James Zumwalt: Political correctness puts West on unequal footing with Islam

In a letter she wrote to President Obama, Dina el-Gohary, 15, poses a question underscoring the reason America, so driven by political correctness, commits national suicide. Dina's father, Maher, committed a terrible sin in Egypt -- converting from Islam to Christianity -- for which Muslim clerics now demand his death.

Supposedly, one is free to pursue religious beliefs in Egypt -- but not if contrary to Shariah law. Shariah dictates that one leaving Islam poses a threat to societal order. Only death avenges the crime.

In pleading for Obama's help, Dina asked: "You said that the Muslim minority in America are treated very well, so why are we not treated here likewise?"

Ironically, not only is the Muslim minority in the U.S. treated very well, we observe political correctness to a fault, elevating a minority's religious rights over those of a Christian majority.

In the West we have struggled hard to create a culture in which all human life is equally valued. We open our borders to all -- including those rejecting such equality. Many Muslims only attach equality to fellow Muslims -- with Muslim men being more equal than Muslim women.

On the issue of religious tolerance, then, this creates a world with an unlevel playing field.

In Egypt, Dina's father, Maher, fights on just such a playing field. Muslims there are free to practice Islam, but non-Muslims face various restrictions, including death for Islamic apostates.

This explains why non-Islamic religions fail to flourish in Muslim-dominated cultures while Islam thrives in Western cultures that provide unfettered tolerance. Today, the world's largest mosque outside the Middle East dwarfs Christian cathedrals in London; no such non-Islamic houses of worship are welcome in Muslim-majority states.

Western cultures continue laying fertile ground for Islam's growth without demanding that Muslim-majority states similarly enhance growth opportunities for non-Islamic religions.

Last year, England's archbishop of Canterbury unbelievably suggested that the introduction of Shariah law was "unavoidable" in Britain. He naively ignores the jurisdictional law nightmare to which this would give rise, such as disputes involving both Muslims and non-Muslims or an act, criminal under United Kingdom law but not Shariah, committed by one Muslim against another.

Western tolerance needs its limits. Our political correctness perpetrates the myth and perception among Muslims that Western values are subordinate to Islam's.

We practice extreme political correctness—perpetrating the myth, and perception among Muslims, Western values are subordinate to Islam’s.  For example, Guantanamo guards must wear gloves while carrying Qurans to Muslim prisoners as non-believers are unworthy to touch the holy book.  And, in a ruling issued by President Obama’s 7th Circuit Court nominee, David Hamilton, prayers in Jesus’ name at the Indiana House of Representatives are unconstitutional but in Allah’s are not.”

Ironically, as Hamilton says yes to "Allah" but no to "Jesus," Malaysia seized thousands of bibles referencing "Allah," as such use in texts by (unworthy) non-Muslims is banned.

"Political correctness gone wild" created a safe environment within which the jihadist mentality of Maj. Nidal Hasan flourished at Fort Hood.

As an Army officer, he took an oath to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Hasan took an oath he knew he could not honor because our Constitution guarantees equality to all regardless of race, sex and religion -- equality denied by Islam to other religions and Muslim women.

The country in which young Dina resides and seeks tolerance for her father's Christian conversion is, ironically, the same venue Obama deemed appropriate last June as tolerant enough to deliver his speech encouraging a new beginning between Muslims and non-Muslims.

We have shown by our actions a willingness to embrace Islam. Obama now needs to press Muslims to do the same for non-Islamic religions.

James Zumwalt, a Marine veteran of the Vietnam and Gulf wars who writes often on national security and defense issues, is the author of "Bare Feet, Iron Will -- Stories From the Other Side of Vietnam's Battlefields" (found at jgzumwalt.com).