|
well said pan...
though i think there is an alarming absence of reaction from the moderate muslim community. i don't pretend to understand the dynamics of the international worldview of the muslim faith, but i do know that when nuances of US policy are perceived to be threatening... there are riots and demonstrations publicized on TV. When a muslim radical does something completely abhorrent, there appears to be an odd and discomforting silence.
again, i'm not saying that there aren't times or segments of muslim outrage with the terrorist issues. what i am saying is that the West's perception of their quiet reflects back to many of us as acceptance. how much different would many Americans feel about the middle east if they made open gestures of sympathy and solidarity... sentiments we volunteer when a bomb goes awry or humiliating photos are taken/published.
whether this reflects what the average muslim in believes in or not... i do not know (and certainly hope not). if these anecdotal examples do not reflect the mainstream thought over there, then i suggest that they have a perception problem over here just as we do over there.
__________________
If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
~ Winston Churchill
|