TIME TO DO AWAY WITH POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE TALKING POINTS ABOUT ISLAM
Dear Editor,
While prepping for a terrorism course that kicks back up in a few weeks I ran across this story and video. Although it’s over seven minutes long, watch the following clip of a mob killing an Afghan woman suspected of burning a Quran …
(Click to play)
(Via The New York Times)
The video was compiled from open sources by that kooky far-right rag, The New York Times.
How can ANY rational person who watches this video utter any of the following politically acceptable talking points:
1. “Stop overreacting … we’re talking about a tiny sliver of the Muslim faith.”
2. “Sharia doesn’t run counter to Western ideals … it can coexist with modern law and human rights constructs.”
Like many of you, I’ve spent a few years living in Arab and Muslim cultures. When you talk to folks on their own turf, you tend to get pretty honest answers. Very few of the people I chatted up over there through the years said anything like the statements above. They would say things like, “Your people don’t understand our culture,” and “We have no interest in your laws or your style of government.”
I will be retired one day soon, and then I could say the following:
1. What most would call “radical Islam” isn’t really that radical – it’s a much larger swath of the Muslim world than the Western press and feel-good mainstream will admit (that was quite a “tiny sliver” who beat that woman to death and gleefully defiled her body because she allegedly burned a Quran). You know what happens to you in the West when you get caught desecrating a religious icon … you get NEA money and a gallery exhibit in NYC, or maybe a guest spot on Saturday Night Live.
2. A significant percentage of “moderate” Muslims (if by “moderate” we mean those who do not tacitly support terror groups) support the most extreme interpretations of Sharia Law (don’t take my word for it – look up the international Gallup polling)
3. “Islam” is more than a religion to most of the social groups who follow it; it is an all-encompassing way of life and a culture. Just ask a Muslim; they will gladly explain to you (I have, many times).
4. Some cultures are simply superior to others.
5. “Islam,” as practiced by this much-larger-than-admitted-swath of the Muslim world sucks. It is a broken, medieval culture fixated on oppression and death. It a horrid experience for children (of both genders), women, homosexuals, progressives, and, of course, infidels and kafirs.
Oops. I guess I just said all of that. Oh well. Strangely enough, in regard to the murdered woman there will be no outcry from feminists; no outcry from US progressives; no Amnesty International ad campaign (at least not without very carefully couching any comments with the acceptable statements above).
I have no solution to our inability to discuss this issue rationally or the underlying cultural problem; I’m not sure one exists for either. I would guess that history will eventually drag their culture out of the 14th Century (where they seem to be stuck), but I don’t think it will be in my lifetime.
It’s hard to imagine the terror this woman experienced in the last 20 minutes or so of her life. It hurts just to watch the video (helplessness is not a feeling I like). I thought a little rant would help the cognitive dissonance of reconciling the ground truth of Islam as it practiced around the world with the friendships I enjoy with peaceful Muslims here in the US, but it didn’t, really.
Sincerely,
“Mike at the Beach”
SIC SEZ
Wow … Mike. Amazing. Appreciate you sharing this.
WANNA SOUND OFF? Submit your letter to the editor for consideration HERE …
110 comments
I’m impressed with this letter and the information it offers. Thanks Mike.
Excellent post, Mike!!!! Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I couldn’t get the video to play. I have seen more than a couple of the beheading videos and invariably, they make me queasy. I believe everyone should watch these type vids from time to time, no matter how disgusting they are. I used to hear of beheadings and pictured a swift strike with an axe or a sword. Not until I viewed the first such video was I aware that these beheadings are done in the most brutal manner, with sawing, hacking, and chopping, as the victim horribly chokes on their own blood. I find it difficult to believe one “human being” could do this to another and not become sick in the process. Watching such videos strengthens my resolve that I would never surrender to one of these ghouls and I would hope to go down fighting if such a dreadful day should ever come.
You should see the Mexican drug beheading vids, it makes me wish I could hand them a sharp knife.
