all religions have spawned persecution of nonbelievers, but the one doing it now is Islam, so that is the problem today. just because Jews and Christians have engaged in atrocities against Muslims doesn't make today's extremism by Muslims any more acceptable. I readily equate the excesses of Islam with those in the past by Christians, and find them equally repugnant. Islam seems impotent in addressing the fringe element, as the Catholic church has been largely impotent in dealing with sex abuse by priests. Both have a mess they need to clean up before offering themselves to the world as paragons of virtue. Just as Christians have a duty to renounce the racists and bigots within it, so do Muslims. Only recently has that been seen any, and still it's not seen much. Islam seems afraid to confront this problem head on and with force.
PTI More than 100 detonators found on rail tracks August 25, 2003 22:54 IST Hours after the twin bomb blasts in Mumbai killed 46 people, more than 100 detonators were found from a railway track at a place about 60 km from Nashik, just an hour before an express train carrying mostly Kumbh pilgrims was to pass, senior police and railway officials in Nashik said. More details are awaited.
Man, I just talked to a friend of mine who is a Houston Lawyer whose family is from Mexico but who is travelling throughout India. He is 30 minutes from where the blast happened. I hope they find the people that did this and take them down hard.
Yeah my buddy is fine. Though he has spent most of his life here in the US, his family is from Mexico and he lived there for a while. He has always been interested in spiritual guidance and travelled to the east to 'find himself' or something like that. Of course DaDakota's article give example of violence by Hindu's, Muslim's, Christians and Sikhs, so I don't know where he came up with his witty "Why do all these bombings have to do with the SUPPOSEDLY peaceful muslim religion?"
Because Khan...this bombing had to do with the Muslim religion.... Where are are the Mullahs crying out on this atrocity, why are the Muslim leaders not denouncing Hamas and other terrorist organizations? Islam and the poverty of most of the middle east seems to be a breeding ground for ignorance and terrorism. DD
Yet rather than the powers that be sympathizing with the Serbs, and their 1000 year old gripes about being suborned to Muslims, we took action and forcefully stopped the Serbs from killing to Muslims. And I'm can't think of ANY widespread support in the Christian community for the Serb ethnic cleansing etc. Not true on either account for the Muslim community. Hence its a little ridiculous to say 'its not Islam's fault, its a "FEW" fanatics.' The fact that Muslims are blowing people up ACROSS THE GLOBE should be a clue that its more than 'a few extremists.' All of that was Christian on Christian, and its hardly comparable in scope or nature. The IRA itself is an organization intent on removing British rule, not on killing other Irish. Nor is it accurate to say the IRA bombing campaigns are comparable to the widespread worldwide violence coming out of the Islamic community. And regardless saying 'Christians did it in 1200' or 'Christians are doing it in Ireland' in no way changes the FACT that the Islamic community is responsible for a HUGE amount of violence across the globe.
I am sure Muhammed would be unhappy that his words are being twisted to violence... Why are the leaders of the Muslim faith not cracking down? DD
Because they are predominantly ignorant fools that are more worried about keeping their petty dictatorships, playing polo with playboy bunnies and having Rolls Royces in every color rather than actually ruling a country. I agree with what you said about the area being a breeding ground. That is why I feel the US should not fund any of the countries in the region and let them kill each other if they want but not to drag us into it. Like I have said many times. Cut off funding to Egypt, Saudi, Jordan, Israel and all of these other nations and simply sell them goods and services. By allying ourselves with one party over another, we are a discredit to the corporations, jobs and tax dollars that our produced by international trade. Who cares if they're fighting as long as they're drinking a nice, refreshing Coca Cola afterwards.
