NORMAN MANEA
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but also of Christian, Jewish, and other religious fundamentalism. Due
to
the large number of Muslims and the role of the mosque as a guide for
many illiterate believers, the danger in the Muslim world seems greater.
Yet, I think we should avoid the idea of an irreconcilable battle
between the Christian-Jewish tradition that celebrates human life, with
all its ideals and warts, and the Muslim fanatics,
to
whom death appears
the holiest fulfillment. We should hope, rather, for a structural change
in the Muslim world, for a gradual and essential modernization of its
social landscape, and do our best
to
accelerate such a change.
The cult of death is not strictly a Muslim phenomenon. Extremists of
the European Right celebrated it before
1945.
We are now as familiar
with the reactionary nationalistic revolution of fascism and Nazism as
with the Communist one, known as "progressive" and internationalist.
It
isn't difficult to imagine where the return to such projects may lead. The
question about Islam is stillmore puzzling: do we really know Islam?
I suggested to my students that they start a dialogue with their Mus–
lim colleagues. It is important, I think, that Muslims themselves, not fol–
lowers of other faiths or atheists, explain whether the belief in Allah
implies an apocalyptic war against all "infidels" or the terrorists' clever
use of religious slogans is an excuse for their criminal undertaking.
EK: How did you view New York after the disaster?
NM: On these horrible days, New York was damaged, shocked, trau–
matized. They were days of siege and emergency. But the citizens and
institutions of this great city remained courageous, and the incompara–
ble metropolis gradually began
to
pulsate,
to
return
to
its old rhythm. I
truly felt American, even more so than when I was granted citizenship,
and I truly felt like a New Yorker, deeply connected
to
the daily life and
the symbols of my new domicile. This modern Babylon-with a large
Chinatown, with large Russian, Jewish, Italian, and Indian enclaves–
symbolizes not only America and its ideals, but the entire modern
world. It is not accidental that people from eighty countries died in the
World Trade Center.
EK: Many commentators saw the brutal attack of September
11
as an
answer
to
America's hegemony of the world.
NM: More than a few, whether in America or elsewhere, are demand–
ing that America submit itself
to
the strongest criticism for its sins and
disasters, its arrogance and superficiality, its materialism, vulgarity, and
