The difference of course is that the Democrat kooks don't have the ear of the Democratic leadership. And they haven't been able to do commissar like enforcement of ideological purity the way the Tea Party types have with Republican candidates.
It doesn't have to make sense. All it would take are some overzealous and unethical Republican operatives to do this. There is no shortage of those in South Carolina. Remember the pro George W. Bush smear campaign against John McCain and his "black love child"? (who was really his adopted Bangladeshi daughter)
And remember Watergate? There was no real need for the GOP to try to steal info from the Democratic National Committee. Overzealous stupidity and a lack of integrity was enough.
What you say is true, but really neither here or there. You're talking about the Pashtun dominated areas of Afghanistan/Paksitan. I'm talking about the broader Muslim world (50+ countries) where there are plenty of secular school systems that could do with a boost that bypasses venal governments.
As for the Pashtun areas they need security first.
Wow 18 replies, I guess I got a lot of panties into a twist.
Let me clarify my post: the over the top reactions to the drawings are not objectively justified or rational, I'm just seeking to explain the emotional context. Explanation, not justification.
It won't kill you to understand the average Muslim perspective, and does not require you to change your own.
For the record I personally don't give a shit if the time wasters on Facebook took a 5 minute break from Farmville to engage in douchebaggery.
P.S The dude in the second video you linked to seriously needs an Extreme Makeover.
Offending people into modernity.....I'm going to put that up there with the domino theory of Communism on the list of "Failed Western theories of societal change".
Here's a hint as to what might actually work: free trade deals linked to universal education coverage, especially for girls.
You don't get it. No one on./ really does. You're looking at this from the point of "those Muslims are trying to tell us what we can say".
If you seek to understand the average Muslim perspective though, conduct the following though experiment: that you are black and some is chanting "nigger nigger nigger nigger" in your face, stopping only to pompously congratulate themselves on what champions of freedom they are. Don't get mad, you don't have to right to tell people what they can say. Well no, you don't but it certainly is offensive and contemptuous.
It's not an analogy. I'm saying this is what it *feels* like for the average Muslim. Note I say average Muslim, not extremist. Educated Muslims will typically shrug these provocations off but they don't make up the majority. This taboo runs deep into the realm of regular working everyday people in the Islamic world. For another tortured analogy consider pissing on an altar in 1920's Sicily and see how popular you are.
Americans more than any other Westerners should realize the political potency of culture wars/traditional symbols and values.
This issue has the potential to radicalize more people than Al-Qaeda ever dreamed of. They shot their wad in Iraq with their murderous overreaching and failed to convince the Muslim masses to rise up. But this can very easily breathe new life into Islamist movements that have been discrediting themselves in the eyes of regular folks.
I'm not asking you to care, I'm asking you to understand.
No one is saying Western efforts were easy. But they simply do not match the scale of the Russian war machine. And while American material contributions were desperately needed and gratefully received, I recently read(*) that they amounted to no more than 7% of Russian industrial output.
(*) The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts
The fact that you can run this reactor from depleted uranium should give pause to those who think it's okay for the U.S military to be using DU weapons in combat.
Harmful aftereffects of DU do exist contrary to what the Pentagon says. It poisons the land and poisons the people. It's a slow burning WMD and it's use should be declared the war crime that it is.
What if the well-armed guy won't leave *you* alone? What if after kicking you out of your land, he keeps taking pieces of what you have left, restricts your movements, chops down your orchards etc?
Slashdot Mirror
The difference of course is that the Democrat kooks don't have the ear of the Democratic leadership. And they haven't been able to do commissar like enforcement of ideological purity the way the Tea Party types have with Republican candidates.
You mean spare me the talking points from the side of the argument I'm not on.
It doesn't have to make sense. All it would take are some overzealous and unethical Republican operatives to do this. There is no shortage of those in South Carolina. Remember the pro George W. Bush smear campaign against John McCain and his "black love child"? (who was really his adopted Bangladeshi daughter)
And remember Watergate? There was no real need for the GOP to try to steal info from the Democratic National Committee. Overzealous stupidity and a lack of integrity was enough.
All in one spot hopefully. Let me get my straw.
I... drink... your... milkshake!
You're a Slashdot employee right? Can you please explain the logic of continuing to employ kdawson?
