Quote:
Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Apparently you didn't notice that I wasn't involved in the argument you think you're stepping into.
I thought Wonk and Slave and Penske were arguing about whether Islam is inherent violent. Wonk pointed out that other religions are violent, too. Penske answered that Islam is more violent now. Underlying the frisson of tension between them was a fairly fundamental question about whether the current state of the Middle East owes more to the culture of Islam or other factors, like who controls the means of production, etc. Sadly, they got a little angry at each other, but it was -- is -- an interesting issue. Obviously, there are a lot of violent Islamic radicals out there. Is it Islam that makes them violent, or something else? So I pointed out that there are a lot more non-violent Moslems, and that there are non-Moslem suicide bombers. My point was so powerful that Penske and I were soon singing Kumbayah together.
I don't really equate radical Islamist suicide bombers and Duke lax players. I think you know that. Just in case, I'll make it explicit.
I find this business of condemning x and y for not speaking out against z's actions about as interesting as arguing about whether politicians are hypocritical. If you want to argue about it, go nuts. Just not with me.
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Okay -- I'll let you argue that last point without arguing back.
But, seriously -- you think that "violent Islamic radicals" are motivated by who owns the means of production? Somehow, that fails to explain, to me at least, why the scion of a staggeringly wealthy construction family, for example, would promote violent extremism. Or wealthy, supremely well financed Wahhabi clerics would preach it. Or why such violence occurs in so many different places with so many different characteristics -- from Indonesia to Pakistan to Holland to Algeria to Nigeria and throughout the Middle East.
I believe this violence traces directly back to the way in which Muslims are being taught. Not to the Koran (I'm not a big fan of Penske's rantings), because the Koran like the Bible can be read in any number of ways. But to the people who are preaching the Koran in a particular way -- generally, the Wahhabi clerics and similar types who appear to be dominating the education of young Muslims. And, of course, to the absence of a conflicting message from other Muslims -- which, unlike you, I do not see as merely a failure of "x and y not to criticize z", or however you put it, but rather a contributing, causal factor to the culture of violence.