Oh crap, man! I didn’t know there were any of those floating around. Is it the same thing, with the “executioner” using what looks like a rusty, dull, butcher knife?
I guess it is by design to inflict more pain, but I saw one where the bad guy was actually getting tuckered out trying to cut the guy’s head off. Having been a meatcutter for 10 years, I could do that within 30 seconds or less with the vertebra separation being the most difficult task, oh and I should add the morality of the task being difficult to deal with ;-). Just got a new custom knife for Christmas that is up to the job google the Jessmuk JX2.
That is a nice blade, Taz!!!! Hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas!
It was okay, been doing some traveling more than usual, has me feeling out of whack. Hope your Holidays are going well? That LT Wright knife maker seems like the perfect balance between off the shelf and ultra custom, like waiting 5 years on a Randall. There is another one, Dark Horse I think, that has some models where he leaves some of the rough, hammered finish on the top of the blade to show off the custom look that are hollering at my wallet.
B U L L S H I T
I’m curios 9″ – what part(s) of this piece do you think are “B U L L S H I T”?
Mike doesn’t like blacks or gays either.He’s a pedantic,presumptuous bully.if you need an answer,you wouldn’t understand.
While I don’t know “Mike from Adam”, I have to agree with most of what he wrote. I’ve spent time in the Middle East both in and out of a uniform, before and after Gulf War 1 and 9/11.
Their traditional “world view” (or culture if you will) is almost anathema to the US or western European view with one notable exception – Jordan has (had) a more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern view (though I fear it is under attack by the droves of refugees). Egypt had a similar outlook before the “recent unpleasantness”.
The terrorists in Paris sounded more like southern baptists than anything else.Religion brings out the worst in people;all religions and all people,but that’s just me.Happy New Year,Sir;)
“The terrorists in Paris sounded more like southern Baptists ” – How long do you people have to keep telling yourselves things like this before you just accept it and repeat it as axiomatic? There’s certainly no evidence in reality for such a nonsensical claim, yet you just state it upfront as a truism. Really incredible how psychological engineering can work sometimes.
Very true…it’s just our old friend from Psych 101…confirmation bias. We all fight it, but the smart ones can recognize it and ensure that we keep an open mind (as opposed to hunting down only the “facts” that support our pre-conceived notions).
Yep, that’s what I was looking for. The “facts” are never the issue, just the interpretation of those facts that we’re all already aware of.
OK, let’s run with your logic. How many towns around the world are gearing up for Southern Baptist shooting sprees? This is the point – we’re not talking about ideological outliers here; we’re talking about broad-based cultures. Apples…oranges.
How in Hell did you deduce that? You’re quite a mind reader! I actually genuinely dislike a LOT of people: Criminals, terrorists, liars, cheats, corrupt politicians, crooked cops, lazy government workers (lazy people in general, really), and hypocrites. Do you notice anything relevant to our discussion about that list? Everyone on that list *behaves* themselves onto the list. Genetics not really in play…
Anyway, back to the logic of our argument here…don’t get hung up trying to cherry pick bad actors form other religions; the world is replete with them. In most world religions, those are outliers. What we’re talking about here is a cultural / sociological thing. Different animal entirely (and not in any way racial or ethnic).
With some folks if you don’t trumpet that you love some proclivities or race, it will be assumed that you “don’t like” them. They will spout on about narrow mindedness and other such BS. I’ve never known you to be a bomb thrower, hater, or enemy of rational, logical thought
“What most would call “radical Islam” isn’t
really that radical – it’s a much larger swath of the Muslim world than
the Western press and feel-good mainstream will admit..”
I agree with that statement , one hundred per cent.
Most Muslims, even the ones that reside in this country, detest our culture and religion while living off the opportunities and safety this country provides.
African-Americans experience terrorism daily here in Amerikkka from forces assigned to protect them. There is no need to travel half way across the planet to highlight the injustices of other cultures. Present day South Carolina is replete with examples. Black leadership should take these human rights abuses before the United Nations. The U.S. is constantly filing reports such as these on non-white cultures. The lack of justice for Black folks falls on the shoulders of Black Leadership.
