Rebane's Ruminations
August 2011
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                        Ignorance is the handmaiden of tyranny.  R. Clay Reynolds

George Rebane

As these pages long attest, for me the answer to the title question is a resounding YES.  And our western governments aid and abet that as being the reasonable response.  The progressive tsunami of proscribing anyone who evinces fear of Islam ranges from Mayor Bloomberg banning any and all inclusion of religion in the upcoming commemoration of 9/11 at Ground Zero, to Canadian police giving Muslims a pass on physically assaulting non-Muslims in public.  (Read this piece in the 2aug11 Toronto Sun by David Menzies)

Hijab A more compelling and terrible look into the mind of Islam is the tragic story of a young Palestinian woman who lived in Gaza.  She was severely burned in a propane cooking accident about a year ago.  Requiring more treatment than available in Gaza, she and her care givers pleaded with Israeli officials at the border checkpoint to be allowed to seek help at a nearby Israeli hospital.  She was given a compassionate pass, proceeded to the hospital where she received treatment for her burns, and after recuperating she was released to return home.

A year later, she arrives with three small children at the same checkpoint in hijab (nearby picture), looking obviously pregnant, and requesting to revisit the hospital to be checked for how her healing has progressed.  The Israeli border guards sensed that something didn’t add up, and took her into custody.  She was placed into a now standard interrogation/isolation compound nearby and asked to disrobe.  Thereupon and in great distress, she confessed that she was a suicide bomber with a mission to go into the same crowded ward where she received her treatment, and then, surrounded by medical personnel and patients, she would detonate herself.

The Israeli video here shows the last moments of her interrogation and her detonating the twenty pounds of high explosive she had strapped to her belly.  It is a devastating record of a dedicated and determined servant of Allah willing to kill without mercy the very people who showed her kindness and compassion, and all for the sole purpose that they were the most proximal infidels that in her zeal she could reach.  That consideration overarched everything else in her life.


As recorded here many times, I have the most genuine respect for Islam’s stated and demonstrated objective to become the one-world theocracy commissioned in the Quran.  Their willingness to die and wantonly kill by the thousands in an ongoing daily round is beyond my comprehension.  And since they purpose themselves to destroy everything that I hold dear, and have demonstrated palpable success in that enterprise, I fear them.

My fear is amplified by those simple souls among whom I live, those who do not share any of my Islamophobic concerns, and instead, view me and those like me as unreasonable and unreasoning ‘racists’.  These same people issue a constant stream of pabulum about how such terrorists make up an insignificant fraction of Islam, a culture which seeks nothing but to live in peace with its non-Islamic neighbors.  Anyone who does not believe this message of sweetness and light is asked to go to the nearest Islamic center (an ever more easier task today than yesterday, and even easier tomorrow), and just sit down for a conversation with our Muslim neighbors.

I don’t know how to approach such a visit to the nearest Islamic center.  If I believe them to be devout in their religion, I know that they are taught the practice of taqqiya (religious dissimulation).  I have witnessed their worldwide silence and their overseas mass celebrations in response to the atrocities performed by their brothers and sisters.  What are we to believe when exposed to a regular stream of blatantly acceptable wholesale murders by Muslims who moments ago were our accepted countrymen in Europe and America?

Our own government dares not make the obvious connection.  The lame excuses given for the avalanche of evidence range all the way from attempting to argue symmetry with examples like McVey and Breivik, to pointing out that the majority of Muslims among us will reject the call when it comes, and throw in with western values when choose they must between these civilizations.

But then we recall that one of the most cultured of peoples, those who gave us Goethe, Schiller, Beethoven, Einstein, … , were silent and compliant when a minority band of brown shirts took over the Reichstag, and started their murderous genocides leading to the greatest of all wars.  And these same people remained silent and compliant right into the eve of the Götterdämmerung in 1945; I saw it with my own eyes, I was there.

