Posted by freethinker (Msg) on 2009-11-24 17:03:04:

"Why they hate us."

"they" being Islamic extremists

Turkey is democratic, secular, and Islamic; Egypt is decent and even gets along with Israel. So, I know the two cultures, Islamic and The West, are compatible. I say this so you don't think I'm an Islamo-phobe. Now, to the point, Why are so many other Muslims going ballistic?

From an article in the Wall Street Journal, November 23, 2009. "Major Hasan and the Holy War", by Reuel Marc Gerecht.

I'll quote an entire paragraph from the latter half, bit by bit:

"This "globalization" has not always been appreciated on the Muslim side."

(Is this referring to imperialism? Looting and pillaging and rape and plunder? No, let's read on . .)

"Britain's imperialistic doggedness against the slave trade was deeply resented by Muslims who, like American Southerners, saw slavery, as sacred."

(Hmm. Like Pro-slavery Christians here, I bet they found scripture in their book which condoned slavery. Next sentence . .)

"Devout Muslims often go ballistic when Westerners and secular Muslims push hard for an expansion of women's rights."

( Yup, capitalism has always been seen as upending traditional sex roles. Army General Douglass Mac Arthur told the Japanese to give women suffrage, when he was in charge of post-war Japan. During WWII, a relative of mine was on the USS Susan B. Anthony when it was off Normandy. Those Americans! The paragraph concludes . . )

Militant Islam is a response to the unstoppable Westernization of Muslim society.

So, it's a matter of tradition. Tribalism, perhaps. Toss in some xenophobia. Add a pinch of Jew-hating. Wha la! An Islamic extremist.

Actually, I know it's even more complicated. One can claim Israel shouldn't have been created. One can say young Muslims in Europe sometimes have few career options and are alienated. One can say Britain divided up the Middle East the wrong way, way back when. However, Western presence and influence in the region has never been rape and plunder. We're not talking Ghengis Khan, here. (Reminds me, German socialist, Rosa Luxembourg, said Lenin's methods were "neo-Mongolian".) When the oil comes out, a lot of gold and dollars go in.

I say it's a bunch of clergy protecting their memes, and fearful of losing control over everyone's mind. In large part.