Is the Pope a racist?

I am not supporting or defending the rationale or reasoning behind that protest. I believe that protest was ignorant, but not threatening.

I am not defending the dictatorial regimes in the region. I wish those protests would be directed at their corrupt leadership, and not at their own misunderstanding of the Pope's speech.

In no way am I in favor of appeasing any regime or terrorist. That is BS charge being made by folks.

As for the protests I am in favor freedom, and its practice. I am favor of it even if I disagree with what it says or the message behind it. If more people were protesting more attention might be paid to important issues. That is why I say we need more of it. Leaders need to be held accountable and fear the people they govern. An apathetic public is easily mislead, and have their rights usurped from them.

Again, I see the parallels to the holocaust too, and know that it started and was made possible by the average European and U.S. citizen who didn't speak out against stereotypes, or even worse bought into them. If that never happened Hitler could have spouted his message all day long, and he would have never come to power.

So when you are guilty of over-generalization or stereotyping and show fear of a certain group even if they aren't violent, but because they are part of a particular group, then you better believe there is the potential for danger of that spreads. I will always say something against it and won't appease that kind of dialogue, and attitude.

 

There is a big point here being made, which is the lack of a 2 way street for proper discourse in those countries.

It is ok to say " Jesus is a bigot " but is it ok to say " Mohammed was a bigot "?

Because Jesus was a heck of a lot more peaceful than Mohammed.......but can the citizens of those countries discuss it? They tried to kill a guy in Afganastan for his conversion to Christianity.......the Islamic faith over there is fracked up !!

DD

 

You are absolutely correct about the two-way street thing. I am whole-heartedly against that kind of intolerance and don't think people should back down from things such as the cartoons, etc.

 

Argh. You simply don't understand.

You keep saying "they aren't violent".

They spread a message of intolerance.

That's like saying "the nazis who only marched and demanded to silence all jews were not violent". Yes, maybe those who marched and screamed hate messages were not all violent themselves, but they helped to create a climate where those who actually carried out the violence felt that there was a large mass of people backing them. It's the same connection with those who scream "Death to the pope and all infidels" and those who actually go and kill the "infidels".

And you trying to accuse me of stereotyping is not acceptable.

 

The nazis who demanded that all jews be silenced were advocating the death of those jews. These guys aren't saying all of one group should be killed. The sign didn't say anything violent. I thought we already established that.

I have no problem with you speaking out against their protests.

Your own rationale for making the jokes about the beards is a textbook example of stereotyping.

I am not trying to accuse you of anything you aren't guilty of. Your own words and posts in this thread have shown that. I don't have to accuse you of anything. I just highlighted it, and others noticed the same things I did.

What should be unacceptable is your stereotyping, and overly broad generalizations. That is a dangerous attitude, and I will highlight it any time you post it.

 

"Death to all infidels".

Blah. You are being ridiculous, but that's ok, because you don't understand anything.

 

Again with the personal insults. I only wish I was lucky enough to have your great and wondrous understanding. If only I could understand that explanations which are texbook examples of stereotyping and come from your own keyboard about your feelings somehow aren't stereotyping.

That must take an inhuman ability for understanding. I guess I will have to accept my mere human level of understanding. Thanks for sharing your enlightened, smarter than other people's opinions and gigantic capacity for understanding.

 

Just in case anyone is interested in making a donation. It's a small way to protest what was done to those houses of worship used by our Christian brothers in Palestine...

CAIR ASKS MUSLIMS TO HELP REPAIR DAMAGED CHURCHES

Palestinian churches damaged following Pope's comments on Islam

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/20/2006) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Muslims in America and worldwide to donate to help repair Palestinian churches damaged following recent remarks by Pope Benedict XVI perceived as critical of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

CAIR is urging Muslims to help repair the churches in the West Bank and Gaza by sending a donation to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. SEE: http://www.cnewa.org/ (Earmark donations for: "Palestine Damaged Churches")

On Thursday, September 21, CAIR's Florida office will hold a news conference at the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg to deliver seed money to repair the churches.

WHAT: CAIR-FL to Deliver Seed Money for Repair of Palestinian Churches
WHEN: Thursday, September 21, 2006, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, 6363 9th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida
CONTACT: CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier, 813-731-9506

"Our campaign is designed to send the message that attacks on any houses of worship are not acceptable and will not be tolerated," said CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier.

In a statement released following the Pope's remarks, CAIR called for increased dialogue and outreach efforts aimed at building better relations between Christianity and Islam. CAIR's statement read in part: "Let us all continue the interfaith efforts promoted by the late Pope John Paul II, who made great strides in bringing Muslims and Catholics together for the common good."

 

I think the problem with this forum (and perhaps politics in general) is that your response could justifiably be directed at about 99% of the posts here.