> It [only in Islam is fundamentalism the mainstream] was a point made by > a Muslim female intellectual several years ago Irshad Manji, presumably. My problem with comments like LH>There is considerable evidence that the "majority" of Islam LH>(something we have pursued here on Lit-Ideas from time to time) LH> is fundamentalist. Fundamentalists share the goals of the extremists LH>except for the one involving violence is that it defines "fundamentalist" as "one who shares the goals of the extremists except for the one involving violence" (quite an exception, incidentally). It overhomogenizes the "Muslim Community". Are the Hijab Barbies like that? (The UK does face some problems the US doesn't -- re Muslims and non-Muslims -- but that is not about religion or even, perhaps, about the US "melting-pot"*. I've argued on lit-ideas that the US's selective immigration policy is key -- Muslim US immigrants having been more skilled and educated. I've recently read that not only is this so but US Muslims are better-educated and better-paid than other US groups. Not that I think the US emphasis on Americanism is irrelevant.) (*An old-fashioned notion now anyway, the US is more pluralist than melting-pot and has been for some while.) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Yost" <eyost1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 7:17 PM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Convert! Or Die! > >>ah yes, all those hijab wearers > > It [only in Islam is fundamentalism the mainstream] was a point made by > a Muslim female intellectual several years ago. I'll research and post > the link to her argument. > ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html