Yeah, I know. Daquan “Donkey Cartel” Westbrook wasn’t doing anything wrong and had always been a good boy when he was gunned down by white supremacy.
I can only wonder how many rich, white liberals were converted in that Mall the other day? As usual, the Media is participating in the cover up with WSOC providing a platform for sympathy without calling out any of the BS.
Gotta love it when Karma bites the rich liberal elites right in the crack of their ass!!!!
:-)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3UHtLTtFgiY
You want to know what the shame is? That judge has probably swung the other way and become a bigot against ALL Blacks instead of using a little logic to realize that while everyone should have their day in court, when a certain cultural demographic is grossly over represented in the statistics then the Police have to take notice when being proactive in crime fighting.
You think Trump is not a rich,liberal elite? You’re a good guy.Don’t get played.
Happy New Year!
Nice non-sequitur. There are always a few on here every day that are good for a laugh. I guess it’s just a more palatable way for you to admit that you’ve lost the argument.
Happy New Year to you too, 9″!
Trump is rich. Just how liberal he is remains to be seen. Right now he is talking a better game than most others. I hope it isn’t just talk, but I have been wrong before. If I am wrong, I will accept all the, “I told you so’s” you want tobdishbout.
What about the innocent men & women attending prayer service in Charleston, then gunned down by a terrorist, this year?
What about them? If you like your anecdotal outliers (that are widely condemned and never excused) then you can have your anecdotal outliers (that are widely condemned and never excused). I will stick with epidemic and systemic issues that get every excuse in the book and hold those who make those excuses accountable.
I know man. Damn honksters are slways ganging up on innocent Blacks and doing stuff to them.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-cbO8wuF6VQ
Excellent post.. Anyone who has done any research at all on Islam learn quickly the “radical Muslim” isn’t that far from the “moderate Muslim”. They are nice and get along till they get a majority. Then they take over and the real Islam shows. They are like a cancer, when it is little you don’t notice it , but when it grows it will kill the organism. What is so hard to figure out ? Islam is not a religion. It is an all encompassing form of govt. with religious authority . Trump is right again. Keep them out.
Zionists & Christians should be kept out for the very same reasons.
Americans are never giving up their pork and beer, screwing around or being forced to pray 5 times a day. But I see some wacked out Christian beliefs being forced upon Americans. Example – Creationism being taught in public schools.
Not a huge fan of some of the loonier Christian factions here, either. That said, Christianity has had about 600 additional years to “mellow” and become more civilized as a whole. Yes, there there are a few who are back in this plane who, with direction from the “right” preacher or leader, would resume murdering and torturing Witches if encouraged to, but they are far fewer in proportion to overall numbers thsn those in Islam who would partake in wholsale rapes and beheadings of infidels.
It is like hundreds vs millions, big difference.
Your figures are absurd: http://www.alternet.org/story/151703/1_million_dead_in_iraq_6_reasons_the_media_hide_the_true_human_toll_of_war_–_and_why_we_let_them
U.S. wholesale bombings in the Middle East have left millions without arms, legs & heads.
Nonsense. Let’s see your sourcing on that number. The US essentially stopped large scale indiscriminate bombing of civilian-heavy targets after the Korean War, and pretty much stopped it on any scale post-Vietnam. Little of either has occurred in the Middle East or SW Asia. I see your point, but when you try to make it with hyperbole it waters down your logic.
The facts are the facts: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-deaths-survey-idUSL3048857920080130
You need to do a little research beyond the intergoogle. Not only were those numbers rebuffed by most experts, they weren’t in an way limited to “wholesale bombing.” That was supposedly the total number of deaths from all causes.
Agree, but Christians aren’t beheading and stoning people.
