And yet, we don’t often see such strong condemnations of those that hold those anti-Western, anti-American views. Isn’t bigotry against a group of 280 million Americans or a billion+ Westerners based on the actions of a few just as reprehensible as bigotry against Muslims because of some terrorists? It’s even fashionable in some quarters, including Western and American ones, to be anti-American. And hardly a peep out of the likes of those who jump all over anyone who dares criticize Islam.
Well, if that don’t beat all . . . we got us a fucking Kojack here.
Heads up, genius: It’s Testy’s supporters making conflated claims of what the poor guy is going through, not him. I reckon he’s got enough on his plate without anyone else fabricating shit. Maybe we can all make our arguments without resorting to the very blatant lies, hmm?
hansel & ben: Go straight to hell. You might notice that I don’t use racist comments. You know why? It’s because I’m not a racist, closet or otherwise.
You miss my point. The constant response to these atrocities is that they are the actions of disturbed individuals, when the truth seems to be that they are the actions of an organized body of terrorists who have the support of a large segment of the Islamic population, just as the Inquisition had the support of a large segment of the Christian population. A subset of Islam, yes, tiny, no.
I didn’t imply that you were a racist, Monty, just a smug, self-righteous prick who’s unwilling to cut someone a little slack in the heat of the moment. Do you suppose that someone who lives and works in Saudi Arabia might have slightly more nuanced opinions about Arab and Muslim culture than you’ve ascribed to him on the basis of an emotional outburst?
Andros, you must have missed this while you were stroking your cleverness:
Oh, I’ve no doubt he’s got some more insight into the place, you prick. Still no reason to be a racist fuck.
That comment is disingenuous at best.
Asshat.
Racist? When dealing with religions? I never figured that I was of the Roman Catholic race, but I haven’t been keeping up with my P.C.-labels lately…
You just don’t stop being perfect, do you, Monty? On 9/11, did you walk around Manhattan upbraiding all the racist fucks there who had an unkind word for Muslims, who on 9/12 were a little more balanced? Or did you just stay at home, wallowing in your holiness?
Is it hard being you?
You’re doing a damn good job of being an obstinate piece of shit, hansel. What did I do on September 11, 2001 when people within earshot of me starting making racist comments? I stood up for decency and called them on it. You seem to think that it’s okay to have racism as a reaction. I don’t.
And, just so you can continue being a piece of shit, feel free to make an unfounded comment about me never losing someone due to violence.
Actually I do belong to humanity, the part that doesn’t drive truck bombs into people’s homes. And, as far as apologies go, I’ll wait to hear one from the “billion or so muslims” that did this.
Testy
It must be irritating when flowers sprout everywhere you walk; it’s hell on the living room carpets, I’m sure. Tell me: how does your wife sleep in the presence of the beatific light constantly emanating from your personage? Does she just throw a blanket over you, or what?
I think it’s understandable when someone has a racist reaction immediately following something like Testy just saw. And I think that there’s a better time and place for calling someone on stupid remarks than when he’s about to wash someone else’s blood off his pants.
What I’m mocking is your perfect lack of empathy and absolute absence of charity, along with your quick-draw condemnation and your gross over-reaction.
If it was at all possible, my admiration for you just went up a notch, to find out that you lost someone due to violence, and never once wavered from your chosen vocation of strident, high-handed scold.
When you and Doc Goo Fee have your self-congratulation-fest, please remember to tip a glass or two to Testy, who’s surely learned a valuable lesson from you two today.
\
So, the Islamic fundamentalist terrorists are simply more honest and ambitious than our homegrown Christian fundamentalist terrorists?
The KKK and the like still have to exist in our society and it’s system of laws. And while they don’t want to expunge our country, they still would like to expunge a certain segment of it. But in their every day lives they still may have a legitimate fear of the American Justice system. Is Islamic terrorists…, not so much. Privately, I feel confident that our homegrown nutjobs feel their religion demands the actions they have taken (mind you, I have met some of these fucks) just like Islamic nutjobs do.
Well, all of the people that work with me are alive. Some are homeless, some are wounded and all are frightened but they are alive. Most are digging through the rubble where they used to live looking for three things, tickets, passports, and money. The little girl is OK and was sleeping well this morning when I left for work. We’ll get her a tetanus shot today and the only thing she’ll have to remember this thing is a scar on her leg and some very bad memories. Evidently she was hit by a chunk of cement. Luckily, most houses have very thick walls and heavy curtains, they stopped most of the blast and deflected the worst of the flying glass.
