# Can we trust Democrats not to be dangerously naive about radical Islam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692 "2008-10-20T01:47:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/41 "2008-10-21T11:49:20Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > This is an outrageous libel against President Bush! Only 15 of the hijackers were actually Saudis. I expect an apology forthwith. Good day, sir. I hope that you realise that you were almost responsible for an innocent Englishman choking to death on his tea, plus I had to clean the keyboard,screen and table. You caught me totally off guard. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/42 "2008-10-21T12:31:47Z")
Yes we can! Next question. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/43 "2008-10-21T14:34:44Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > I realize the OP is racked with “Dangerous Naivety” from top to but, I gotta bring up this point as well. Ignoring for a second the fact (as other posters have pointed out) that the Indian caste system is totally unrelated to “radical Islam”, my question is this… > > What, in the opinion of the OPer, can ANY American government, of either party, POSSIBLY do to abolish a caste system in a rising, nuclear equipped, power on the other side of world. When India’s OWN GOVERNMENT has repeatedly tried and failed to abolish it [themselves](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reservation_in_India). And does the OPer FAVOR “affirmative action” when it comes to other countries, if so what possible reason does he have for thinking the Republicans would be the party to enforce it ? What I don’t understand is what exactly the social problems of other countries has anything to do with Democrats and Republicans. I think the lesson here is that (other peoples’) societies are complicated and shouldn’t become pawns in our political game. Take the Indian caste system, for example. Among educated Indians, the caste system has been eroding very fast ever since independence. There are numerous inter-caste and inter-ethnic marriages in my parents’ generation (born 1930-1960). In my generation, inter-caste and inter-ethnic marriages are so common that it’s no more than an amiable joke – like friendly banter between related Irish-American and Italian-American families. Caste problems continue to exist amongst the poor and in rural areas, but it’s really an issue of political and economic power, not some unique issue on its own that would go away only if people forgot about caste labels. And, by the way, the Indian government’s “affirmative action” program is far more extensive than the United States has ever seen. A huge percentage of university seats and government jobs is reserved for “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/44 "2008-10-21T14:44:31Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > What I don’t understand is what exactly the social problems of other countries has anything to do with Democrats and Republicans. Because we think we have the right and the ability to run the world. Regardless of the world’s opinion in the matter, or how much damage we do in the process of trying and failing. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/45 "2008-10-21T18:44:01Z")
Hmmm looking at the replies, **Astro** has not seen fit to defend his original post in any of them… ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692/46 "2008-10-22T14:10:28Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Hmmm looking at the replies, **Astro** has not seen fit to defend his original post in any of them… He must be a witch! Burn him! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-trust-democrats-not-to-be-dangerously-naive-about-radical-islam/468692.md?page=2)