My God, man! We appear to be on the same side of an issue! It had to happen eventually. Hope you had a great Christmas…have a good New Year’s as well! ;-)
Tis true. On may issues we disagree…even robustly. However, there really is no argument here. As I’ve stated in previous posts…the Middle East is ridden with a quality of life that is much worse than it has to be in modern times. If they choose to live like that, so be it.
The problem is why do advanced western nations have to always try and clean up their messes. We give them money, we give them arms in some cases, we give them food, we give them clothes, we take them in…and they vow to attack and kill us.
As for US citizens who are Muslims…even if they don’t say it or purport to be American first, Muslim second…I still get the general impression they have a soft spot for these butchers. Our US muslims should be marching by the hundreds of thousands every time there is an attack to demonstrate against ISIS. They should be volunteering to fight alongside the Peshmerga, the YPG, Syrian Rebels, the Iraqi Army…to take back their religion from these death cults…but they do nothing.
Sniff…snifff…I need a minute. ;-)
In seriousness, though, you are dead on. These two links support much of what you posted:
http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/12/28/emphatically-refuse-condemn-islamic-terrorism-american-muslim-tells-wapo/
Folks are spinning the Gallup numbers and the Pew research, but anyone who looks at the data at face value has a right to question the accepted storyline…
Bombing does all of that, it’s just a cowardly way of beheading. Most of these pilots would run away from a fist fight. I’ve known many. Most could not compete in their high school sport’s programs.
Christians own drones now? LOL.
USA is suppose to be a Christian nation.
No, we are “suppose” to be a nation of laws, whose founding charter is *based* upon Judeo-Christian values, but whose very framework prohibits the establishment of *any* state religion (and specifically provides for the practice of all religions). Anyone who completed a high school Civics course is supposed to know this.
Did the framework prohibit slavery? Any HS graduate would know that the Constitution is bullshit.
“…Constitution is bullshit.”
Wow, that’s stirring. I don’t do trolls, so I’m punching out after one last question- Exactly where does the slavery thing relate to the establishment of a state religion?
There are loony out lyres in every religion. But more so in Islam. BTW I think creationism should be taught as well as Darwin.
Allah bigga bang!!!
If it were up to me…we’d nuke most of the Middle East.
The result would be self destruction.
Trust me…the world would be far better off with a few million fewer Muslims walking around.
Pakistan, Iran & Saudi Arabia all have nukes and they would wipe Amerikkka off the map.
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Some may say their beliefs are not that incompatible. On November 7 and 8, Kevin Swanson, a virulently antigay preacher from Colorado, who preaches that homosexuality should be punished with death, drew more than 1,700 to his ”religious freedom” conference, including Republicans Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal and Ted Cruz.
And lets not forget this:
http://www.politicalarticles.net/blog/2009/12/evangelical-republicans-behind-kill-the-gays-law-in-uganda/
or this
http://theweek.com/speedreads/451822/oklahoma-gop-candidate-suggests-ok-stone-gay-people-death
You’re talking about religion; I was talking about culture (a much larger animal). However, even if you wanted to get down in the weeds and compare radical Christians and radical Muslims, that’s not a comparison that would end favorably to the point I think you were trying to make. The percentages (and attendant cultural support) simply aren’t there. I live in one of the redneckiest counties in one of the redneckiest states in the US, and we don’t have too many gay stonings around these parts. Honor killings, gay-bashing (of the literal variety), and radical corporal punishment area way of life in many Muslim cultures.
Like this? https://storify.com/ClinicEscort/is100enough-how-many
I think I’ll post this one more time, but I’m starting to bore even myself. We can pull outliers and bad actors on a small scale from almost ANY religion or social group. What we’re discussing here is NOT that, but wide-spectrum social and cultural support for terror tactics. Are you trying to posit a comparable nexus between the radical Christians who’ve killed a dozen or so abortion providers in the US in the history of their “movement” to the tens of thousands of victims killed by radical Islamists in the last 20 years or so? Are you trying to say that handful radical Christians in the abortion murders enjoy social and cultural support similar to that of radical Islamists? I would be interested in seeing how you make that logic work on either tack.
