Good morning,
About an hour ago, I posted the following thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2448192&mesg_id=2448192I chose not to phrase it as a hypothetical, or qualify the comments at all. I wanted to argue from the position that my father holds,
but I didn't wnat you to know that it wasn't my personal position. I wanted both to see what the responses from the community would be and also I wanted to see if I could make a strong argument, to help me understand the position.
Here is what I personally, actually believe in short:
- The biggest source of problems is the world today is US policy, any analysis of how to make things better needs to start at home
- The second biggest problem is fundamentalism and fanaticism in ALL forums: fanatical capitalists, fanatical Christan's, fanatical Jews - basically anything other than fanatical peaceniks is a problem.
- Injustice and violence must be opposed wherever they are. The problems are not limited to Islamic extremism and they are certainly not rightfully labeled as problems with "Islam" on the whole or as a whole religion.
- There are bad people doing bad things and they use Islamic religious rhetoric while doing it, but only in the west, and western prejudices and western media is "Islam" so misunderstood and so lumped into one stereotypical categories. In other words, one of the biggest problems is the amount of total ignorance in the west in understanding eastern/mid eastern culture, context, religion, perspective, etc.
- There is a tendency to lump many different problems in to one large catch all - "Islam" and that is dangerous and wrong no matter how many different kinds of ways one tires to qualify or rationalize that.
- I don't have solutions about how to resist, transform and/or overcome violence done in the name of Islam (or violence done in the name of anything else) but that doesn't mean that I am willing to personally accept the prejudicial and ignorant view that there is a global Islamic conspiracy among fanatics to take over the world. There certainly IS extremism, and there ARE people who want to take over the world in the name of religion or otherwise, but to translate than into demonization of an entire religion or entire group of people is a colossal mistake.
My father, believes a lot of the things I argued in my other thread. I don't think he understands the nuances, and I don't think he appreciates how much our own media misshapes our perspectives on the world. I think he easily makes hasty generalizations, and every time he sees another atrocity that involves "Muslim" people he comes to believe that there is this global war by unified Islamic extremists to take over the whole world. I think my dad literally believes its us or them, meaning I believe he really feels that "they" want to eliminate us and will never stop and the only want things will end is if only one of us is left standing.
Now, you don't know my Dad -- I know that sounds freaking horrible. That's why it pains me so much, because my Dad is such a great guy. If you met him, he would be one of the nicest, least aggressive guys you've ever met. But when it comes to stuff like this, it seems like mostly ignorance and bias sets in. Too much fox news, too much life spent listening to Pat Buchanan, McLaughlin, O'reilly, and every other conservative pundit. Too long being brainwashed to think certain ways.
My dad is in a place where he actually LIVES far better than his rhetoric, and he does yet fully appreciate the DISCONNECT between what he does in practice, what he speaks to others, and what he claims he believes. He lives and acts so much better than his conservative background. I just want him to come to the place where he can open his eyes and realize that he doesn't live or believe in practice any of the dogmas he's long held.
Anyway, thanks for unwittingly participating in my opposition prep. I enjoy arguing the other side of issues. Unfortunately, so many responses were just assholish, but I didn't expect much less. Thankfully, some of you were willing to really discuss, even though you were appalled with my "position." A couple of you really had helpful things to say which I hope to share with my father sometime if there is ever an opening.
I wish more of us would be more willing to thoughtfully discuss things with people we don't agree with, because its often so valuable.
Thanks,
Sel