News Is Another Hostage Beheaded in the Middle East?

[arildno]

What does it mean to say that an ordinary person sharing the values of millions of people starts acting like a terrorist?

1. That particular person is to be regarded as a criminal on basis of his action
2. Those values shared by millions of people (i.e, current Islamic culture) should themselves be put under scrutiny, in particular on the following points:
a) To which extent is other individuals regarded as inferior?
b) To which extent is violence glorified and permitted in this cultural setting?
If you do this with current Islamic culture, you'll end up with a grim and chilling picture
3. Given the existence of terrorists as possibly a natural (but not necessary!) outgrowth of current Islamic culture (MY VIEW), to which extent are YOU willing to leave this culture unchallenged and flourishing?
In my view, not to couple the war on terrorism with a severe ideological attack on Islam itself, is simply irresponsible.

 

[JohnDubYa]

I think someone needs to examine the way Islam is taught to see how such extremism can flourish. There are simply too many cases of Islamic fundamentalism causing human misery. And this extends far beyond terrorism. We could also discuss bride-burning, honor killing, genital mutilation, and so on. (No, I am not saying Islam is the only religion whose followers engage in such activity.)

 

[GENIERE]

President Bush is subject only to the constitutional restrictions of that office, not to any international law purported to supercede our constitution by our enemies including the UN. The US constitution requires he use all means to secure the safety of the US citizen. It is time for the military to exterminate the individual terrorists, the terrorist organizations, and if need be the governments that harbor them. The US must also support Russia’s battle with terrorism in total, not hinder them via diplomatic statements.

- -

 

[arildno]

I think someone needs to examine the way Islam is taught to see how such extremism can flourish. There are simply too many cases of Islamic fundamentalism causing human misery. And this extends far beyond terrorism. We could also discuss bride-burning, honor killing, genital mutilation, and so on. (No, I am not saying Islam is the only religion whose followers engage in such activity.)

FINALLY WE'RE TALKING!
Too many people are deluded into the soft thinking that the terrorists are merely dysfunctional abnormals of Jeffrey Dahmer's type(and hence, that the Islamic culture as such should not be criticized for these men's behaviour. (It is, for example, completely unwarranted (and disgusting!) to lay the blame of J.D's atrocities on "American culture"). I cannot see that current Islamic culture should be allowed to wiggle itself of this hook.))

This soft thinking is an extremely dangerous form of brainwash under the name of "tolerance"; the dominant Islamic culture today is exceedingly dangerous culture precisely because: it regards several people as inferior, glorifies violence, and is extremely suspicious of individuality as such.
Dominant Islamic culture today is not inferior because their believers are of lower human worth, but it is inferior because itself regards other groups of humans as of lower human worth than its own believers.

I apologize for regarding you as subject to this particular form of brainwash.

 

[JohnDubYa]

You ain't such a bad guy after all.

 

[jimmy p]

They can, DOH. Theyre just not called ordinary Joes and Jills by the rest of the world. Theyre called killers. Some are sadistic, some are sick, some are brainwashed and of course most of them were ordinary Joe and Jill up to the point where they kill or begin thinking about killing.

The rest of the world calls them soldiers. Before someone waves their flag at me, may I just point out that I am only stating my opinion.

Americans used to believe that Native Americans were savage and incapable of reasoning. They used to put them in reservations because they couldn't be trusted around white men and women.

Americans used to believe that black men were savage and incapable of reasoning. They used to put them in plantations because they couldn't be trusted around white men and women.

The people above (mostly Americans) believe that Arabs are savage and incapable of reasoning. They want to put them in a place called Guantamino bay because they can't be trusted around white men and women.

Note the trend?

It is human nature demonise by dissociation, but this is no difference to what any person would act when attacked by a foreign power. This is no different to how the Polish reacted to the Germans in WW2. Or how the French learned to react in the same war? In the end people will do what they can to defend their nation from a perceived oppressor, it's the place of the opposite nation to classify their actions as barbaric irrespective of the blood on their own hands.

At the end of the day, these people are protecting their nation from what they see as oppressive western superpowers. They are going to what they can to preserve their way of life. Dont try and tell me that no American or Briton would go to any end to protect their nation in the same situation.

It is very well to sit back in the comfort of your homes and judge based on being on the winning side and not in the firing line. But it is a different thing when your family are being shot in the name of a regime elected by a foreign power which is now taking its personal wars onto your doorstep.

 

[JohnDubYa]

Americans used to believe that Native Americans were savage and incapable of reasoning.

This image was based on false or exagerrated reports of savagery. I seriously doubt anyone can say the beheadings are figments of our imagination.

In the past, news moved slow and was distorted by the time it reached its audience. Now we can see in real time exactly what is taking place. The "savage" label of those who kill civilians in Iraq is well-deserved.

At the end of the day, these people are protecting their nation from what they see as oppressive western superpowers.

You don't protect your own nation by blowing up its infrastructure and killing its policemen. This isn't about national defense, but rather about power and religious bigotry. Peace would come to Iraq if only the nutcases would quit killing people. They're not interested in peace or defending Iraq, but only in staking out their own power base and acting out against those they perceive as different.

And try as I might, I cannot imagine Native Americans or African Americans sawing off the heads of people begging for mercy. (Some Native Americans might have. If so, those individuals probably got their just reward.)

You're trying to defend the indefensible. There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for the barbarity we have seen exhibited against civilians who were there to help the people of Iraq. And if you excuse it, consider yourself among their company.

 

[studentx]

At the end of the day, these people are protecting their nation from what they see as oppressive western superpowers. They are going to what they can to preserve their way of life. Dont try and tell me that no American or Briton would go to any end to protect their nation in the same situation.

I keep hearing ppl say that the Iraqis are fighting America and want them out. But there are 10 times as many Iraqis helping America , who probably also want America out, but realize that first they need a working policeforce to stop foreign fighters and jihadists taking over the country.
Why do you choose to voice the opinion of these violent Iraqis who are in a minority, over that of the peaceful Iraqis trying to rebuild the country?