People who attack abortion clinics are not outliers by any metric of the definition. They’re very much coddled by people like you and many others, our media, and the churches all over this country. Try again.
They are precisely outliers, by the only definition which exists for that term. By what statistical metric are you declaring that fewer than a dozen abortion murderers as a subset of the 83% of Americans who self-identify as Christian are not outliers? In your math, is that a majority? A statistically significant percentage? They are within a standard deviation or two of the mean, are they, right up in the hump of the bell curve? I’ll help you out a little here- 11 Christian radicals divided by 263,000,000 US Christians = .0000000418 = really, really tiny number. O-U-T-L-I-E-R
There’s way more than 11 Christian radicals. Try about 55,000,000.
Really? I can’t *wait* to hear the part of your ass from which you pulled that number. People who kill (or try to kill) other human beings because of their religious beliefs are who we’re talking about here. You’re obviously hung up on Christianity, but this conversation is about cultural support for violence – period. Go debate theology somewhere else.
I pulled that number from support for extremist groups like Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Action Network. That’s way more than the eleven bs you claim.
That number is nonsense – how many radical Christians have killed an abortion provider? Ever? Eleven. That’s not a “claim,” that’s a fact. Regardless of how silly your number is, you can’t possibly be saying that you equate a level of support for an anti-abortion group with the support for Islamist extremism that we’re talking about, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. You’re missing the discussion here in regard to widespread cultural support, so I think we’ll just have to agree that we’re done.
You’re done because you hate Facts. What you spewed is nonsense. Fact and the matter is that there are millions of anti-choice Christian terrorists in training, according to a 2009 report that Christians censored because they didn’t want the truth.
More than eleven terrorists alone that attacked clinics. Some of these attackers were in pairs and groups. So, you lied about that as well.
Disagree with Christianity all you like (even when it has very little to do with what we’re talking about here), but you sound genuinely stupid calling someone a “liar” when you simply disagree. Go study statistics for a bit, and maybe you’ll eventually get that even if there had been 100 radical Christian murders or murderers, the resulting ratio would be statistically insignificant in comparison to those by Islamists. facts can be inconvenient, I know… Done with you, my trolling friend.
There are entire colonies of Christians promoting terrorism much the same way as ISIL/ISIS.
That’s not insignificant. If it was, the number would be flat zero, as in an unrounded form. It’s not.
You’re the one who made a moronic letter, and you’re incapable of defending it. That’s on you.
I’m not trolling here. I’m here giving facts. Seems like you hated the facts, so you’re now running.
You fail Stats 101, troll. Colonies…you’re priceless. You’re obviously a “last word” troll, so hit me back with your last bit of silliness and then your Mom you’re coming up for dinner. I’m done with your weirdness…
Oh, so you’ve no defense of your ignorant letter. Got it.
If we say that it was foolish of Bush to think we could change a culture to assimilate ours or that he did it knowing it was a ineffective rip off scam can we get say a Trillion $$$ rebate? I couldn’t care less if someone’s beliefs or lifestyle are different from me, but when you want to kill me because of them don’t be alarmed at reciprocation.
Thanks Mike for your insight from personal experiences, but I doubt you will convert many in the PC crowd.
Good luck in retirement and most of all have fun…remember, this blog can be a great source of comedic relief
Thanks, but I have young kids…I’ll never *really* retire. I’ll just be able to cut my hustles down to a more manageable number… ;-)
Thirty some years ago my wife (significant other then) spent a week in Chicago with our children, my son and daughter and her son, the oldest age 14. We had a great time at the Lake Shore Holiday Inn (very close quarters). Went to baseball games, museums, aquarium and much much more. Also in that closeness we had sibling rivalry, bickering and attention seeking behavior. After dropping the kids off at their respective residences my significant other said it would be a good time to talk about having a child together. I looked at her and asked “Are you out of your F—ing mind”. Her response “Good, we will never speak of it again”.
