Islamism at school: when obscurantism takes over debate and analysis

EDITED

A meeting scheduled for Saturday November 16, 2024 between journalists Jean-Pierre Martin and Laurence D'Hondt, authors of the book “Allah has nothing to do in my class” with readers at Fnac in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert has been canceled. In question, threats and intimidation from “groups of young people” towards the staff and management of the brand demanding the cancellation of the signing meeting and the withdrawal of the book.

We can understand Fnac's decision to want to protect its staff in the face of the threat, but it sounds like a capitulation to young people nourished by a discourse of radical Islamism and who confirm, through their threat, the findings noted in the book. Indeed, the work is the result of investigative work by the two journalists highlighting the growing influence of radical Islamism in Belgian schools, mainly in Brussels, and the refusal of activists of rigorist Islam to accept any criticism of their religion. In doing so, they reject the rights of Western society, including freedom of expression and even the right to blasphemy. There must be unanimous condemnation from all political leaders.

This action by young people demanding the cancellation of the signing conference at Fnac in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert under the pretext that it is forbidden to “mention the name of Allah” is nothing other than censorship and an attempt to muzzle writers or journalists.

In their book, the authors collected testimonies from teachers, some of whom are of Muslim culture, who confide their fear and dismay in the face of the rise of radical Islamism in their classes. They confided the difficulties, even the impossibility of teaching subjects and values ​​relating to equal rights between men and women, respect for individual freedom, freedom of conscience and worship. Even talking about secularism has become impossible for them. The culture of obscurantism is taking over our schools to the detriment of that of debate, analysis and criticism. Teachers deserve strong, firm and unwavering support.

This action by young people demanding the cancellation of the signing conference at Fnac in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert under the pretext that it is forbidden to “mention the name of Allah” is nothing other than censorship and an attempt to muzzle writers or journalists. This is unacceptable and intolerable behavior that must be denounced and fought with the greatest firmness. We cannot accept that radical Islamist apprentices import into our Western societies practices in force elsewhere and which are in total opposition to the rights and freedoms dearly acquired in our Western countries.

Certainly, Fnac intended to protect its staff by canceling the signing session, but it should not have given up on organizing the meeting.

Certainly, Fnac intended to protect its staff by canceling the signing session, but it should not have given up on organizing the meeting. Management should simply have alerted the authorities and requested the necessary protective measures to ensure the smooth running of the event. These measures also require acting firmly against individuals who may have attempted to disrupt the meeting by bringing them to justice.

This decision by Fnac of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert recalls that of the Brussels authorities who gave up hosting the football match between the Red Devils and the Israeli national team at the King Baudouin stadium. They had cited security reasons to refuse the match on September 6, 2024, forcing the football authorities to relocate the meeting to Hungary. In doing so, they have given in to the diktat of extremists of all stripes who demonstrate intolerance and radicalism.

These cancellation decisions are small renunciations which strengthen the proponents of radical Islamism and the extremists, whereas we must offer them gentle and firm resistance. Those who take them contribute (unconsciously?) to selling off the rights and freedoms in force in Western societies. It is high time to reject intolerance, extremism of any kind and radical Islamism.

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