My perspectives are all based on economics. That is why I understand the invasion in Iraq, though I am questioning whether it will have to long-term repurcussions the Administration wishes, as well as whether we as a people will have the patience and fortitude to see it through. A few bodies coming home in body bags and people begin to scream and holler. As I have stated before, if oil prices fall, then that is a net positive for the US economy and will cause cogs to fall which will lead to greater expansion and employment. For every 1% the unemployment rate rises, this statistically causes 20,000 more heart attacks, 5,000 more homicides and over a 1,000 more suicides. My problem with Israel is that it is an economic net negative for the US. The muslim faith is the second largest in the world with over a billion people ranging from the US to Eastern Europe, South America, North Africa, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Russia and China. This is a huge consumer base that I do not wish to have boycott US goods and services as we have seen in recent times. Our relationship with Isreal has also caused us a great deal of tension with European nations and many others throughout the world. So the Negatives of our Relationship with Israel: - 3 Billion Dollars in Aid Annually - Military Support and Weapons Aid worth Billions - Loans that continue to be given though None have ever been paid back - Responsibility for their displacement of a people and the creation of the largest refugee population in the world - A negative international image that has caused the Oil Embargo, Boycotts and other negatives towards our economy. The Positives: - The AIPAC and Other Lobbying Systems that Give Funds to Political Campaigns - An Ally in the Region ( of course who wouldn't be our ally when we give them billions annually as well as military support) Where are the positives?? The reason we prospered and the USSR failed was not because we were good and they were bad or because Rocky beat Ivan Drago, but because we have a free market economy that produces more revenue and tax revenue that most continents combined. Our state of California itself is the 5th largest economy in the world. Our future and our success depends on our ability to continue to grow earnings and sell our products and services globally. Our relationship with Israel is jepordizing our financial futures all for the benefit of some peoples campaigns. I think we need to access what are our priorities and how we plan on keeping our economy a well oiled, global machine and what forces are a 'net' negative to our economy.
if the issue were merely economics, your post would thoroughly address that point. as always, it's not merely economics, but history and all it entails. there are two key points of support for Israel in the US, one being Jews and the other being the Christian Right. any notion that those two groups can be finessed in the name of economics is simply not good politics. However ill conceived US support for Israel is, it isn't going to end or even be reined in. To do so is political suicide in this country, and the last time I checked, politicians will do anything to survive the next election. the US can't toss Israel in favor of a group which hates all Jews. ain't gonna happen, even if that group is one billion strong.
Ok so we know its not right, but a politician that speaks against Israel is committing political suicide?? Who are we making our policies in favor of then? The US or Israel. When has another country been so important to the US, that is pure garbage. And your second statement is sheer, utter ignorance. Jews have lived in the middle east without persecution for over a thousand years under muslim rule. This conflict started only 50 years ago. And to state that a billion people hate jews is ludicrous. A democracy begins to crumble when those in office begin to make all of their decisions based on their ability to survive and not on the well being of their nation. If everyone in congress voted to give every citizen $100,000 for the hell of it they could be voted into power on that premise but it would bankrupt the nation. Not a sound statement friendlyfan.
I was 40 before I accepted it wasn't going to change fundamentally, no matter what the reasons. You might as well try to talk a mama out of her baby as to talk the US out of support for Israel. You'll be lucky to survive the next election if you even suggest it. oy vey! I accept it as a given, and the fact is that no one else in the region is a trustworthy ally. at least we can count on them, and that's worth something.
Friendly Fan, Islam seems impotent in addressing the fringe element, as the Catholic church has been largely impotent in dealing with sex abuse by priests. Both have a mess they need to clean up before offering themselves to the world as paragons of virtue. I agree. The same can now be said about Judaism especailly American Jews who seem impotent to deal with extremist Jews, for example Sharon and the settler/ fanatics. Interestingly, you often see more criticism of these extremists among Israeli Jews than among American Jews. I should add that we are also seeing problems controlling the extreme Evangelial Christian types like Tom Delay, who are increasingly gving active support to the more fringe element in Israel.
I think this was a bit "tongue in cheek" by Friendly Fan. Fair or not, running for office in the States on a platform that "punishes" Israel for many of it's activities that the current government, especially, indulges in is seen as political suicide. And previous Israeli governments have done numerous things I strongly disagree with, and I'm sure other Americans, including Jewish Americans disagree with... that doesn't change political reality in the States. Often, life is not fair. (more often than not)
