A Moderate Muslim Call From Europe For Faith in Civility
We — in both the Western and Muslim worlds — are at a crossroads. The false divisions being drawn are threatening to destroy the bridges our shared common values have built. We are in dire need of mutual trust. We must reassert the inalienable right to freedom of expression, while at the same time urge the measured exercise of that right. We must promote a self-critical approach to our affairs that refuses exclusive truths and narrow-minded, us-and-them visions of the world. The crisis provoked by these caricatures has shown how the worst is possible when two worlds of reference become deaf to each other and succumb to the temptation to define themselves against each other. This is a disaster that extremists on both sides will not fail to use to further their own agendas. To those of you who cherish freedom, who know the importance of mutual respect and who understand the necessity of opening constructive and critical debate, I say this: If you are not ready to stand up, speak out and be more committed to resisting the dangerous currents of our times, we can only expect sad and painful tomorrows.
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