Mathloom One of the best posts ever made on this bbs Hopefully you have access to bigger forums to write for. If I ever get over to the Middle East I would like to meet you
Where are your complaints about mistreatment of migrant workers (= people) in your country, allowed and organized by the government you work for? Where are those complaints? Where are your complaints about the subjugation of women (= people) in your country and your culture? Where are your complaints about the mistreatment of homosexuals (= people) by the dictatorial regime you work for? Where are your complaints about people being murdered in the name of your religion? Where are those complaints? Save us the melodramatic schtick. The only person that falls in love with that is lunatic glynch. The old leftist-Islamist love affair. You two should get a room and plot about how you can fight evil America and the evil Jews. That is basically what you two want.
"Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living." We are defined by our pasts, Mathloon. All of us are, whether countries or people. My perspective has been that is what defines a nation, more than blood, language, race, or anything like that. I've talked here before about how liberalism, in its obsession for some objective truth, destroys everything, all values, all ideals in that search, and how in the process, while I'm not religious at all, have wrecked the concepts of faith and trust which is necessary in a polis. The past is, in a way, a myth. We define it every which way at our leisure. But myths are important. They shape the character of a nation, whether it is positive myths like the Declaration of Independence, or negative ones like the Serbs and the Battle of Kosovo. Hell, you're on a basketball forum. You should know perfectly the importance which the memories of the Rockets or whatever shape our fandom - hence even now, 6 years after we've faced the Utah Jazz in the playoffs and 16 years since we faced them past the first round, that there is still incredible hatred on Houston's behalf towards Utah. But if we are defined by our pasts, we of course must acknowledge that our pasts are not the same. You talk about how if Americans and Iranians had the absolute same circumstances, they would do the same thing. My response to is "what the **** does that mean?" and then "no." Sometimes, sure, a group of Iranians and a group of Americans will do the same thing - but sometimes a group of dogs and a group of humans will do the same thing, and yet only a lunatic would say that a dog is equal to a human. If you disagree, let me ask you one question: for all your talk about a common humanity, do you actually value all humans equally? That one life is equal to the next? Because I sure as hell don't. And I sincerely doubt you do either.
Not my religion, not my government, and proud to say not my employer anymore. As for the people you mention, you couldn't possibly have brought it up at a better time. Just show up to the next Dubai Film Festival. I'll be serving Crow A La Mathloom, and all it costs is an apology. But who are we kidding here ATW? Even the most public expression of concern from me for those people will not change your mind. You are too clouded with stereotypes - which is why you keep insisting on branding me as a Muslim. Insisting on branding me as a hater of Jews!! Hilarious. Because if I hate Israeli foreign policy, then I must hate Jews right? Idiot. I guess it gives you comfort to think that anyone holding my views is some sort of mindless bigot. If it makes you feel better to think that, go ahead. See if I give a F. The fact is that you think it inappropriate for me to say these things on an American message board, but if I was saying this stuff on an all Middle Eastern message board and you saw it, what would be your impression? Aren't the people who complain about America without even approaching Americans destructive to the cause of a good relationship between their people and American people? What the hell is the point of me discussing these things with people who know it and live it? Oh I know, because then you could just assume I'm some hateful Muslim who hates America for no reason at all. Tough luck, it ain't happening.
Exactly. It's almost entirely history that shapes us. You can drop a Nigerian baby in China and that kid will end up as Chinese as any other Chinese person. Without question, one of the founding principles of my beliefs is that I value all humans equally assuming all else is constant. As in, two newborn babies are of exactly equal value. I don't even know what this has to do with what we're talking about? Are you saying that people should be valued based on what you subjectively think has value in the world?
Because when you talk about the history which shapes us, Mathloon, whose history are you talking about? It's perfectly obvious - you just did it yourself. You didn't use class to discuss the difference in cultures. You didn't use race. You could have used all sorts of things to describe the fact that people raised in different cultures grow up differently, which we both agree on. But you used two countries, Nigeria and China. That was your first instinct. And that ties into my viewpoint, which is a large reason I carry basically fascist ideals. You may state that you don't believe in countries, but in people. But it's through countries, through the power and ideal of the nation, that a real, violent revolutionary struggle can arise, will arise, for that is what captivates the masses, as the German Diet demonstrated nearly a full century ago at the beginning of the Great War. tl;dr Mathloon, your supposed internationalism is at best ineffective at actually changing anything and at worst is a fraud.
given the title and the OP how many people knew what the main point of this thread would be? i did, its really a simple concept.
He has already stated that he was taught as a child that something his parents didn't agree with in Islam was "invented by an undercover Jew" and that "in the past", he didn't think that non-Muslims were worth as much as Muslims. Props to him for being honest about that, but I think what he doesn't realize is how hard it is to overcome this kind of brainwashing. He might actually think that he has, but his posts show that he hasn't. This kind of thinking - as well as the anti-Americanism he has undoubtedly been brought up with - are still deeply rooted in his thinking. All that said, he does have a point - as long as Clutch doesn't mind, he can post his anti-American rants here in the D&D. I just find them disingenuous, because quite clearly, his "I just care about people" schtick is BS - if he said "I just care about MY people and I am still heavily influenced by the brainwashing I have received growing up", it would at least be more accurate.
I will be at the Dubai film festival, this December. Are you down to exchange pleasantries and perhaps join me for a night of romance (with women)? We can discuss political affairs for as long as you want. Will you be wearing the national garb?
That's what I meant by the "at worst" line, but I do think highly enough of Mathloon to believe that he is sincere in his internationalist stuff. I just think it's utopian, not to mention I find the very concept decadent.
That's real funny coming from someone who proudly declared "We (Japan) conquered Korea when China couldn't" and only offered a half hearted apology.
