Islamist Violence: Does Some Religious Ideology Motivate It?

Thomas L. Friedman
NYT

In his New York Times column titled "Say It Like It Is" (January 20, 2015), Thomas Friedman reacts with criticism at the attempt to shift attention from Islam whenever Islamists strike with terrorist jihadi violence:

I am all for restraint on the issue [of blaming Islam], and would never hold every Muslim accountable for the acts of a few. But it is not good for us or the Muslim world to pretend that this spreading jihadist violence isn't coming out of their faith community. It is coming mostly, but not exclusively, from angry young men and preachers on the fringe of the Sunni Arab and Pakistani communities in the Middle East and Europe.

I'm glad Friedman didn't limit Muslim extremism to the Middle East and Pakistan, for there's also Boko Haram in Nigeria, and similar if less brutal groups in Southeast Asia, and as Friedman points out, we can't pretend that this violence is not coming from the Muslim community . . . so why do we pretend? Friedman cites Asra Q. Nomani on why we pretend, namely, because of bullies who 'protect' the image of Islam:

[B]ullying often works to silence critics of Islamic extremism . . . . [The bullies] cause governments, writers and experts to walk on eggshells.

To which, Friedman adds:

I know one [writer] in particular [who walks on eggshells].

He means himself.