Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

xepherys · 03-16-2006, 09:53 AM

I think it's unrealistic to blame oil for much of this trouble. I also find it a bit shortsighted to fault colonial influences over the past couple of centuries. While I agree that there are a majority of Muslims that are peaceful folk, I don't think I can swallow a statistic like 99.999%. Maybe 75%... perhaps even 80%. While the remaining may or may not fly planes into buildings, or blow up boats or embassies, or teach their children to strap bombs to themselves in the name of Allah (this is a bigger issue than 9/11, and even in recent modern times has gone back a good couple of decades) we must remember that the Middle East has been rife with turmoil for oh... roughly 3000 years now? The biggest thing to remember about that is that trouble in "The West" over the course of say, the same 3000 years, has had many players, Jews and Christians, Romans and Greeks, the Byzantines. And by "The West" I am referring to those not directly of mddle eastern decent. However, in the middle east it's more or less been the usualy suspects. The Arabs and the Persians, The Muslims, The Kurds and the Turkomen, this little tribe vs. that little tribe. While "The West" has gone through a great deal of reform, growth and change over even the last 1000 years, the middle east is not significantly different that it was 2000 years ago. The political, religious and cultural mindsets are, at least basically, exactly the same. "The West" is no longer about colonialism, expansionism and world conquest (no, not even the US). However, the middle east IS still about exterminating the Infidels and bring glory to Allah. While I think culture is great, and am often saddened by the lack of true culture in the United States... I do believe that culture still has room for growth and rebirth.

So then to the original point. I would say that "The West" has far, FAR greater tolerance for Islam then Islam does for "The West". Therefore, I'll point my angry little wagging American finger at the middle east and blame them. While it's certianly not 100% their fault, they've done a signifactly smaller amount trying to rectify situations and disagreements that we have. That, I firmly believe!

03-16-2006, 09:53 AM	#34 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	I think it's unrealistic to blame oil for much of this trouble. I also find it a bit shortsighted to fault colonial influences over the past couple of centuries. While I agree that there are a majority of Muslims that are peaceful folk, I don't think I can swallow a statistic like 99.999%. Maybe 75%... perhaps even 80%. While the remaining may or may not fly planes into buildings, or blow up boats or embassies, or teach their children to strap bombs to themselves in the name of Allah (this is a bigger issue than 9/11, and even in recent modern times has gone back a good couple of decades) we must remember that the Middle East has been rife with turmoil for oh... roughly 3000 years now? The biggest thing to remember about that is that trouble in "The West" over the course of say, the same 3000 years, has had many players, Jews and Christians, Romans and Greeks, the Byzantines. And by "The West" I am referring to those not directly of mddle eastern decent. However, in the middle east it's more or less been the usualy suspects. The Arabs and the Persians, The Muslims, The Kurds and the Turkomen, this little tribe vs. that little tribe. While "The West" has gone through a great deal of reform, growth and change over even the last 1000 years, the middle east is not significantly different that it was 2000 years ago. The political, religious and cultural mindsets are, at least basically, exactly the same. "The West" is no longer about colonialism, expansionism and world conquest (no, not even the US). However, the middle east IS still about exterminating the Infidels and bring glory to Allah. While I think culture is great, and am often saddened by the lack of true culture in the United States... I do believe that culture still has room for growth and rebirth. So then to the original point. I would say that "The West" has far, FAR greater tolerance for Islam then Islam does for "The West". Therefore, I'll point my angry little wagging American finger at the middle east and blame them. While it's certianly not 100% their fault, they've done a signifactly smaller amount trying to rectify situations and disagreements that we have. That, I firmly believe!