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Originally Posted by mixedmedia
What part of anything I said infers that I don't adapt to my environment while gauging threat risks?
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Throughout this thread I read that an irrational fear is unacceptable, I agree, but there is not agreement on how to deal with it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, irrational ignorance is also unacceptable in my view. There is a space where we can acknowledge and understand real threats without being irrational on either end. I can think of many circumstances where it would be reasonable and not be irrational to have fear of Muslims in traditional attire on a plane. Your position does not seem to allow for this.
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I've never thought about how I gauge threats in my environment, but I think it is based on equal parts of observation of an individual's behavior and instinct. But I sense you are trying to cloud the issue.
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I am trying to illustrate what is a human response.
I am trying to illustrate the importance of acknowledging fear.
I am trying to illustrate the potential consequences of the pretense of not having fear. On this last point, I grew up in a culture where you would never under any circumstance acknowledge fear. If you did, you risked being ostracized at best or even worse by others. Being an adult and looking back on it, it is clear to see how this culture of "no fear" lead to bad behavior, and poor decisions. Ironically, it usually took one courageous person to say he feared, for others to say, yes, I fear also - this lead to rational behavior. Find a 12 year-old boy who looks you in the eye and says, "I ain't afraid of anything", and you have found an irrational person prone to poor decisions and potential violence. If we could look into the eye of this nation and the response is, "I ain't afraid of anything", we have a problem. If the response is - "I am afraid of....Muslims on a plane" we have a starting point to resolve the problem.
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The basic question is and let's not forget it:
Do you suspect someone to be more of a threat to you on a plane because they are 'dressed like a Muslim'? I do not.
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Neither do I. How they are dressed has nothing to do with my fear. My fear is based on a declared war, expressed threats, and past activities. Others may have different fears. If I had a forum to express my biggest concern with the broader Muslim community, I would let them know that I am disappointed by the lack of action within their community to end or help end acts of terrorism in the name of their religion. I often do not feel we are on the same team. That is my biggest fear in this context. Do you have any fears in this context?