'Lawful' Islamism

Daniel Pipes, an expert on political Islam, announces Islamist Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum. The mission of Islamist Watch is to:

Islamist Watch combats the ideas and institutions of nonviolent, radical Islam in the United States and other Western countries. It exposes the far-reaching goals of Islamists, works to reduce their power, and seeks to strengthen moderate Muslims.

He provides some examples of non-violent Islamist activism:

• Sell land at discount prices for building mosques or other Islamic institutions.


• Ban Hindus and Jews from a jury hearing a criminal case against an Islamist in Great Britain.


• Allow a prisoner the unheard-of right to avoid strip-searches in New York State.


• Let students in public (i.e., taxpayer-funded) schools use empty classrooms for prayers in New Jersey.


• Permit public schools and public airwaves to be used to convert non-Muslims.


• Recognize polygamous marriages for tax purposes in the United Kingdom.


• Set aside women-only bathing at a municipal swimming pool in France or use taxpayer funds for Muslim women-only swimming times in Washington State.


• Arrange for women-only classes at a taxpayer-supported university.


• Blame women for being the victims of rape by Muslim men in Norway.


• Develop a special hijab for female Muslim employees of a leading home furnishing company, sporting the corporate logo.


• Ban the use of piggybanks - the symbol of frugality -in their advertising by two major British banks.


• Establish panels, councils, or advisory boards uniquely for Muslims.


• Authorize Muslim-only neighborhoods or events.


• Apply the "Rushdie rules" - accepting Islamist intimidation and silencing critics of Islam.


• Punish anti-Islamic views through the application of criminal charges, as has occurred to critics of Islam in Australia and Canada.


• Prohibit families from sending pork or pork by-products or "Any matter containing religious materials contrary to Islamic faith" to U.S. military personnel serving in the Middle East.


• Require that female American soldiers in Saudi Arabia wear U.S. government-issued abayas.

In the long-term, this 'lawful' approach to Islamism, combined with the explosive demographics of Islam, poses a potentially far more serious threat to the West than its violent counterparts.