The following is an email I sent a collegue on the intolerance debate surrounding the Danish cartoons
In our multi-layered argument and going back to an earlier thread, my point was that Muslims feel that they were attacked by the West purely because they are Muslims. If you take the point that we didn’t carpet-bomb the Falls Road to wipe out the IRA, but did so at Falluja in an attempt to wipe out the insurgency, then, quod erat demonstrandum, we attacked them because they were Muslims, and they are right to so think.
I disagree with your last conclusion too. With the possible discounting of self-professed believers who belong to no organization apart from the Church of Dr. Feelgood, I have not found any serious church-goers who do not exhibit intolerance in some fairly fundamental ways. The whole act of belonging to a Church or religion inevitably predicates that one believes that that Church or religion is the “correct” path, and that therefore people who are not part of the club are necessarily following an “incorrect” path. To be sure, I have met devout persons who I have found to be warm and admirable people (I’m thinking right now of a born-again woman from Oklahoma City I sat next to on a plane), but that alone does not discount my premise.
Of course I find it absurd that people, many who do not have a pot to piss in, are demonstrating against some cartoons, but it fits my premise about the distorting emphases of faith. I would much rather they turn their ire against a target that has more real impact on their lives: the corrupt, brutal and inefficient regimes that are in charge of their countries would be a good start. But I would also prefer that our home-grown hero, Rudolph Guiliani, had not vented his ire against the Brooklyn Museum for exhibiting Chris Ofili’s portrait of the Madonna (because it was made in part out of elephant dung and pornographic pictures from magazines). He tried to shut the exhibition down, and threatened to withdraw city funding from the Museum.
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6 comments:
Great article btw.
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political forum
Hey thanks for the great blog, I love this stuff. I don’t usually read much into politics but with the election coming up (not to mention the dem primaries) and everyone going green these days I thought I would leave a comment.
I am trying to find more about the government and if they are going to ratify the Kyoto Protocol any time soon. Has anyone seen this poll on EarthLab.com http://www.earthlab.com/life.aspx . It said 75% of people think the government should ratify the Kyoto Protocol on Earth Day (when I took it). I also saw something on Wikipedia but it wasn’t up to date. Any other thoughts on where the government is going with this?
I am looking for more info on what candidates’ opinions are how are we are going to get closer to solutions. Drop a link of you see anything worth my time.
Hey thanks for the great blog, I love this stuff. I've been paying more attention to politics lately, but my focus is always on the environment and how important it is. I know Earth Day has already passed us by, but with everyone going green these days, I thought I’d try to do my part.
I am trying to find easy, simple things I can do to help stop global warming (I don’t plan on buying a hybrid). Has anyone seen that EarthLab.com is promoting their Earth Day (month) challenge, with the goal to get 1 million people to take their carbon footprint test in April?... I took the test, it was easy and only took me about 2 minutes and I am planning on lowering my score with some of their tips.
I am looking for more easy fun stuff to do. If you know of any other sites worth my time let me know.
Love him? Hate him? How do YOU feel about our soon to be former President? Take part in a chance to immortalize your views in book form by visiting http://goodbyegeorgew.com/ and letting your opinion be read!
Check out the following article about http://goodbyegeorgew.com/:
Cyber Send Off for Bush Sparks Hope for Movement for Democratic Voice in USA
When I entered the http://www.goodbyegeorgew.com website I was struck by the comic depiction of George W. assumedly on his way back to Texas, “gettin’ outta Dodge.” I read the sample letters to Bush, which I heartily agreed with, sticking it to him but good and then I clicked over to the virtual store. While politically collectible and good for holiday gifting, there were only a few things, and reasonably priced. Nobody was out to make a killing here.
“What is it that motivated this website?” - I wondered out loud to my two kittens rolled up beside me as I sat propped against the bed board with my laptop in front of me.
I suppose I’ve become the product of the same system I have worked against for so many years as an activist and avowed socialist at that, expecting everything to be based in the profit motive.
And why shouldn’t I expect that? After all we just had eight years of a White House run almost exclusively for profit. And I don’t mean only for the profit of the big banks that run the economy. Bush and Cheney went over the top, enriching the very companies in which the cabal of cronies running the government had major shares and no one has cared enough to stop them. They did it in Iraq. They did it through sewing fear at home with the notion of the homeland security state. They even did it with Hurricane Katrina. Government has been downsized, even the Pentagon. The role of governing has been privatized with no-bid sub-contractors profiting the same guys running the country! Once again, so much for the oath to uphold the Constitution and safeguard the public trust.
So then, in today’s world, as perverse as it has become, why should http://www.goodbyegeorgew.com not be selling me something? I made contact with the people running the site and found the unexpected.
The Georgia-native, Kate Wheeler and her daughter Ashley had had enough of being walked on by politicians and they figured that a lot of other people felt the same. Lifted by the recent rout of Republicans from the White House and Capitol Hill they were motivated to act.
“People need the chance to say what’s on their minds after putting up with what we have all gone through in this country. Bush stole the first election and the Democrats and the mainstream media let him. Things only went downhill from there,” Wheeler asserted.
“With our website we are letting people tell George W. what they really think about him and it’s about time. So far the response has been terrific but we want the message to be really loud, not just so that Bush hears it. We want all of Washington, Republicans and Democrats alike to know that the American People are expecting real change in this country. The George W. Goodbye Movement is going to grow into a movement making sure that that change takes place,” Wheeler said.
It was a nice surprise from the creator of http://www.goodbyegeorgew.com. Wheeler encourages everyone, even Bush supporters, to click on and write their fond farewells. Later the letters will be immortalized in a book, documenting public opinion of the George W. Bush presidency. More than anything this website looks to move people to act and participate in holding those that govern accountable for what they do. I know I’ll be clicking in and writing my letter over the weekend
good article. i enjoyed it.
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