And we in the west are to believe that Muslims lack such cultural loyalty and adhesion, qualities that they daily demonstrate across the world?  Dear reader, I don’t claim to have a solution, but only the considered viewpoint that if we do continue hiding the truth from ourselves, as also witnessed by the examples I give above, we will not save western civilization as we know it.  As a child, student, and defender of that civilization, I worry for my children, grandchildren, and, already, great-grandchildren.

[update]  Two Black Americans were elected to congress this cycle, and both are Republican. Col. West is from southern Florida. He won in a walk.  Below you can see why.  H/T to RR reader.

[1sep2011]  These kinds of interviews and news items flood the Islam streets daily.  They are invisible to our multikulti progressives who bend over backwards in the attempt to show that orther cultures – especially Christianity – are just as rapacious.  Here is a typical one from the Middle East Media Research Institute that never makes our lamestream outlets.  H/T to RR reader.

Posted in , , , ,

164 responses to “Islamophobia – a rational response? (updated 1sep2011)”

  1. RL Crabb Avatar

    Another complicating factor in Islam’s attempt to restore the Caliphate is, who’s going to lead it? The Sunni and Shiites hate each other as much as they hate Westerners and Jews. It could take another century before they can offer any kind of united front. A lot could happen in that time,

    Like

  2. Ben Emery Avatar

    Mickey,
    I agree my head is best attached to my neck and shoulders. Stand with me and call out Saudi Arabia and their violation of human rights by ending our cozy business relationship. The same goes for China. Both of these business partners with US interests are at the top of human rights violation list.
    http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/china
    Amnesty International has documented widespread human rights violations in China. An estimated 500,000 people are currently enduring punitive detention without charge or trial, and millions are unable to access the legal system to seek redress for their grievances.

    Like

  3. Ben Emery Avatar

    Doug,
    Sorry I usually link the place where I get the copied information. It is at many places on the internet but here is one http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1275604/posts

    Like

  4. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Here’s a group actively targeting the USA for religious cleansing:
    http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=US

    Like

  5. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE, even though the Constitution is silent on “deportation by religion”, were I a Supreme, I would vote NO – that deporting someone ONLY on the basis of the religion they espouse is against the founding principles of America.
    But every sovereign nation-state has an obligation to resist that status being removed forcibly, and even more so, to maintain what its citizens consider as a desirable social environment. In the past (e.g. during WW1 and WW2) the US has exercised these prerogatives by displacing, deporting, and even incarcerating those it considered to be a danger to its continued existence.
    So now we come to the question you predictably left begging – what if the person’s publicly espoused belief system requires them to support the destruction of America (along with its non-compliant citizens), and for them to fulfill this commission in a sub-rosa manner?
    (Since you didn’t ask specifically about Islam, any reasonable answer to this question should not presume that such a belief system is necessarily Islam; in short, keep it generic, and then see if and under what conditions might Islam or Lutheranism conform.)

    Like

  6. George Rebane Avatar

    DougK re your 1231am – the Joshua Project link you provide does not give a hint of their “targeting” any country “for religious cleansing”. Is this another demonstration of one of those ‘I know what they’re really thinking.’ powers which progressives profess and the rest of us are denied?

    Like

  7. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    A couple of thing for BenE and PaulE, the Blues Brothers I guess. Lists such as you placed here a easy to identify where the came from and the bent of the lister. In that case a liberal. PaulE asked me if I ever served and I told him no and of course, now he uses it to somehow declare me, as I guess he is declaring William Jefferson Clinton, unqualified to discuss anything about the military. Now I find that very funny. Paul said he served in the reserves during the Vietnam War yet never apparently placed himself in harms way or went overseas. Should we argue his right to discuss war or combatt? BenE, did you serve? If not, then Paul seems to be telling you to shut up as well.
    Wasn’t Neville Chamberlain a liberal? Yep. So I could give you all a list but that is too tiresome and meaningless.
    Regarding should someone be deported for their religion. No, I could not support that because it would not be right.
    Paul, if someone wanted to come here and become a citizen and was preaching a religion of hate and the desire to overthrow our country, would you let him in?

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  8. George Rebane Avatar

    Gentlemen – please review the topic of my piece on Islamophobia. I have no intention of letting this comment stream become another dick measuring exercise, this time on service in the military.

