People in the west have been force fed this fear of Islam garbage for the last 10-15 years. 99% of them are good law abiding individuals whos faith really isnt any different than the other Abrahamic religions.
I agree.
The media has to hype up the Islamic terrorists to maintain public fear and remind them why the U.S. needs a military presence in the middle east.
I'd bet thats 30% in "extremist" countries. The number of supporters in western countries is probably less than 5%. No matter what, there are crazy people in every religion and country around the world.
Nope. I subscibe to the Economist and they had those poll results maybe 4-5 months ago. To the best of my recollection, it was 30% or close to it among Muslims in England. It was higher in Mid East.
Nope. I subscibe to the Economist and they had those poll results maybe 4-5 months ago. To the best of my recollection, it was 30% or close to it among Muslims in England. It was higher in Mid East.
I could see those numbers in England. Unfortunately in Europe they dont integrate into society for any number of reasons and its easier for extremism to spread.
I could see those numbers in England. Unfortunately in Europe they dont integrate into society for any number of reasons and its easier for extremism to spread.
Are you saying that Muslims integrate into North American society better than England / Europe?
... or perhaps their numbers over there are greater so that its more noticable?
I could see those numbers in England. Unfortunately in Europe they dont integrate into society for any number of reasons and its easier for extremism to spread.
So what is your point? Everywhere else is extremist except for North America?
To be honest, when I get on a plane and see a group (3 or 4) men of obvious middle eastern decent travelling together, I get a little nervous and apprehensive... even though 9-11 happened 8 years ago.
I feel the same way when I go down to DC to visit my mom and I see a white guy go in a federal building. McVeigh may have been 14 years ago, but my knee jerk reaction to fearing white people going into federal buildings still makes me look twice when they enter. Being that I am white, I can only imagine that the same reaction is felt by other individuals when I enter federal buildings in the states.
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I feel the same way when I go down to DC to visit my mom and I see a white guy go in a federal building. McVeigh may have been 14 years ago, but my knee jerk reaction to fearing white people going into federal buildings still makes me look twice when they enter. Being that I am white, I can only imagine that the same reaction is felt by other individuals when I enter federal buildings in the states.
While these counter-arguments are clever to a point, influential public Islamic figures often boast that they will wipe western countries and cultures off the map.
While these counter-arguments are clever to a point, influential public Islamic figures often boast that they will wipe western countries and cultures off the map.
There are differences.
Really? I don't think Muslim Extremists have a monopoly on influential figures promoting a violent agenda.
Protestants have Ian Paisley, Catholics have Mike Bray and William Pierce, Jews have Yoel Lerner and Rabbi Meir Kahane, Sikhs have Simranjit Singh Mann, etc, etc.
Last edited by flamingreen; 07-29-2009 at 02:44 PM.
Really? I don't think Muslim Extremists have a monopoly on influential figures promoting a violent agenda.
Protestants have Ian Paisley, Catholics have Mike Bray and William Pierce, Jews have Yoel Lerner and Rabbi Meir Kahane, Sikhs have Simranjit Singh Mann, etc, etc.
And we have the media....who turn the Muslim Extremists into larger than life people.
Can't really say its solely the religion that is sparking it. Lots of political, social and economic reasons why these people are becoming extremists.
If they didn't have Islam, they'd probably have another ideology such as communism or something and be having violent revolutions all the time.
Poverty, power imbalances, intolerance between different ethnic groups, the after effects of European imperialism and colonialism and the subsequent withdrawls, etc are probably more the root cause of a lot of these issues. Religion factors in but its not the sole cause as some people mistakenly believe.
Violence is a worldwide occurence.
Religion may not be the root cause of conflict (although I for one believe that it certainly could be), but it definitely makes it harder to resolve them. Give a non-religious person enough of what they want and it's no longer worth it for them to fight you. A religious person is often unable to make the compromises required for conflicts to end.
IMO what needs to happen is that moderate muslims need to marginalize the extremists rather than sympathizing with them.
As long as the CIA is still in business, there will be violence.
And is you are scared to go on an airplane because of 9/11, perhaps you might want to check out a few documentaries and learn a little more about what actually went down that day...
To be honest, when I get on a plane and see a group (3 or 4) men of obvious middle eastern decent travelling together, I get a little nervous and apprehensive... even though 9-11 happened 8 years ago.
Call me stupid but every day there is a story in the news about some Islamist person or group killing people for the greater glory of Allah so that they can be free of the yoke of western domination. Does Islam just attract a larger quantity of radical violent nut cases or is it just that we only see this because of media bias in its reporting?
I think alot of it has to do with the fact that the majority of muslims are poor and uneducated and therefore easier to recruit.
As long as the CIA is still in business, there will be violence.
And is you are scared to go on an airplane because of 9/11, perhaps you might want to check out a few documentaries and learn a little more about what actually went down that day...
As long as the CIA is still in business, there will be violence.
And is you are scared to go on an airplane because of 9/11, perhaps you might want to check out a few documentaries and learn a little more about what actually went down that day...
