But how do you win over people who don't like you and do not believe that you should have rights?
>From an interview Ramadan gave:
Q There's a great divergence between the secular world and the religious world in regard to homosexuality. Is that always wrong in Islamic creeds?
TR I think that for all, to tell you the .... y'know if you look at all the monotheistic traditions, all are saying exactly the same according to the classical traditions. Homosexuality - it's not the divine project for human beings.
Q: Do you want to revise that view?
TR: My point is I am not going to revise that view. It's not in my y'know, it's not my ... I cannot do that. I'm not the Prophet to come to say - but what I have to say here - it may be not the divine project, and we may say, I may say as a Muslim I am not going to promote homosexuality. But I have to respect homosexuals. And this is the point here - I may disagree with what you are doing, but I respect who you are. And it's exactly what I'm asking the people to be with me. You may disagree with me praying 5 times a day, but I'm asking you respect. So we may not agree on what is the objective of our life and the way we are conducting our life. But we need to build this on deep, permanent respect out of knowledge. So I am working with homosexuals on different fields, projects.
What I am curious about is what does respecting homosexuals entail? Granting them equality? Making sure that they are not oppressed? Ramadan gets conveniently fuzzy when asked about queer issues.
He also wrote the following in his book "Peut-on vivre avec l’islam?":
"Homosexuality is not allowed in Islam and its public legislation, like it is practiced in Europe; it can not been admitted in Islam either on the social level, nor in marriage in any form. There is a limit on the expression of the norm which applies to the social and public space."
"For Islam homosexuality is not natural and is alien to the path and norms of accomplishment of human beings in front of God. This attitude reveals a trouble, a disfunctioning, a disequilibrium."
With these beliefs he places himself in the enemy camp (which he is free to do). But when he does so, he should not be surprised if opposition to his position springs up among queers and their allies.
> But that is not always the case, for instance, in cases like the
European Social Forum, where networking, discussion, etc. are
the main points, or elections where the winner takes all.
Discussion is fine, but discussing things with people who will not support your efforts for equality and freedom gets tired real fast.
How do you have a civil conversation with someone who regards you as "alien to the path and norms of accomplishment of human beings." Should my husband seek out convivial company among the members of the KKK?
Brian