Female Genital Cutting on ABC World News

ON THE ONE hand, I was amazed they were able to write the story and show a video and nowhere does it mention Islam or Muslims. My first response was, that's bad. A particular ideology is driving this custom, allowing it, perpetuating it, and it seems to remove the practice, it would help if you weakened the cause rather than the effect.

On the other hand, every step we can take to end this particular practice is another step toward weakening orthodox Muslims' influence, and that's good. Probably if Dianne Sawyer mentioned Islam in the story, it wouldn't have run. So at least the story ran.

Read the story and watch the video and tell us what you think. Female Genital Cutting: Affecting Young Girls in America.

Stop Female Genital Mutilation

In looking at my petition, I saw another one that is really worth signing:

Stop Female Genital Cutting

It's about stopping Female Genital Mutilation. It doesn't say anything about Islam, but just getting rid of this hideous practice would probably help restrain Islamic encroachment. Even if it doesn't, stopping FGM is worth doing regardless.

This is one of those causes that can help force multiculturalists to choose between multiculturalism and human rights — a choice and a distinction that should be made. When they conflict, human rights should trump multiculturalism, as this issue makes crystal clear. If this hierarchy of values was clearer to more people, I believe much of the resistance we meet in telling people about Islam's relentless encroachment would evaporate.