My daughter is having what she calls a “bomb break” today, the Middle Eastern equivilent of a snow day.
And Andros you can fuck off. Nobody said anything about taking time out in the middle of things. Check the post times. asshole.
Regards.
Testy
My next-door neighbours are Muslim, what should I do?
Humanity is always very encouraging. Always. So, lashing out at all Muslims and at Islam for the bombing this morning. I understand Testy’s reaction, for all that it disturbs me. On several levels.
Firstly, this is precisely what the folks of al-Qaeda want, the blind recourse to our natural bigotries.
Secondly, I recall almost two years ago the terrible personal pain I felt due to those events and certain personal losses, easy recourse to blind hatred is satisfying. But it is easy recourse to bigotry. Of course, equally, if not actually more sickening and disturbing is the act of hatred that the bombings represent. For that, Testy’s lashing out is understandable, bigoted as it might be, highly understandable. It is the primordial instinct to protect one’s own.
For those who are not Testy and not in the situation, I have no excuses for you.
I turned on al-Arabiyah this morning to see the reports, they were not … well they were not happy obviously. Testy wants apologies from all Muslims? I would guess those Muslims living in the compounds – I am sure he knows as well as I they exist – no doubt want apologies from al-Qaeda. From the reactionaries that have killed and continue to kill their own. Not just in the compounds, but elsewhere.
As much as 11 September, I also recall back when I was in Egypt, December 2000. al-Takfiir wal-Hijra slaughtered a mosque full of peaceful, pacifist Sufi Zaouaya members at the Friday prayer. Closed the doors and machine gunned them. It was a fairly horrible thing. Plenty of examples like that.
Of course, if one knew Sri Lankan history, one could cite to equally nasty nastiness between Budhists and Hindus – the politicization of religion is not uniquely Islamic, although the particular structures of this region, the degree to which non-religious political dissent is suppressed, equally in secular and non-secular regimes, makes religion, structurally in the Middle East, the means to express political dissent. In places where this is not the case, one does not find this politicization, e.g. West Africa, in large part Asian Islam ex-sub-Continent, etc. Where other choices exist.
Reflective, then.
So this:
It was al-Qaeda and/or its allies that did this. Not a billion or so Muslims. When you come to your senses you’ll hopefully realize this. If not, go home, because my dear fellow, things are not getting any better any time soon. No they are not. If you can’t distinguish intelligently, once the emotions calm and you feel a certain equilibrium - and that will take time- between al-Qaeda and the rest of the folks, you’re going to be yet another one of those mal-adjusted Arab hating expats who I have the displeasure of dealing with, who only hurt themselves.
Otherwise, despite the rebuke, I regret to hear this and be aware of the surroundings and protect your family, these are not happy times and I do not hear happy things.
Thank you. My immediate family is OK except for a serious lack of sleep. S There was a damn enormous chopper circling around for the remainder of the night with a huge searchlight tacked on the belly of it. Made me feel like an extra in Apolalypse Now. This morning, the place looks like a fort. Police cars everywhere and school buses across the entrances.
This morning after giving it some thought I believe the Westerners hurt and killed last night were merely pawns. I doubt the bearded assholes that did this particularly care about what happens to the Americans and other Westerners. They want to destabilize the government here and this was just one more way of doing it. The Wahabi really hate the royal family. After all, the US troops were leaving this summer anyway and everyone knows that.
Regards.
Testy
Good to hear this. Also good to see you regaining a certain equilibrium it appears. It may be somewhat hard.
To be more precise, the extreme wing of the Wahhabites. Al Qaeda types in essence.
By the way, mate, I meant that last part of the prior message. Think about your equilibrium and how you and your family can deal with SA - which I will add even other Muslims fine a pain in the ass with its Wahhabite obsessions. I’ve seen how anger at overall society can turn people into something ugly, you don’t want to poison your family life.
As you say, these are not happy times and it isn’t going to get better any time soon and yeah, I’ll get over it in a few days. It is going to be odd meeting some of the Arab crowd I hang around with today. I’m generally very comfortable with them and believe the feeling is mutual but today there will be this tiny thought in the back of my head saying “I wonder if he knew or was involved with this.” Paranoia could set in with uncommon vigor. S As far as being a professional “Saudi Basher,” I’ve met them as well and that is just too contemptible.
All the best to you and watch yourself up there.
Testy