Problem Muslims

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by becca

As far as rejoicing, you have to look at the media exaggerating things by repeating one image over and over... like thise Palestinian kids jumping around happy supposedly because the WTC was destroyed (as opposed to say the fact that they had just been given a lot of candy); you would think that all these little kids in Palestine were celebrating death and destruction. That is just a very blatant example. Al Jazeera does the same thing showing civillian casualties that aren't even shown much over here at all, nor including the fact when they are being used by insurgent guerillas as human shields. Also some Arabic networks love to cover the history of the western Crusades of the middle ages and our TLC, Discovery Channel, History Channel or A&E has had as many shows just about the WTC bombing. In Canada like England we are sometimes in a good position to see both sides' coverage of things but getting two extremes isn't the best way to find the middle always.

With all due respect (and I have bunches for you ) I agree the media does play it up, but that cannot erase the images of the thousands shown on all reporting sources.

And - we agree (I think) the problem is with the education of both sides and the mass media's lack thereof.

In the end, I say if we are all to survivie on this planet, it will take looking to a peaceful future and forgetting the past, as hard as that may be. Revenge never solves any problems.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

. . . And if the moderates really do deplore the terrorists activities why dont they DO something? Why is the predictable response (no matter the crime) to blame the West? or Israel? How would the Muslims feel if the West made threats to wipe THEM off the face of the earth the way they do about Israel and the US? Make no mistake, these folks are deadly serious; and because they infuse their earthly acts with spiritual significance, they fool themselves into thinking they are "holy warriors" fighting the evil West/Israel.

I agree in that America lacks the sand to confront Saudi Arabia (how many 9/11 participants were from there) and the other true states that support these people or at least turn a blind eye.

Yet, as long as the last drop of oil is there - we will never, unless the Captains and the Kings think they can take the oil or find some other way to profit from it a la Iraq.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by tommer

of course the west did (and still does) countless mistakes in treating the muslim world. but still, i don't think that it matters that much; the muslim world's organized resentment to the west is encouraged in every formal and informal method, in order to cover and disguise the main issues and deep problems facing their societies- the absence of democracy and freedom of speech, the deep and agonizing poverty, lack of human rights, limited higher education facilities, mistreatment of women ect...
the inability (or unwillingness) to face all those issues is the main problem, and channeling societie's anger and hatred towards the west in general, and israel in particular is its easy "solution".

Israel is a very easy target and that is unfortunate. Is Israel somewhat responsible, who can say for sure - after all some of its actions were IMO reprehensible. But, even so, Israel is what the vast majority of the world supports - and mostly correctly so IMO - esp. after the passage of so much time. So, again, I say if people could somehow forget and look to the future, the world could be safe again. Sadly, I have not that faith in hummanity, at least in my lifetime.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I agree in that America lacks the sand to confront Saudi Arabia (how many 9/11 participants were from there) and the other true states that support these people or at least turn a blind eye.

Yet, as long as the last drop of oil is there - we will never, unless the Captains and the Kings think they can take the oil or find some other way to profit from it a la Iraq.

dont you know? its part of the master plan to deplete the Middle East's resources and thereby eliminate them as a player on the world stage! While all the time, we are stockpiling domestic oil reserves in underground storage facilities

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^^^

Disclaimer - I am most definitely not saying that Christians are not responsible for that animosity. I am just saying the Christian aggression was a very long time ago.

We do have a habit in the west of describing any acts of violence undertaken by followers of the islamic faith as "muslim" and very rarely western violence as "christian".

For example in the former Yugoslavia the Bosnians were routinely described as "muslims" but the Serbs were not described as "christians"

I am not an apologist for any terrorist but do islamic fundamentalists truly reflect the muslim faith any more than IRA terrorists reflected the catholic faith? The day after 9/11 I was in France but able to still listen to the BBC on the radio and I heard a muslim cleric roundly condemning the attack as being anti muslim. He quoted from the Koran to back this up. Unfortunately that doesn't always get much publicity (in the UK anyway) whereas the celebrations in the Palestinian territories were shown all over the media.

I have nothing in particular against islam. I think all religions are antiquated superstitions designed to keep the poor and especially the women under control.

I am sorry if this offends any religious people on this board but you only have to look at the trouble and violence religions have caused over the years.

I do however believe that anyone has the right to practice whatever religion they like - as long as they don't break the law of the country they live in or try and persuade me to think like them.

Gail

[irishgrl]

I do however believe that anyone has the right to practice whatever religion they like - as long as they don't break the law of the country they live in or try and persuade me to think like them.

very nicely put. I would add that the prohibition against law breaking should extend to univerally accepted laws in EVERY country, such as those against murder etc (basically the whole "10 Commandments" enchilada....)

[becca]

Mmmmmmmmmm... enchiladas.... whole enchiladas...