    Like

  9. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    George
    The whole conversation about military service came about after Todd’s silly remark about liberals not serving in the military. It then was a fair question to ask whether as a conservative Todd had served. A script writer couldn’t make things up that are that contradictory.
    Letting that go, There are as many interpretations of the Koran as there are of the Bible. What qualifications do any of us have generalize and foster action plans based on such limited scholarship and understanding of such a complex topic? An outsider looking at Christianity could easily look with horror on the practice of communion as cannibal worship by symbolically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus. There are radical Zionists for example that believe that the Jews should occupy and control and the entire Arabian Peninsula and that they are directed by God to do so. Radical Islam will use that minority of the people of Israel as an excuse for radical action in their self defense. The radical Zionists have Old Testament scripture to justify their beliefs and actions. It’s all the same thing.
    Most people of any faith strive to live in peace and harmony and want just to raise their children and live their lives in a peaceful world.

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  10. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    It is clear that a liberal cannot answer a question honestly from a conservative so any input from a liberal, on religion, especially a libertarian green liberal is simply ridiculous. But hope springs eternal and I will again ask Paul to answer this question and not in some snarky way.
    Paul, if someone wanted to come here and become a citizen and was preaching a religion of hate and the desire to overthrow our country, would you let him in?

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  11. Dixon Cruickshank Avatar
    Dixon Cruickshank

    Mr Wirth is pretty close – I don’t to be a victum
    I’m still not sure that all these posers and posters understand that if they leave their little nest there in Nevada Cty and travel – they want to kill you at the first opportunity – Paul – Ben- Doug all of you and us too
    why invite them to dinner?

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  12. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    They have no answer. Just hyperbole.

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  13. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Todd
    You missed the point as to what I was saying. Most people of Islamic faith are peaceful in their intentions, lifestyle and interpretation of the Koran. Do we need a special grilling for all Islamic visitors or immigrants to ferret out the violent ones? If someone is truly preaching a religion of hate and the desire to overthrow our country we have the right to defend ourselves and not allow those persons in.
    Todd, George and others how do you propose we make that determination or is anyone who is Muslim automatically rejected.
    Dixon
    I have friends that lived in Islamic (Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Indonesia, Sudan) countries and they never felt their life threatened.

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  14. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE re 250pm – not that we can’t interpret the (translated) Quran, we simply don’t have to. All we must do is review the historical record, believe what they are saying now, observe their behavior in lands being settled, and update the body count (being careful not to double count the pieces). With all due respect, your counter arguments are of the exact nature that increases my fear factor, because it reminds me of the hordes of ideological brethren you have out there.
    And in the final analysis, I am of an age, education, experience, and still possess enough mental acuity that I can pretty well determine on a reasonable basis what I should or not fear. Your more profitable tack with those sharing my views would be to address the conundrum directly. For example, ‘Suck it up bubchik, Islam is not all that bad after we get used to it.’ would be a much more useful response, giving at once a prescription and state of the prescriber. Lecturing me on my knowledge of Islam and understanding of world events is not productive.

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  15. Ben Emery Avatar

    DC,
    I have invited Muslims to dinner as well as Christians, Buddhist, Hindus, Atheists, and Agnostics. Is religion a topic at the table, no because we respect everybody’s right to have their own faith in our house. I have never felt my life was in danger having this array of people in my home. I don’t know where you grew up but I grew up in a very diverse part of the state and have had friends of many faiths, skin color, nationalities, and income status from around the world. Just last year I went to a Buddhist wedding in Asia and spent a month traveling around the country, as far as I know there wasn’t any attempts on my life.

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  16. Mikey McD Avatar

    Ben, I have been anti-war pro personal liberty since before it was cool.

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  17. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    George
    Are you willing to look Christianity with the same lens that you do Islam as far as it’s historical record of conquest and domination?

