Ayaan Hirsi Ali also to blame for lack of progress in Islam debate

The Somalian-born critic of Islam Ayaan Hirsi Ali has criticised the faltering debate on Islam in the Netherlands. Green politician Tofik Dibi, himself a Muslim, writes in an open letter to Hirsi Ali published in the Internet forum joop.nl that the former politician is partially to blame for this: "Many studies have shown that the religious conduct of the new generations of Dutch Muslims is changing dramatically, ... with an increasing number of young Muslims forming their own religious interpretation and adopting a critical stance against their religion. ... Dear Ayaan, when I listen to you talk or read your books I am forced to conclude that you yourself are also contributing to this standstill in the Islam debate. You are among those critics of Islam who attack radical Islam. I think it is important to condemn this, but I find it just as important that the large group of free Muslims is given room to manoeuvre in the public debate. Those who fight for individual freedom should no force other into a straitjacket."

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