She claims
“the Islamic world [is] still throwing a tantrum over Pope Benedict's speech to a German university last week”.
Which Islamic world? I sure hope she isn’t verballing me.
Some days back, the Daily Telegraph featured an article with accompanying photo of Muslims protesting in Basra, Iraq ’s second largest city. Last time I checked, Basra had a population of over 3 million. And how many showed up to the rally?
Around 150.
She then claims Tony Abbott’s speech to a Lidcombe function organised by the Parramatta Catholic Diocese was part of a trend
“to question whether excessive politeness or political correctness stands in the way of effective dialogue between Islam and the West and may, in fact, hinder efforts to combat potential home-grown Islamic terrorism.”
I was at the function. I took detailed notes. Tony never linked criticism of Islam to security.
Miranda criticises Keysar Trad for wanting Cardinal Clancy to be the next Pope, without telling readers the good Cardinal acknowledged the Church had only recently come to terms with 2,000 years of often violent persecution of European Jews.
Devine then cites “Arabic scholar Paul Stenhouse” printed in Quadrant. Her quotes include the ridiculous claim that
“Osama bin Laden lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahiri reportedly adopted the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Miranda, the MB was founded in Egypt in 1928 by a chap who was assassinated in 1949. Zawahiri was born 2 years later.
Finally, Miranda adopts al-Qaida’s wacky interpretation of the Pope’s speech. Not even Cardinal Pell made this error. She quotes George Freidman (“founder of the Stratfor newsletter”) who claims the Pope wasn’t addressing students and staff at his old university but rather was sending a “warning to Europe 's Muslims about the limits of tolerance”.
How did Miranda reach these conclusions? Has she actually read the Pope’s speech? Or has she just muddled a few bits together to meet the Herald’s deadline?
Miranda, the Pope has apologised. Personally I don’t think he needed to. But as my Indian Muslim mum keeps telling me: “Saying sorry never harms anyone”. End of story.
© Irfan Yusuf 2006
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