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  18. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    I dare say I don’t know another religion of “peace” that teaches its little kids that Jews are pigs and Americans should be beheaded. Is there one Ben or Paul can show direct us to? What is amazing to me is the lack of critical thinking abot the historical record by the two Emerys. We actually can see it alive and well today. That 6th Century lifestyle was quite a doozy I guess. Also, I seem to recall that immigrants moving through Ellis Island had to be screened and many were sent back to their home country after a review of the entry criteria. George is my recollection on that close?

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  19. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Todd
    I challenge you to visit the Salam Islamic Center in Sacramento to enhance your knowledge of the religion of Islam.
    http://salamcenter.org/

    Like

  20. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Why is that important to you? Are you a Muslim?

    Like

  21. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    No. It should be important to you. I am trusting that you desire to be a man of knowledge and integrity and it might give you some new experiences that could temper your judgements.

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  22. stevenfrisch Avatar
    stevenfrisch

    Oh, and by the way TODD, Neville Chamberlain was a member of the British CONSERVATIVE PARTY, just like Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Jeez, read a little history dude!

    Like

  23. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE – “Are you willing to look Christianity with the same lens …” Absolutely. But let’s not waste each other’s time with the argument that since Christianity did something in the past, now it’s time for Islam to do the same – or even worse, it’s payback time. That doesn’t cut it.

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  24. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    I tossed that to the floor to see who would pick it up Steve. Thanks.

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  25. stevenfrisch Avatar
    stevenfrisch

    Sure Todd. You know real men know how to say, “I was mistaken”.

    Like

  26. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    You are mistaken? Wow! You should not take yourself so seriously.

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  27. Ben Emery Avatar

    Todd,
    Every religion teaches compassion, love, and treating all living things/ others the way you want to be treated. It is known as Ethic of Reciprocity or The Golden Rule.
    “Every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others, sharing other people’s suffering. On these lines every religion has more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal.” The Dalai Lama
    The Ethic of Reciprocity is older than we can know. In an early written expression, an Egyptian papyrus from the Late Period (c. 1080-332 BCE) records, “that which you hate to be done to you, do not do to another.” (10)
    The Golden Rule was often expressed in ancient Greek philosophy. Sextus the Pythagorean said, “What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them.” (11)
    Among the “People of the Book,” the descendants of Abraham, Judaism’s version is, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah; all the rest is commentary.” (12)
    In Islam’s teachings the Prophet Muhammad stated, “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.” (13)
    Zoroastrianism, which the Hebrews encountered during the Babylonian exile, instructs “Do not do unto others whatever is injurious to yourself.” (14)
    Among the Eastern faith traditions, Hinduism teaches: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.” (15)
    Sikhism, which grew out of Hinduism, teaches, “I am a stranger to no one; and no one is a stranger to me. Indeed I am a friend to all.” (16)
    Buddhism, originally a practice rather than a religion, teaches, “Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” (17)
    Confucianism, a Chinese ethical tradition, says, “One word which sums up the basis of all good conduct: … loving kindness. Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.” (18)
    Taoism, also originating in China, teaches, “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.” (19)
    While it is implied in most faith traditions, some specifically state that this principle is extended to all creation, not just to human beings.
    Unitarianism, which branched out of Christianity, stresses this universality by teaching, “We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” (20)
    And Native American spirituality teaches, “We are as much alive as we keep the earth alive.” (21) “Respect for all life is the foundation”—this is the Great Law of Peace.
    http://www.chaplaincyinstitute.org/rev-nancy-schluntz/common-threads-world-religions-the-ethic-reciprocity

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  28. Ben Emery Avatar

    Mickey,
    Right On.
    We are finding out that we have more in common than one would think.

    Like

  29. Brad Croul Avatar
    Brad Croul

    GeorgeR,
    This Islamophobia you comment on sounds a lot like a variant of “The Red Scare” of more than 50 years ago.
    How do you identify an Islamist anyway? Do they all have olive complexions and dark
    curly hair? Is everyone with an olive complexion and dark curly hair a suspect? How will you know whom you can trust?
    If you are ever physically attacked it will probably be for economic, rather than religious or xenophobic, reasons in a neighborhood near you.
    Israelis and Palestinians have, essentially, been at war with each other for decades. The terrorist, suicide bomber example you provide does not accurately describe a billion non-violent Muslims, likewise, math geniuses don’t all behave like Ted Kaczynski.

