The best that can be said about Geert Wilders’ production, Fitna, is that it is aptly named.
Fitna, which translates as strife or unrest, is exactly what Wilders seems to want to instigate with his montage of mayhem. If, as Wilders asserts, he is trying to protect the western civiliszation from the ravages of Islam, he would do well to first understand the religion that he criticizes.
Out-of-context Quranic injunctions juxtaposed with images of carnage are not Islam. Nor do they address the legitimate issue of Muslim integration.
Neither is Wilders’ Islamophobia wholly representative of Europe’s relations with Muslims. While pundits argue over whether “Fitna violates hate-speech laws, people of good will should ask what they can do to increase love in our shared humanity.
Even a cursory viewing confirms that the film is not artistic expression. “Fitna is not art – it is cinematic violence masked as political commentary.
By opening and closing with the controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohamed s turban being ignited, Wilders adds insult to injury. He caricatures his supposed Western freedoms and objectivity by exploiting the real suffering caused by extremism.
Watching the entire 15 minutes exposes an uncanny similarity between Wilders’ inflammatory rhetoric and that of fiery preachers caught on tape.
Each mirrors the other’s intolerance and blanket censure. Neither leaves room for dialogue or debate. Each assumes the sanctity of their message and shares tactics of incitement with the other. Wilders is as reactionary as those he condemns.
Perhaps the bleached blond Parliamentarian hopes his “warning will cause his countrymen to send their Muslims packing. He would serve his constituents better by striving for dialogue rather than settling for strife.
Putting aside Wilders’ amateur video, Europe’s struggle to integrate Muslims into the economic and political mainstream is not new. Muslims have been in Europe for generations, but it is not their religion that alienates them from the mainstream. Europe must figure out how to transition the children of guest workers into equal citizens. Its dependence on immigrant labor should be reconciled with its democratic principles.
These are real issues that warrant serious discussion. While European Muslims seek equality, the state pushes national identity. As Islamic practice is brought into the public sphere, tensions arise as to the limits of Europe’s multiculturalism. The more Muslims assert their rights of citizenship, the more the boundaries of European liberalism are tested.
The Dutch and the world need true leadership, not fear-mongering politics, to help chart amicable relations between Islam and the West. All Muslims should not be held accountable for the sins of a few, especially as the majority are law-abiding, responsible participants of their societies.
While Wilders’ fear of change is understandable, his abuse of immigrants is not.
In stark contrast to Wilders’ divisiveness, others are addressing Europe’s changing demographics from a more constructive perspective. One such example is the Focolare Movement started by Chiara Lubich, an Italian Catholic who recently passed away. Unlike Wilders, Lubich reacted to a real unrest, that of the aftermath of World War II, by trying to improve her community through shared humanity, stressing how the concept of “love thy neighbor can be lived out in daily life.
With Lubich’s leadership, the collaboration between Focolare communities and people of a variety of religions has demonstrated that it is possible to build bridges of understanding, respect and love. Any visit to the Focolare community outside Florence, Italy will confirm that everyone, including Muslims, is not only accommodated but also welcomed.
Ultimately Wilders misses the opportunity to analyze the underlying social unrest he warns against. Rather than taking the bait and overreacting, the best antidote to Wilders’ provocation is to learn more about each other and embrace the fact that there is no inherent strife between Islam and the West.
Now is the time to look for constructive ways for Europe and its Muslims to live side by side as good neighbours.
Moushumi Khan is a lawyer and a Zuckerman Fellow at Harvard University. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.