Really have you questioned all Muslims living in the West? Or are you exaggerating anecdotal evidence?
How about methane from cow farts/Taco Bell bathrooms?
What you say is true, but really neither here or there. You're talking about the Pashtun dominated areas of Afghanistan/Paksitan. I'm talking about the broader Muslim world (50+ countries) where there are plenty of secular school systems that could do with a boost that bypasses venal governments.
As for the Pashtun areas they need security first.
What was your point again?
Wow 18 replies, I guess I got a lot of panties into a twist.
Let me clarify my post: the over the top reactions to the drawings are not objectively justified or rational, I'm just seeking to explain the emotional context.
Explanation, not justification.
It won't kill you to understand the average Muslim perspective, and does not require you to change your own.
For the record I personally don't give a shit if the time wasters on Facebook took a 5 minute break from Farmville to engage in douchebaggery.
P.S The dude in the second video you linked to seriously needs an Extreme Makeover.
Offending people into modernity.....I'm going to put that up there with the domino theory of Communism on the list of "Failed Western theories of societal change".
Here's a hint as to what might actually work: free trade deals linked to universal education coverage, especially for girls.
Now you've gone too far. There's never any good justification for using all caps.
You don't get it. No one on ./ really does. You're looking at this from the point of "those Muslims are trying to tell us what we can say".
If you seek to understand the average Muslim perspective though, conduct the following though experiment: that you are black and some is chanting "nigger nigger nigger nigger" in your face, stopping only to pompously congratulate themselves on what champions of freedom they are. Don't get mad, you don't have to right to tell people what they can say. Well no, you don't but it certainly is offensive and contemptuous.
It's not an analogy. I'm saying this is what it *feels* like for the average Muslim. Note I say average Muslim, not extremist.
Educated Muslims will typically shrug these provocations off but they don't make up the majority. This taboo runs deep into the realm of regular working everyday people in the Islamic world. For another tortured analogy consider pissing on an altar in 1920's Sicily and see how popular you are.
Americans more than any other Westerners should realize the political potency of culture wars/traditional symbols and values.
This issue has the potential to radicalize more people than Al-Qaeda ever dreamed of. They shot their wad in Iraq with their murderous overreaching and failed to convince the Muslim masses to rise up. But this can very easily breathe new life into Islamist movements that have been discrediting themselves in the eyes of regular folks.
I'm not asking you to care, I'm asking you to understand.
No one is saying Western efforts were easy. But they simply do not match the scale of the Russian war machine. And while American material contributions were desperately needed and gratefully received, I recently read(*) that they amounted to no more than 7% of Russian industrial output.
(*) The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts
Both links in the summary lead to hysterical right wing sites. Really Taco, can't you click before you post?
TightVNC had a similar feature as well. I guess we are supposed to be impressed that this uses HTML 5.
The low cost of many products and services in the US is based on those providing them being payed really low wages.
You're discounting the contribution of productivity growth. But I don't disagree over all.
The benefits of productivity growth accrue to the owners of capital, not workers.
And how much $$$ has your swooning over the iPad made you?
No, Red Flayer, it is you who is the hero
The fact that you can run this reactor from depleted uranium should give pause to those who think it's okay for the U.S military to be using DU weapons in combat.
Harmful aftereffects of DU do exist contrary to what the Pentagon says. It poisons the land and poisons the people. It's a slow burning WMD and it's use should be declared the war crime that it is.
Here is what happened in Fallujah:
Birth defects rise reported by Fallujah doctors
Docs Blame U.S. Weapons for Fallujah Birth Defects
I'm alway amazed at the parallels between constitutional purists like yourself and the literal minded Salafist/Wahabbi movements in the Islamic world.
Both have trouble with the notion of evolving societies and contexts.
Both ignore the principles behind specific injunctions and instead excruciatingly focus on the words used to express them.
That is exactly what is holding me back. How hard would this be?
I believe there are a group of people that are boycotting their government in a similar vein right now. They are commonly referred to as the Taliban.
I believe there are a group of people are boycotting their government in a similar vein right now. They are commonly referred to as the Taliban.
What if the well-armed guy won't leave *you* alone? What if after kicking you out of your land, he keeps taking pieces of what you have left, restricts your movements, chops down your orchards etc?
Popcorn Hour still looks better