Over 2,000 Europeans are fighting for ISIS, with at least 400 UK citizens among them. The merciless beheading of an American journalist James Foley captured on video with the voice of an apparent British militant narrating it has alarmed the intelligent officials in the West. Ann Lewis, expert on counter terrorism and women in Islam shares her thoughts with Agree or Disagree as to why the terrorists come home to roost.
Why do you think this ideology grabs the hearts and minds of the young Muslims who live in Europe?
Ann Lewis: We are usually looking at children of the first generation immigrants that come from countries where there are no democracies, they are basically ruled by Sharia law. So, when a parent immigrates to Europe, for example, especially into the UK, they bring their ideologies with them. And usually, their ideologies don’t allow them to assimilate into the concept of obeying the laws of those countries that they’ve immigrated to.
So, they find it offensive that they cannot implement Sharia etc, as it violates the country’s law. And the second generation Muslim grows up with the concept of being marginalized, discredited etc. They become angry and look for whatever they can find, to give them a route to back to where they are. And it could be the bad guys, and it could be the good guys.
As you know, the UK and other colonial empires allowed immigration of Muslims into their countries right away. And what we are seeing now is the fruit of many-many years of anger and feeling marginalized, because they cannot implement the Sharia law. They take it as an offence against Islam.
The British society praises itself for being open and tolerant, and multicultural. Do you think that could be a problem?
Ann Lewis: That is the problem. When you allow people into your country that refuse to assimilate into your culture and accept your rules, what are they doing there? It doesn’t make any sense. It is disrespectful to the country and they are allowing them to do this.
How can this be stopped? Who is responsible for this – the family, the country that the person is in or the young individual himself of herself?
Ann Lewis: The person that is responsible is actually the individual that listens to the rhetoric and propaganda without investigating it further. They know what they are getting into.
How can you counter this?
Ann Lewis: The way you counter it, it is like, for example, you saw an immigrant from Cairo, second generation. Let’s say that when you find out that that person has been radicalized, you deport the family back to Cairo.
The family may not have anything to do with their son or daughter who decided to join the jihad. In Germany there are center that are helping the families who turn to them in the hope of reintegrating their children back into the family.
Ann Lewis: No, when you have a family that comes to the government and say – hey, my son is radicalized, I'm scared, please help us. I'm not saying deport those people. Those are the good people. I'm talking about the ones that are watching their children radicalized, supporting their activities and keeping their mouth quiet, because they are so afraid of looking bad against Islam, and they are not turning in their own children.
What is being done in the US to integrate those people?
Ann Lewis: It is up to them to integrate into our society, it is not up to us to accommodate them. It is very simple. If you follow a religion that violates the human rights and yet you immigrate into a country where these values don’t exist, don’t complain and expect us to accommodate you.
I understand, we accept all cultures. We are great about this and we want it. We embrace it and we love this. We are a melting-pot and we grew from this. But please, don’t come here and abuse it.
You can still have your faith. But don’t insist on the violations that occur within the laws of your faith to be allowed in our country. But other than that, have a great time. You can pray and do whatever you want.
I've seen some amazing beautiful Muslim families where everything works out just incredibly. And they are loving and good, and kind people, and they have beautiful families. I have nothing against that. I really don’t.
But then, when you have a family telling me that I'm a whore and I should cover my hair… Excuse me, you are in the wrong country for that!