    Like

  30. Larry Wirth Avatar
    Larry Wirth

    Interesting conversation, gents. I find nothing in the Constitution that would prevent our excluding anybody from admittance for any reason whatever, or no reason for that matter.
    The deportation question is a bit more difficult. George touched on it at 12:49.
    What’s missing here is a recognition that Islam is not just a “religion.” It is a comprehensive set of rules enjoined on its adherents to wage unremitting warfare on all non-believers. Can we deport ideologues for their beliefs? Absolutely.
    Once again, instead of telling me I don’t have the insight to analyze Islam, I suggest to all that haven’t that they bone up on the subject. Read your damn Korans. And get some other background on the subject. This is not simply a “religion,” it is a set of commands on the obligations of the “faithful.”
    The historical fact is that Islam has been at agressive war against both indifels and pagans since its founding. And, no, they’re not the same things under Muslim belief.

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  31. George Rebane Avatar

    BradC re 701pm – the Red Scare of 50 years ago was spot on (only the socialists of today refuse to wipe off the long-crusted egg on their faces), and so is the commission of Islam. BenE’s 649pm is an excellent example of the pabulum that progressives put out in these discussions. Do a body count on the other religions.
    We note that no one from the left wants to touch on taqqiya or the body count or the well-known Quran’s principle of abrogation (q.v.) which essentially overrides over 71 or the Mecca suras with those penned in Medina after the Prophet’s victory there from which Islam launched its world conquest program.
    Congressman West summarizes it for us over the centuries (see video). We will not jawbone ourselves out the danger that a dynamic, resurgent, and purposeful Islam presents to the west. To me the Messrs Emery in perfect harmony sound like Neville Chamberlain getting off the airplane with his piece of paper in 1938.

    Like

  32. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    George
    In the name of Christianity the Irish have been slaughtering each other in the streets for the last 40 years and that was between the Protestants and the Catholics both of which claimed to have God on their side as both sides bombed men woman and children without discretion. It took generations for things to change but it finally has because of the fatigue of war.
    I know quite about this. I was in Ireland for eight months in 1980 and returned in 82 and 92. This war, and it was a war fueled by religious and historic division, continued because of the profits of war that were generated by both sides.
    I bring this up to point out that religion does drive hatred and slaughter even in Christian cultures.
    Also, the ethnic cleansing of Bosnia was largely payback for centuries of occupation by the Ottoman Empire. In this case it was the Muslims and the Orthodox Christians playing out the the latest chapter of a centuries old war for occupation. The events in 1995 included the killing of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims as well as the mass expulsion of another 25,000–30,000 Bosnian Muslims. That was pretty much a religious war between Christians vs Moslem’s. I know of nothing in modern times to match that one except tribal wars in Africa which could have fueled religious fervor to up the octane of slaughter presided over by regional thugs. I don’t know the role religion played in Africa but in some cases it could be Muslim vs Muslim.
    Actually in comparison to these examples radical Islam’s jihad against Christians is pretty insignificant if you eliminate wars of liberation in Iraq and Afghanistan where we are the invading and occupying armies.
    I bring these things up to illustrate my view that the radical Islamic factions are by no means the only modern examples of religion fueling by slaughter and conquest.

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  33. George Rebane Avatar

    PaulE – and what is your point regarding the main theme of my piece which is fear of an existential intent to dominate the world starting with western civilization? People have forever killed each other in the name of their god(s), please don’t divert us with these recounts. What world domination plans did the Irish or the Serbs implement with their religious slaughters. Islam’s assault has changed the very nature of how we now live (which only the fervent left denies) and continues daily to violate our liberties. Please do grasp the scope of this discussion.