Must have done something right, they are all responsible productive adults and are doing a great job raising my grand kids.
Why do I feel like I need a translator after you post?What in the fuck did your babbling Brady Bunch story have to do with this article?
Check your local listings for Dr.Phil.
I don’t know Flip, it’s obvious you always need a translator.
Gosh Mike.Well done.I shared it with many others today.
If only IS and others would directly attack Israel and Israeli targets in a steady, ongoing campaign of terror. That might be enough to finally wake up the western press and turn the narrative wholeheartedly against Islam…all Islam.
Why would they attack their benefactor?
What do you mean?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMUlTSmNu0c
You have now officially entered Cuckooville. Enjoy your stay, and here’s one of your biggest fans, who helps make my point in regard to widespread cultural support:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1017664/saudi-led-islamic-alliance-will-defeat-daesh-says-grand-mufti/
And you are a certified Creep.
Very possibly so, but at least I’m not misinformed and spouting unprovable weirdness. Namaste.
Be careful what you ask for…that could so happen. ;-)
Since some believe cultures can be judged, how about let’s stop being PC and start judging the Christian culture by the actions of all their terrorists dating back to 1976.
See here: https://storify.com/ClinicEscort/is100enough-how-many
How many times do you plan to post this piece on the 11 murders at abortion clinics / providers’ homes and try to compare it to wholly unrelated conversation the rational folks are having?
This is very related to the convo at hand.
There is no “Christian culture” here in the point you’re trying to make, so stop. No excuses are ever made for these types of people, they are not part of a significant movement, they don’t adhere to any sort of biblical philosophy, they are condemned/shunned by 99.99999% of all churches, and (last but not least) they are infinitesimally small in number. It’s really hysterical trying to see all the statistical gymnastics you use to develop your conclusions.
There are plenty of excuses made for Christian terrorists. Your response to me is a classic example.
If the churches really did shun them, the churches would call for a total ban on protests outside clinics, because that’s where people like former Walterboro resident Robert Dear start their training to attack clinics.
There’s a Christian Culture in the US, and you’re being willfully ignorant in your denials.
Did MLK call for a total ban of all protests because of the violence of some protestors who go on to join the Black Panther party or the Weather Underground?
Did the Abolitionist stop all of their protest because of the violence of John Brown, who most Abolitionist condemned?
Do environmentalists stop their protests because of the terrorist actions of Earth First or SPCA stop because of the Animal Liberation Front?
Have any of these groups harassed and threatened others constantly over a period of nearly forty years consecutively? I don’t think so.
Non-sequiturs in your comment. Try again.
You just can’t be reasoned with. The lengths you are going to to make your point is just embarrassing. I really shouldn’t even respond further, but I will do so only this last time.
You’re still hung up on the infinitesimally small number of clinic bombers, none of which were part of any formal protest movement, nor were they part of any Christian organization. So stop with the “Christian terrorists” nonsense. Churches don’t need to call for a ban on anything that they have nothing to do with and on something that isn’t the problem. Robert Dear didn’t have any “training” for anything. He was a lonesome and career criminal, who didn’t do anything (didn’t even have access to TV or internet). He didn’t attend any church. He didn’t have any association with anything Christian except some obscure references he made to the bible. He didn’t care about his or anyone else’s life, so he certainly didn’t care about any baby’s life. It was just a convenient scapegoat to justify his mentally ill rage, which took out a pro-life pastor as his victim in the process.
Yeah, there is a Christian culture in the US. That culture is pro-freedom, pro- American, pro-virtue, pro-charity, pro-life, etc. Stop projecting the infinitesimally small number of people over the last 50 years onto that culture. I already told you to stop doing that, but you decided to double down without any substantiation. Repeating it again doesn’t do anything to make your case.
Robert Dear KNEW exactly what he was doing. He was very sane so stop blaming mental illness and find another scapegoat.
And these are not an infinitely small amount of attacks. People lost their lives because of apologists like you refuse to hold these terrorists accountable.
