Friday, July 22, 2005

Thomas Friedman: What Can We Do? Throw More Light

Thomas Friedman has been on a roll lately (and when's the last time you had a chance to hear that about a NY Times columnist?). His lates discussion of the necessity of the war of ideas between radical and moderate Muslims focuses on what those of us outside the faith can do. His answer: the Quarterly Jackass.

Well, not in so many words...here's what he really said:
Every quarter, the State Department should identify the Top 10 hatemongers, excuse makers and truth tellers in the world. It wouldn't be a cure-all. But it would be a message to the extremists: you are free to say what you want, but we are free to listen, to let the whole world know what you are saying and to protect every free society from hate spreaders like you. Words matter.
I like the idea (though I think it's wildly impractical). Read the rest, though, it's very well done, and thought-provoking.

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