From JohannHari, a disturbing quote:

Sheikh Sharkhawy, a cleric at the prestigious London Central Mosque in Regent's Park, compares homosexuality to a 'cancer tumour.' He argues 'we must burn all gays to prevent paedophilia and the spread of AIDS,' and says gay people 'have no hope of a spiritual life.' The Muslim Educational Trust hands out educational material to Muslim teachers -- intended for children -- advocating the death penalty for gay people, and advising Muslim pupils to stay away from gay classmates and teachers."

Greengrl has a very thought-provoking post on this extreme homophobia espoused and condoned by many Islamic nations, and she asks why it is that Islam seems to "get a pass" from the Left regarding these human rights abuses. She also points to two very good articles, one from JohannHari.com entitled "Outcast Heroes: the Story of Gay Muslims", and the other from Andrew Sullivan. Greengrl says:

Why isn't this on the global gay rights agenda? Why is it that the Left here in the US is willing to yell at the top of their lungs at the Christian Right about homophobia and anti-gay sentiment, but won't say a word about Islamist bigotry? What makes one different from the other? Why does Islam constantly get a "pass" from the Left? Anyone? Bueller?

It makes me wonder, too, and I think she's absolutely right. There are many other human rights violations the Left generally condemns without the look-the-other-way silence of "cultural relativity," such as FGM, sati (or setee), "honor killings," and the infanticide and abandonment of female children in countries like China.

I think perhaps two factors are in play: I think the American Left (and certainly the Right) often soft-pedals condemnation of objectionable social practices when they are committed by an "economically important" nation (such as China), to avoid offending or alienating a trade partner. Certainly, many Islamic (read: oil-producing) nations qualify as "economically important" to the U.S. The other reason is that members of the mainstream may have more difficulty relating to the oppression of an "outside" minority if the oppressor is also an "outsider."

What I mean by that is, on the scale of "difference," I think many - if not most - Americans view Islam as a rather 'foreign' (non Judeo-Christian) religion. In addition, many Americans still see gays and lesbians as "outsiders" foreign to their own experience, often with some ambivalence or disapproval themselves. While it is not considered politically correct to vilify (even privately) demographic groups such as women or ethnic minorities, many people still are neutral or negative in their own opinions of homosexuality, so it may be easier to overlook or forgive human rights abuses against LGBT folk.

Not that it's any excuse, of course.

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