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  34. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    George
    Wars are all local when it’s your neighborhood being bombed by foreign invaders. How do you describe our need to have military bases in over 100 countries, our engagement in coups and assassinations and our funding and support of dictators and despots favorable to our needs other than an attempt of world domination and empire.
    Our intervention in the affairs of sovereign nations for our own gain makes so called Islamic Jihad seem pathetic. I suggest you and other so called whatevertarians read carefully Ron Paul’s Why We Fight for a much more articulate voicing of my position.
    http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul274.html
    From “Why We Fight”
    “Using force injudiciously, instead of spreading the worthy message of American freedom through peaceful means, antagonizes our enemies, alienates our allies, and threatens personal liberties here at home while burdening our economy.”

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  35. Ben Emery Avatar

    George,
    I had a big response but I am just going to cut to the chase and be done with it.
    Here is what I am seeing from Rumination Regulars (RR) and yourself, it is a pretty basic analogy.
    RR have a behavior/ personality trait that allows them to see the majority of the world as bad and a small few as good. To put it towards this conversation a majority of muslims are bad and want to kill westerners.
    Where as I see the world as a majority of good and a small few as bad.
    One is oligarchy/plutocracy (small few have the power) and the other is democracy (rule of the people or people power)
    This pattern keeps on repeating itself.

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  36. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Paul, the Irish were fighting because 1/2 wanted to stay with Britain and the other half with Ireland. It was also split along religious lines.
    BenE responds as he always does when he can’t debate any longer. He gives us his last gasp and carries off his football. What a hoot. I would say he is more predictable in his ignorance than we on the right are since he fights tooth and nails to convince others he is all peace and love. Sorry BenE, you can’t pigeon hole RR commenters who are not like you, we are much different and more in the real world.

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  37. Ben Emery Avatar

    Todd,
    There is nothing more to say than what I just said. You believe in a small few running things and I believe in the people running things.
    Your ignorance towards others shines brightly. I find if very tragic and sad that people who were handed so much seem so afraid of those who aren’t as fortunate.
    For you from an interview with the late great Utah Phillips
    “You came into the world armed to the teeth. With an arsenal of weapons, weapons of privilege, economic privilege, sexual privilege, racial privilege.”
    “You want to be a pacifist, you’re not just going to have to give up guns, knives, clubs, hard, angry words, you are going to have lay down the weapons of privilege and go into the world completely disarmed.”
    http://www.progressive.org/mag/interview/utahphillips

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  38. Steve Frisch Avatar
    Steve Frisch

    Must be great to still be living in the 13th century, under whatever ‘God’ one prefers.

    Like

  39. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Todd
    Actually the modern Irish situation started in the late 60’s as a civil rights movement by the minority Catholics in the North who were segregated and forced into urban ghettos and denied basic opportunity much likes the blacks in our country. The Civil Rights movement became uncivil after the infamous Bloody Sunday slaughter by the British Army that radicalized the at that time non violent Civil Rights movement into a neo Marxist revolution using guerrilla war tactics against the much larger British-Protestant majority. The whole division was fueled by religious definitions that go back to the time of William the Orange in the late 1600’s that stood for the Protestants as a definative victory over the Catholics. While I was there I saw parades of Orangemen in bizarre orange garb celebrating the defeat of the catholics in 1680 something carrying old flags and weird swords and bizarre golden hats.
    Religious division was at the heart of the fervor that was fueled by massive Irish fund raising in this country to support the so called freedom of Ireland. The Catholics would parade to County Mayo in the Republic every summer to hike up Achill Mountain emulating the suffrage path of St Patrick around 800 AD. The path up the mountain would become stained with blood since the proper way to suffer was to climb the mountain barefoot, as did St Patrick. Both sides were completely nuts with religion much like the Islamic extremists we are talking about.
    They’d finish their silly parades and mountain suffrage and go back to blowing each other up while the war profiteers racked in the dough and gave them all the guns and bombs they needed.
    My take is that Islamic extremists are of the same fervor. They are fueled by the hatred of the West for invading their homeland and, ignited by religious fervor, launch themselves as human bombs in the name of Allah. Islamic people that you would see at the Center in Sacramento do not share the same fervor and are nice people raising their families and trying to get by. That’s information you need to experience to have an informed opinion

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  40. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    BenE says I believe in a small few running things which shows me his complete and utter ignorance of my positions and that of conservatives in general. How could BenE be so ignorant? Easy, because a liberals life is one of envy and guilt. When a person does not make it here in the USA they look for others to blame for their failure. BenE is a perfect example of why we have become a welfare state with entitlement mentality. He knows nothing but defeat and fruitless attempts to achieve his ultimate goal, dependence on him and his progressive policies. No BenE, I am exactly opposite from what you have stated you think I am which tells me you have no clue about the real world. You are the result of privilege, not I.

