Muslims in Myanmar = trouble

Europe isn’t the only place being threatened by a rising, and violent, Muslim minority. Wherever Muslims reach numbers where they gain political clout, trouble inevitably ensues. We’ve all read about the clashes in Africa, especially Nigeria, between Muslims and Christians. It seems they’re stirring up trouble in Myanmar too. When I say “stirring up trouble” I readily admit that I don’t know who instigated the latest hostilities. I also understand that Muslims have faced persecution in Myanmar in the past. Furthermore, though I do have a bias in favor of Buddhists, obviously they’re not angels. But Buddhists do not divide the world into “Buddhist regions” and “regions that are not yet Buddhist”. As far as I can tell, Buddhists have no ambition to colonize  the world, either by force or through proselytizing.
Yes, it’s true that Buddhists are not perfect, but my own impression of them is overall positive. Some forms of Buddhism also happen to quite rational – something that cannot be said of “Western religions”.
Now there is a state of emergency in Western Myanmar, as Buddhists and Muslims have come to blows.

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s president has declared a state of emergency in a western state where sectarian tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have unleashed deadly violence…
The move follows rioting on Friday in two areas of Rakhine state that state media say left at least seven people dead and 17 wounded, and saw hundreds of houses burned down. The unrest spread on Saturday and Sunday.
Thein Sein called on the people, religious bodies, political parties, civil society and the media to join hands with the government to maintain the rule of law.

Aside from being yet another example of the “wonders of diversity”, this should serve as a warning for the Western world. The importation of a group whose aim is to conquer their hosts is a foolish move. Unless, of course, the goal is to increase government power over citizens. After all, let’s look at the inevitable government reaction to such unrest:

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Authorities in western Myanmar imposed new curfews Sunday to keep deadly clashes between local Buddhists and Muslim Bengalis from escalating.
State television announced a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m curfew starting Sunday has been imposed in the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe and three other townships because of elements there acting unlawfully and causing disorder. Public gathering of more than five persons were also banned.

Curfews and bans on public gatherings are the result. In general, the more diversity a government imposes on its citizenry, the more violence there will be. The more violence there is, the more restrictions said government can impose upon its citizenry. The more restrictions it imposes, the more power it has. “Diversity” is a tool for the few to gain power over the many. It serves as an (indirect) excuse for “gun-control” laws, limitations on movement, curtailing of freedom of speech and higher taxes (AKA “slavery”).
According to Wikipedia:

Buddhist persecution of Muslims arose from religious reasons, and occurred during the reign of King Bayinnaung, 1550-1589 AD. After conquering Bago in 1559, the Buddhist King prohibited the practice of halal, specifically, killing food animals in the name of God. He was religiously intolerant, forcing some of his subjects to listen to Buddhist sermons possibly converting by force. He also disallowed the Eid al-Adha, religious sacrifice of cattle. Halal food was also forbidden by King Alaungpaya in the 18th century.
When General Ne Win swept to power on a wave of nationalism in 1962, the status of Muslims changed for the worse. Muslims were expelled from the army and were rapidly marginalized.

It’s easy to judge Bayinnaung and Win as “intolerant”. But perhaps they were only trying to prevent their nation from being overrun. I am not aware of any recent be-headings, suicide bombings, hijackings or violent protests over “Buddha cartoons” by Buddhists. I don’t see Buddhist temples replacing churches all over Europe. I haven’t read about Buddhist rape gangs targeting non-Buddhist women and girls. From my own, admittedly limited, experience, I’d rather live in a Buddhist society than one dominated by any other religion – perhaps even Judaism.
Islam does not have a good track-record when it comes to upholding the principals that make Western society great. Therefore, it should not be allowed to take root in Western societies. It obviously poses a threat to every non-Muslim nation that cherishes its freedom. There is not much we can do about nations that are already Muslim, so we should not forcefully interfere with them, but give them advice when needed. I see nothing wrong with Westerners rendering aid to Muslims, in their own countries, when there is a natural disaster. There’s nothing wrong with supporting programs to help persecuted minorities, or women, in those lands. But to bring them into Western lands, in large numbers, is akin to importing an infectious disease.