The US shouldn’t exclude academics who are critical of its policies.
London – Living in a democratic society that grants an individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is the cherished privilege and pride of Western citizenry and the dream longed for by the rest of the world.
Countless have fought and died to secure these rights in the West, and millions the world over are dying for them today – dying to be free to worship, free to associate, free to speak, free to participate in the governance of their own countries.
But the struggle for the protection of rights and civil liberties in the West is not a finished chapter in our history. The constitutions of Western democracies and the rights they enshrine do not protect themselves. The preservation of these liberties requires a vigilant, critical, and courageous citizenry that can be neither complacent in times of security nor compromising in times of fear and insecurity – citizens who understand that the violation of the basic rights of one is a violation of the rights of all. Loyalty to country and constitution demands that we speak up against injustice, uphold our ideals, and hold our leaders accountable.
For years, I worked tirelessly in academic and public circles to dismantle the barriers erected by those who see Islam and the West as mutually exclusive, to build bridges of mutual understanding and respect. Since 2001, I have also intensified my work to remind my fellow Western citizens of the fragility of our societies and the precariousness of our civil liberties as we are thrust into this so-called war on terrorism. Since the end of 2004, I have done this primarily in Europe through my academic work, debates, and public lectures and by working closely with European politicians, governmental agencies, and civic institutions. But I have been prevented from doing this work on American soil.
In the summer of 2004, I was poised to start a dual professorship at Notre Dame University and eager for a more concentrated academic and public engagement than was previously allowed by my numerous but brief visits to the United States.
But that was not to happen. My visa was canceled at the last minute at the behest of the Department of Homeland Security, supposedly under a provision of the Patriot Act. This revocation not only cost me my academic post, it deprived me and Americans of a much needed mutually enriching dialogue and debate. It also fueled fantastical allegations of terrorism support and of shadowy associations that tarnished my reputation and cast a cloud of suspicion over my character and work.
After American organizations sued, the government abandoned its initial reason for excluding me but came up with a new one – that, between 1998 and 2002, I had contributed small amounts of money to a Swiss charity supporting humanitarian work in the Palestinian territories. The government is relying on a "material support" law that didn’t exist until 2005 – long after I made the donations – and it is holding me accountable for donating to a charity that still operates lawfully in Europe today. And while the US government has blacklisted the charity, it didn’t do so until 2003 – a year after I made my last donation. Many US organizations believe that I am being barred from the country not because of my actions but because of my ideas. The conclusion seems inescapable.
The US government’s shifting arguments in my case might be absurd – even comical – if the stakes were not so high. But, in the name of defending the country against terrorism, the government seems to be trampling over the rights that make democracies worth defending. In a time when we are inundated with the daily rhetoric of ideologues, exclusivists, and merchants of fear, we are in dire need of engaged academics and public intellectuals who can write and speak authoritatively on the topics of the day and who also provide visible public models for ethics of citizenship. Yet, publicized as my case might be, it is not the only example of this administration’s exclusion of academics critical of its domestic and foreign policies.
Bleak as this picture might seem at times, I remain hopeful. I am encouraged by the unwavering support I have received from ordinary Americans, civic groups, and particularly from scholars, academic organizations, and the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued my case in federal court last week. I am heartened by the emerging debate in the US about what has been happening to our countries and ideals in the past six years.
I am hopeful that justice will prevail and I will be allowed to enter this country so that I may contribute to the debate and be enriched by dialogue. It is much more important than a personal vindication for me; it is a matter of protecting of collective ideals and academic freedom, a cornerstone of democracy.
Tariq Ramadan is a senior research fellow at Oxford University and author of more than 23 books, including "Western Muslims and the Future of Islam."
Source : The Christian Science Monitor
Brother Tariq, I salute you for your great courage in holding firm to the ethical path and working for the good of all mankind,in trying to forge a rapprochement between civilizations. I admire your strength of faith in speaking the truth, when you know you will be pilloried by both sides. I hope you will draw your strength from the example of Prophet Mohammed pbuh and Prophets Ibrahim and Isa who continued to speak God’s truth with courtesy and patience, even though they were misunderstood and denigrated by their own people. I hope you can convince the up and coming generation of both sides to tread the moderate path and not be blinded by greed and hatred, as so many of their parents have been. Believe that there are many people that see your message as a beacon of hope in a dark world and that the night always seems darkest just before the dawn. They will finally stand up when they realise that both Islam and the ethical values of the West are being destroyed by irresponsible leaders, who do not understand the messages of their own holy books.
y’a pas qu’aux states, où les gens sont devenus fous… en france, on a pas (encore) interdit Tariq Ramadan, d’entrée sur le territoire… mais bon vu comment les rg sont sur dos… genre, les gens du ministere de l’intérieur qui vous disent “attention, si tu parles de Tariq Ramadan, les rg vont te ficher”… lol j’ai peur… ils sont fous les gens… en apparence on parle de démocratie, en fait, c’est tjs l’épok de la guillotine!
fallé voir la tete des gens du ministère palir à l’evocation de son nom… et en france, combien ont fait genre, ont joué le jeu, se sont soumis… et ont adopté et défendu un discours convenu quand bien meme il était mensonger, diffamateur, calomniateur…
imaginé un instant que rachida dati ait dit “je soutiens tariq ramadan”… vous croyez qu’elle serait ministre de la justice…
et ouais, c ça l’injustice lol
Salam Alikom ratmatullahi wa barakathu, in sha Allah this will find you in the best of eeman and in the blessings of our deen. I wanted to say keep your eyes opened your chin up and your soul devout, your blessings and better path are straight ahead, this is where your ment to be right now, and where one door is closed another will surely open and what we want is not always what HE knows is best for us, Allah make it easy for you, Ameen
I think your twofold way of working, as a academic in the west and as an involved devout muslim on islamic legal issues, makes you vulnerable. But at the same it’s this combination that makes you very very relevant for our time. I think for us muslims here in the west (and elsewhere), this is the way forward: holding on and, unfortunately, in many instances coming back to islam, but participating fully and striving for better relationship with our non-muslim neighbours. In this you are a real rolemodel.