefatwa,whichmaybeconsideredasthecaselawofIslamicjurisprudence.Therearemanymuftiswhocanissuefatwas,andtheHolyQuranandtheHadithareoftenmisinterpretedtopromote extreme positions. The equivalent situation would be if Christian churches were criminal courts, inwhichpreacherswerejudges,empoweredtoissueharshverdictsforviolationofChristianlaw.

Islamicleadersshouldimmediatelysetupapaneltoamendthesharia(IslamicLaw),especiallyasitpertainstononMuslims,soastobecompatiblewithdemocracyandpluralism.EithertheyshoulddeletereferencestononMuslims entirely, or else they should invite nonMuslim representatives from all religions to participate informulatingbalanced,ethical,andfairnormsfortreatingnonMuslims.TheyshouldinviteandencouragecriticalexaminationofIslamichistoryandtextsbyall,withoutintimidation,justasiscommonforotherworldreligions.

BeforeproclaiminganyandeveryfightbyafellowMuslimanywhereintheworldasafreedomstruggle,Islamicleadersmust first introspect: coulda religionwhoseclergysubverts the freedom todisagree, the freedom toquestion and doubt, the freedom of other religious choices and of democracy, be capable offightingforfreedom?Freedommustbeginathome.

ThedialogbetweenthewestandIslamshouldinvolvesuchintrospectionbybothsides.Meanwhile,Islam,Inc.sunholymediawarshouldvoluntarilyceasefire.

Author:RajivMalhotra

Published:Jan27,2015

Disclaimer:Theopinionsexpressedwithinthisarticlearethepersonalopinionsoftheauthor.JagritBharatisnot responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. Allinformationisprovidedonanasisbasis.Theinformation,factsoropinionsappearinginthearticledonotreflecttheviewsofJagritBharatandJagritBharatdoesnotassumeanyresponsibilityorliabilityforthesame.

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5/3/2015 TheAmericanGuiltSyndromeJagritBharat

http://jagritbharat.com/index.php/opinions/thoughtleadership/163overarchingguidance/rajivmalhotra/689theamericanguiltsyndrome 3/3

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HeenaKumariUCSantaBarbara"andnoreligionisessentiallyradical."IfbythisyoumeanIslamisinherentlypeaceful,thenyouarewrong.TheQuranisessentiallyabookwhichdescribeshowtospreadIslambydeceptionandviolence,untilthewholeworldisMuslim

"EithertheyshoulddeletereferencestononMuslimsentirely,orelsetheyshouldinvitenonMuslimrepresentativesfromallreligionstoparticipateinformulatingbalanced,ethical,andfairnormsfortreatingnonMuslims."Areyoulivinginadreamworld?TheQuranisFULLofreferencesregardingnonMuslims,onhowtheyaretheworstofcreatures,onmethodsofhowtosubjugateandcontrolthem.WhatyouareaskingforisessentiallycompleterewriteoftheQuran,it'snotgoingtohappen.

ReplyLikeFollowPost4hoursago

KaranKawDr.BabasahebAmbedkarTechnologicaluniversity,lonereIamnotsurewhatRajivjimeantby"andnoreligionisessentiallyradical"...ButIfMuslimMullaissuesaFatwa...ThatInfidelsmeanthoseWhodisrespectIslam...andnotNonMuslims....ItwouldmeanAnonMuslimisnotanenemythenThatWayPeoplecansavedbybecomingvictimofJihad...CurrentlyInfidelsmeansNonMuslimshindus,Christians,Budhists....MaybeThatcanBecurefor"ISLAM"....ReplyLikeEdited3hoursago

SachinGuptaCA CharteredAccountantatPracticingCharteredAccountantrelevantpracticalandperfectlyanalysedhistoricallypsycologicallyandsociallycorrectandusefularticle.....

ReplyLikeFollowPostYesterdayat5:32pm

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AjaySharmaExcellentRCA(Rootcauseanalysis)

ReplyLikeFollowPost9hoursago