Hirsi Ali: an apostle of liberal democracy and of secularism?

It’s significant that Szego, and other pundits such as Janet Albrechtsen and Miranda Devine, loudly castigated the “secular left”, but they were unable to cite anyone who actually defended the practice of female genital mutilation on “cultural” grounds, the key point of their critique.

Szego could only refer to what she described as a “little blogosphere spat”. However, Larvatus Prodeo blogger Kim Jameson was in fact arguing that practical solidarity with organisations fighting female genital mutilation within their own cultural milieu was a much more genuine manner of registering concern than “loud denunciations” motivated seemingly by political factors.

As with many other buttons pushed in the Culture Wars, it appears now that reasoned debate is completely eclipsed by the desire to construct a mythical political opponent to attack.

To demonise those who would suggest that the most practical way of countering the sorts of abuses Hirsi Ali herself suffered is to give support to women working within African communities is a prime example of this flagrant disregard for reason.

Those on the left who find female genital mutilation repulsive are perfectly entitled to suggest that its practitioners are more likely to be convinced by people arguing from within their own cultural and religious traditions. This is not inconsistent with the view that the practice should be illegal in Australia. And nor is it inconsistent with the rejection of “cultural” justifications for such horrors.

Multiculturalism, properly understood, in a liberal society does not and should not condone any practice, justified by whatever reason, which does such physical and psychological harm.

Holding Hirsi Ali up as some kind of political shibboleth, and contending that disagreement with her opinions represents some kind of heresy merely demonstrates that the values of Enlightenment reason are honoured as much in the breach as in the observance in Australian political debate.

It would show far more respect for her, and for her suffering and her courage, to treat her arguments on their merits rather than use her views as a political football in domestic culture wars. Above all, it would be much more reasonable.