|
PresIke
Posts: 27671
Alba Posts: 0
Joined: 7/26/2001
Member: #33
USA
|
Those who disagree about terrorism, etc. are likely not going to agree here, but I still can't resist a few comments.
I should say that I do not condone attacks on ANY side of the fence. Some might say dropping bombs on a country that did not directly threaten the one from which the attack originated from thousands of feet in the sky in a plane is 'cowardly."
Is pacifism a realistic solution either? Probably not, at this point, but to ignore the entire scope of a problem, and focus on one particular thing is misleading, and tends to lead to comments that border or cross the line of ignorance, fueld by emotions.
Firstly, are we certain that te majority of Iranian schools teach that America is satan? If this is true, then certainly this is not good, but if one knows the history of Iran and the Arab world of the one can understand WHY this is. (NOT MEANT TO BE AN EXCUSE FOR RADICAL ISLAMISISTS ACTIONS)
Starting with The Crusades, moving to the Reconquista of Spain (Chirstians defeating Muslim rulers), to the Inquisition which led to the eventual explusion of Jews and Muslims from Spain, to the dividing of the Ottoman Empire which created mandates (states ruled and influenced by Western nations that had NEVER existed before, i.e. Iraq and Iran, and led to western oil companies controlling these nations own resources) to the creation of the purely European-Jewish controlled state of Israel (which disregarded any input from Palestinian-Arabs who were also treated like trash by their Arab neighbors, and have used them since Israel's inception for their own political gain)
These events have molded the thinking and teachings of many in that region, not just via those events per say, but also via their consequences (the economic, social and political effects).
This DOESN'T EXCUSE the attacks in anyway by groups like Al-Queda, but they gain sympathy and followers because America and Britian are not approaching this problem in a way that will win them any friends in these areas (the Middle East). This doesn't mean that America and Britian cannot take any action against these groups, which the world would have deemed acceptable. Instead, the US and Britian treated this as a cultural and physical war against everyone who didn't agree with their own way of seeing things, which made things even worse, including invading a country that had nothing to do with 9/11, nor even had the weapons Bush or Blair claimed. So what do they do, they say well everyone who isn't with them is a pssy or a coward.
Why not encourage economic development, and focus ONLY on Al-Queda. Don't make sweeping generalizations about anyone who likes them. They can be won over. When a teacher thinks someone in the class may have done something wrong, you don't treat the entire class like criminals, all it will do is turn them against you making them less likely to help. Their have been countries that have HATED the U.S. and other nations before, but have gotten over it when prosperity started to show up. That's the key.
But to get back to the point about Iran's "teachings" that America is evil, the same can be said for certain Americans who are vehemently against teaching evolution in school. Is this everywhere in America, or certain locales? I don't think all or even most Americans support this way of thinking.
Forum Po Po and #33 for a reason...
|
people walking throught the tunnel from the blown up train (taken from someones cellphone)
)