Terrorism is the Christian Culture. The only religious culture that advocates freedom is Paganism, that is why such cultures is a threat to Christianity and Islam alike.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, they’d get rid of EVERY LAST restriction on abortion on every square inch of US soil.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, there wouldn’t be any bans on public nudity in the US.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against Black People.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against women.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against Transgender People.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against Sex Workers.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against those who are less fortunate.
If the Christian Culture really advocated freedom, our society wouldn’t be so prejudiced against people with mental illness.
These are the truths about this Christian Culture. So, stick your nonsense where the sun doesn’t shine.
Cultures can be judged. And harshly. Who’d want these dregs as neighbors?
Read:
“Mind of the South” — Cash
“The Southern Redneck: A Phenomenological Class Study” — Roebuck & Hickson
“Cracker Culture” — McWiney
“What’s the Matter with Kansas” — Frank
What a miserable life Soft must have. His only noticeable personality trait is cynicism
Whitey done pissed him off, no doubt.
Scholarly studies are beyond you, I understand that. But you must realize that much of what you don’t understand still is accurate and works. Airplane wings, for simple instance. They lift whether you know exactly how or not. So with much else.
Point taken – I’d rank redneckery relatively low in comparison to mainstream USA, but at least they don’t blow up too many folks in a given year.
You may also like The Redneck Manifesto
by Jim Goad. Not an academic read, but really interesting take on the “white trash culture.”
I had dinner tonight with a Muslim from India. OMG – I must be freakin’ lucky to be alive. Afghanistan backdoor ally ain’t the entire Islamic world Mike. Come on – let’s be a little rational.
Ummm, what? Did I accidentally somehow infer that all Muslims were dangerous? Pretty sure I did not. I dated a Muslim girl for a bit – she me naked and *still* didn’t blow me up. Top that one…
You got me there with the chick, but sir, I re-read your letter several times, and the general inference is to say that radical Islam isn’t really any different than regular Islam (I guess maybe not the same a spicy or original recipe), and that it’s practices well beyond a small area or a small group. So you actually really did infer that a great number of Muslims were believers of radical Islam. Are there areas that Islam is peverted for radical beliefs – sure (ISIS in Syria, Afgahnistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, parts of SW China, in the former Soviet republics, Libya and parts of North Africa and Arabian area (Yemen). But look, it’s far more likely to be in areas that are less or under developed. Poor populations, with limited access to information and integration from outside areas, will be more likely to embrace the radical belief systems, particularly if they feel disenfranchised from governing their own fate, My point with dinner is that India has a huge Muslim population with limited issues. The country is rapidly developing, there is work, growing prosperity. My strategy to defeat ISIS – Nordstroms. Given the choice between shopping and Nordstroms or dying for Allah, most Muslims and their wives – will pick Nordstroms. Just like Americans do.
I hear ya, but that’s not at all what I was inferring. My last line sums that up, when i reference the peaceful Muslims here in the US. Read through the Pew polling and you’ll see that you’re right in regard to Third World / developipng nations, but the numbers in Europe, while not as bad, are very alarming in their own right…
I hope it wasn’t at your house, that stink will take weeks to go away.
“How the human species changed, within a short time, from just another species of big mammal to a world conqueror; and how we acquired the capacity to reverse all that progress overnight”, The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond.
“A significant percentage of “moderate” Muslims (if by
“moderate” we mean those who do not tacitly support terror groups)
support the most extreme interpretations of Sharia Law (don’t take my
word for it – look up the international Gallup polling)”
Could someone provide a link to said polling?
“Stop overreacting … we’re talking about a tiny sliver of the Muslim faith.”
I’d be willing to accept that might not be the case if I felt like there was some reasonable research demonstrating it.
Everything everyone seems to have to say on the matter appears anecdotal.
I agree with you that there’s no ready solution at hand, but I can’t help but wonder why Sharia & Muslims weren’t a problem for the United States government 100 years ago. (sarcasm off)
I’m looking for the “upvote” to this article.