Another thought provoking article that will be condemned here.

[sinkingfeeling]

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/13/my-take-a-deadly-link-between-islamic-and-anti-islamic-extremists/


My Take: A deadly link between Islamic and anti-Islamic extremists

From the perspective of those who stormed the embassies, taking down the American flag in Egypt and replacing it with a black flag reading, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger,” theirs was an act of justice on behalf of the One True Faith.

The Americans had it coming, according to this view, because Americans are on the wrong side in the clash of civilizations between the Judeo-Christian West and the Muslim world. And the creation of an anti-Islamic video (ironically entitled "Innocence of Muslims&quot by a producer thought to be an American provided the catalyst (or excuse) for the protests.

Most Americans operate by a different “we.” From our perspective, the assault was an unjust and cowardly attack on (among other things) the rule of law, the institution of diplomacy and the right of free speech.

Meanwhile, the shadowy figures who produced and distributed "Innocence of Muslims" are imprisoned in some groupthink of their own, which gathers all the world’s Muslims under the category of an evil Islamic empire. Their film doesn’t just depict Mohammed as a con man, philanderer, and pedophile. It portrays his followers as dupes.

[cbayer]

4. It was discussed in the Religion Group at one point.

I thought it was a good way to distinguish between the religious right and progressive/liberal christians.

[pennylane100]

2. While Islam does have it's fair share of fanatics,

there are so many problems with all the major religions, I would certainly not take the time to defend any of them.

However, I must take issue with your statement Most Americans operate by a different “we.” From our perspective, the assault was an unjust and cowardly attack on (among other things) the rule of law, the institution of diplomacy and the right of free speech.

Yes we have free speech in this country, but not for everybody, ask the thousands of OWS that were beaten, maced and jailed trying to exercise this right. We have condoned torture and indefinite detention without trial We incarcerate more people per capita for minor drug offenses than most western countries while we let corporations to run these prisons as profit making ventures. Police brutality and corruption is rampant in many low income communities, and the Wall Street criminals remain untouched. Not to forget that thanks to the Supreme Court, we now have the finest congress money can buy. Not what I would consider an ideal description of life in a country that operates under "the rule of law".

The institution of diplomacy that you mention certainly did not help the hundred thousand innocent civilians we killed in an unprovoked and illegal war that our then President initiated. The drones that we send to hunt down our enemies often end up killing many innocent people and one of our biggest allies in the region, Saudi Arabia was home to most of the perpetrators of 9/11. Because of our special relationship with this country, we allowed a plane full of Bin Laden relatives to leave this country while all other flights were grounded. Is that how diplomacy is supposed to work.

Of course the attack on the embassy was horrendous but when we look at the big picture, we do not come out squeaky clean in terrorist acts.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I made no statements. The OP is made up of quotes directly from the article in the link.

Write the author of the article or go to the link and add your comments there. I really don't think you read the article or you seem to have missed the gist of it.

[pennylane100]

5. Sorry, I did scan it quickly, but obviously too quickly.

I did go back and read it more carefully. Still not sure that I really have the gist of it, he seems to go all over the place, but I am getting old and my brain is starting to slow down.

The latest I heard about the embassy attack was that it was in retaliation for the recent killing of a high ranking Libyan member of Al Quaeda and the demonstrations were used as a cover to allow the terrorists to enter the embassy.