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  41. Brad Croul Avatar
    Brad Croul

    GeorgeR, re 8:20pm, a phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by a fear disproportionate to the actual threat. If Muslims, by definition, have indeed declared “open season” on infidels, we should see much more blood in the street than we actually are witnessing. These terrorist acts would also not be politically or nationally motivated. If your phobia was reality based, Muslims would be exterminating non-Muslims like the Clark Pest Control man fumigates for pests.
    I don’t think Muslims terrorists are operating with “existential intent” in that they are not acting solely as individuals to give their life meaning by blowing people up and causing damage. Yes, relatively few Muslims are making a personal decision to strap a bomb on, but they are getting their talking points from aberrant “politician/ preachers” who use brainwashing and peer pressure to get their subjects to do their bidding and create havoc for political gain. Brainwashing, controlling, manipulative preachers are everywhere, in every religion. Warren Jeffs is an example of a high profile preacher/scum closer to home and not a Muslim. But for every scum preacher, there are millions of good, well intentioned preachers. That is why you have little to fear. You can feel safe from attack from the foreign-looking pregnant woman, or the gentlemen behind the counter at the gas station convenience store or motel.

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  42. RL Crabb Avatar

    There are pieces of the truth in all of the above comments, which is why finding a cut and dried solution is so elusive. Somewhere in a trunk in my garage I have my grandfather’s immigration papers. In them, there is a section where he had to state that he was not an anarchist, or member of any movement that would be contrary to the constitution of the United States. (I assume you have similar walking papers, George.) There wasn’t anything about religion, as I recall. Likewise, it is true that there were traitors in the government in the fifties, but the scope of the witch hunt went much further in an attempt to ferret out anyone who had ever flirted with communism. Many good citizens did during the thirties, only to reject it. Dalton Trumbo comes to mind, and it was only through the efforts of his friends in Hollywood that he was able to continue working as one of the greatest screenwriters of that time under an alias. Also true that minority religions (and sects of Islam) are persecuted in Arab countries.
    There are no easy answers, but I’ll agree with George that it is a conversation worth having.

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  43. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    @GeorgeR,
    The Christians are not targeting any one country, it’s the whole damn planet they’re after. They have a much better PR team than the Muslims, but the ultimate result is to be the same, World Domination, by means of yakking it up to every person on the planet, and then getting their buddy Jesus to come down and BBQ anyone who didn’t submit. Given that our current birthrate is around 5 babies/second, 7/24/365, I doubt they’ll ever reach their goal, but there are no restrictions on actions, could be violent, if denied the ability to reach the “unreached.”
    Also note the disclaimer to folks who might want to spend more energy fixing things instead of converting folks.
    “We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, in power and glory, to consummate his salvation and his judgment. This promise of his coming is a further spur to our evangelism, for we remember his words that the gospel must first be preached to all nations. We believe that the interim period between Christ’s ascension and return is to be filled with the mission of the people of God, who have no liberty to stop before the end. We also remember his warning that false Christs and false prophets will arise as precursors of the final Antichrist. We therefore reject as a proud, self-confident dream the notion that people can ever build a utopia on earth. Our Christian confidence is that God will perfect his kingdom, and we look forward with eager anticipation to that day, and to the new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell and God will reign forever. Meanwhile, we rededicate ourselves to the service of Christ and of people in joyful submission to his authority over the whole of our lives.
    (Mark 14:62; Heb. 9:28; Mark 13:10; Acts 1:8-11; Matt. 28:20; Mark 13:21-23; 1 John 2:18; 4:1-3; Luke 12:32; Rev. 21:1-5; II Pet. 3:13; Matt. 28:18)
    CONCLUSION
    Therefore, in the light of this our faith and our resolve, we enter into a solemn covenant with God and with each other, to pray, to plan and to work together for the evangelization of the whole world. We call upon others to join us. May God help us by his grace and for his glory to be faithful to this our covenant! Amen, Alleluia! ”
    In the meantime, if you don’t become a docile follower of one of the few, select, genuine honest to God, self proclaimed, voices of Christ, or whatever the flavor of the week is for “fearless leader,” you are shunned but good, and if the economy is bad, you could starve to death if you didn’t recant, and neither the leaders nor their followers would give a damn.

