There are a lot of fundamental differences between the West and Islamic culture. We both have our fringe groups and our crazy religious nut jobs. There are plenty of ways to spin it so that you can make either side look like the "victims."
Are the terrorists really just freedom fighters who are reacting to Western imperialism in a very extreme and violent way? How would you react if your home land was being "invaded" by another culture with questionable motives? It's hard to cast even seemingly good intentions in a positive light when civilians are accidentally being blown up along with the bad guys.
On the flip side of the coin, you have the West valiantly marching into the war torn and persecuted nations of the Islamic world with the intent of spreading democracy so that everyone can be free and happy. Of course there is collateral damage along the way but it's worth it if we can protect ourselves from the evil doers who masterminded 9/11 and other unprovoked attacks.
My personal belief is that people are people. Collectively, we are all pretty rotten to the core. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. There are plenty of good people out there with great intentions. But these aren't the people who are running "the show." These aren't the people who are shaping history and continuing mankind's long legacy of raping, pillaging and plundering. It's in our nature to destroy ourselves. There isn't really any hope. It's something you have to accept. This cycle will continue until we have simply wiped each other out. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars.
I started thinking about this after I read THIS article. I have a tip for fundamentalists on either side of the fence... killing small children doesn't really get ANYONE to sympathize with your plight or to relate to your cause. It's a sad day when any group ranks lower in my mind than The Westboro Baptist Church. FUCK YOU terrorist fucks.
Muslims don't attack us (or our allies for that matter) because they don't like us or what we do.
ReplyDeleteAs David Cross says, "If the terrorists hated freedom, then The Netherlands would be fucking dust."
So, I think you're title is applicable, but not in the way you intended it to be. Islam is a religion (and I use that term loosely - it seems to be more of a totalitarian regime, much like Nazism or Stalinisn) of violent conversion. Either you convert to our ways, or we kill you. This has nothing to do with political influence or occupation.
Everyone is not the same, and everything is not beautiful. Sure, 99% of Muslims are not terrorists, but 99% of terrorists ARE Muslims. They have been killing "infidels" for centuries, but only since the 60's has the news been pumped into our living rooms do we see this trend. So, even if you want to go back to when we first noticed it in this country, it has still been going on for decades - which shows that is has nothing to do with our occupation or who we align ourselves with.
They are promised these glorious upheavals of their people, but decade after decade they see the "infidels" in the first world living a grander and easier life while they continue to struggle in a third-world state. This grows continual animosity about their own religion and the promises unfulfilled.
France now has the highest Muslim population for a European country and sees increasing crime rates. Approx 70% of crime in The Netherlands is recorded as being from the exponentially growing Muslim population. But we're so liberal and trying not to offend anyone by continually saying everything is the same - the Amish are just the same as the Muslims, everyone is beautiful - while we slowly are overtaken and killed by people who aren't afraid to kill and die in an attempt to destroy what they think is evil and try to bring about Armageddon.