Monday, September 25, 2006
Islam Is Crazy, But So Are We
My wife had little patience for me last night when I mentioned that Bin Laden was rumored to be dead. Not that she is a fan, just that I'm sure she thinks we Americans obsess too much about fighting the war on terror, a war she feels we half invited by meddling too much in the world abroad.
Still if Bin Laden did die of typhoid in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan that might the best outcome for the world rather than some Islamic-roiling event like a live capture or to die from a bullet or bombing which would enhance his image as a martyr. To die sick and isolated without having reeked follow up vengeance on America after five years would certainly take away some of the charismatic charm.
It seems unlikely but if Bin Laden were dead and Ayman al-Zawahri and Abu Hamza al-Mujaher were killed in quick succession it would certainly take the wind out the sails of Islamic extremism.
Americans are amused by how easily Muslims are offended by cartoons, books, or the Pope quoting the 14th Century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus. Al Qaeda responds to criticisms of the Koran's passages about converting by the sword with a long outraged tirade that ends proclaiming the world will convert to Islam or die by the sword. I guess they don't really disagree with the factuality of the criticism, just that while accurate it cannot be uttered in a critical way.
And yet the assumed superiority of tolerance by the West is put to lie by Americans getting similarly upset by disparaging even less important symbols, say like the U.S. Flag. Over 50% of Americans think there should be laws against burning the American flag. A certain not insignificant portion will get violent when observing such an event. There is a cry in Boston to bring down legally owned Citgo signs because they don't like Hugo Chávez's words in the UN recently. Boston politicians are looking to pass laws to make it happen, I'm sure vandals around the U.S. are already taking the matter into their own hands.
American's deplore the action of Islamic terrorists, insurgents, and others working outside the legal and political system of the countries they operate in. So I'm a little taken aback that we are planning to increase support for Iranian radicals. If Iran has no business covertly interfering in Iraq, I doubt covertly interfering in Iran will make them stop.
Terrorism is the sad symptom of failed attempts to deal with class struggles and inequities. As Americans we have become so obsessed with fighting the symptoms we have lost sight of the fact we need to fight the causes as well. Which is where I will end this post tonight, though I promise a follow up post with greater specificity as to where inequities are rising.