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  44. George Rebane Avatar

    BradC – while agreeing with the formal definition of ‘phobia’, my own intended use of it was only in the sense that Xphobia is a contraction of ‘fear of X’. And that fear does not have to carry any of the clinical baggage of unreasonableness. Apologies if that semantic was not obvious from the rest of my piece and the many of my other articles on Islam that these pages record. Had there been another word for that simple notion, I would have used it. But I thank you for your concern.
    With regard to the rest of your interpretation – which can be summarized as ‘we have nothing to fear except fear itself’ – I reject for all the reasons I have already given here and elsewhere. Islam is on the march according to their own teachings, daily actions, and contemporary declarations. This is recognized by most people in the west and most western leaders. You are simply a part of the non-Islamic world that continues to be the compliant consumer of taqqiya. And because your vote counts as much as mine, I include these essays and comment streams in RR. As Brother Crabb says, “… it is a conversation worth having.”
    (BTW, a cursory study of history shows that FDR’s palliative was pure bullshit. We then had a massive government to fear which diminished liberties while growing itself and the depression it had created, much like it is doing again. Sec Treasury Morgenthau’s 1939 words to Congress bear witness.)

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  45. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Yes indeed Douglas
    There are some pretty grizzly “prophecies” in the bible that millions of Christians believe that could be interpreted as every bit as draconian as similar segments in the Koran. What happens to everyone not chosen by the guy in the sky during the Rapture for example. For those who believe in the literal interpretation of the bible the wrath of God is a pretty bad deal for those on the wrong side. Hell described as an eternity of living in a pit of snakes and fire is a clear tactic to scare non believers. Mormon and Pentecostal evangelists who have a commitment to evangelical service are sent all over the world spreading this message.
    This is pretty mainstream stuff, that all Christians groups don’t believe in which gets me to the point of my converse is that the Religion of Islam and the Koran has the same diversity of interpretation that Christians and the Bible express. That’s why I disagree with the very premise of Georges opinion that the Islamic hoards are lining up for the final assault on all the non Muslim nations of the world as part of their hard wired Islamic mass Manchurian Candidate destined course of action. No. It’s just not true pure and simple. We should take Ron Pauls advise and come home and mind our own business.

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  46. Dixon Cruickshank Avatar
    Dixon Cruickshank

    My goodness talk about cherry picking Paul
    Dixon
    I have friends that lived in Islamic (Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Indonesia, Sudan) countries and they never felt their life threatened.
    3 of the 5 would be consider secular and none until very recently have any sharia law advocates that at least could stick their heads up. You are aware that Egypt had outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood for 30 yrs – maybe they need to gone over for a vacation now. This is the 21st century and things have changed a bit, so you continueing going back 800 to 1000 yrs to find something christians did is getting really lame and tired – just say’in

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  47. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Yeah PaulE and others, the Christians are trying to take over the world with, GASP, love and peace! Oh, the Islamic religion is too, except through violence and murder.

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  48. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Todd
    Ask the Muslims in Bosnia about love and peace Christians.

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  49. Ben Emery Avatar

    Todd,
    You have to look no further than the continent you live on to see example after example that contradicts your position. Look up the genealogy of many indigenous nations of what we call today the USA and you will find the word extinct next to their names.

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  50. Paul Emery Avatar
    Paul Emery

    Dixon
    You can thank George Bush and the Neo Cons for bring Sharia law to Iraq. Now that’s progress.

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