Of the conflicts and the "Muslim threat"

[calzone]

"Let's suppose that I interviewed David Duke, the Louisiana politician who rails against what he calls Jewish supremacy, and also interviewed the lunatic preacher who disrupted the funerals of American servicemen with his message of killing all the gays.

And let's suppose I presented these men's views as typical of American Christian thought.

You'd say, and rightly so, that these men are not representative of mainstream Christianity, much less mainstream America. Well, the same thing applies to Islam. There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Broadcasting or reporting the words of a few extremists does not reflect mainstream Muslim thought.

Yellow journalism is never all right, but as long as it's confined to celebrities and other nonimportant matters, it is at least not too harmful. But yellow journalism applied to national security and to foreign affairs should be considered unacceptable.

<<<SNIP>>>

Yes, there are some Muslim extremists, just as there are some Christian extremists, Hindu extremists, Jewish extremists and so forth. Extremism is a personality disorder not confined to any one religion or political system. Anyone can become infected with it.

Islam has been around for more than 1,300 years. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful people, just like you and I, and they are not plotting to storm the citadels of the West. Muslim countries are full of universities, professors, poets, novelists, scientists and engineers. It was the Muslims who preserved the wisdom of the classical world and passed it on to the Europeans, thus making the Renaissance possible.

And there have been American Muslims since at least the late 1800s. Most of them so assimilated into American society that no one noticed them. They are as patriotic as any other American.

Most of the conflict in the Middle East – at least until we stirred the caldron in Iraq – is about secular matters, not religion. Hamas and Islamic Jihad oppose Israeli occupation of Palestine. Hezbollah opposes Israeli occupation of Lebanon. Even Osama bin Laden, if you bother to read what he says, opposes us on secular matters – support for Israel, the invasion of two Muslim countries and our massive military presence in the Persian Gulf.

<<<snip>>>

You should know that the wealthy powers in this world wouldn't waste a dime on a religious conflict. It's control of the world's oil that interests them, and also the arms business. War to them is a profitable enterprise, especially since they and their children don't have to fight the wars."
...Charlie Reese, King Features Syndicate

http://www.populistamerica.com/the_muslim_peril_is_a_myth

[oberliner]

1. Charley Reese?

http://www.conservativechronicle.com/columnists/reese/

He's the Jefferson Davis/Robert E. Lee fan, isn't he?

[calzone]

4. Reese is no more a conservative than T. Roosevelt

Are u implying there's something wrong with Reese? I've been reading him for years, he's one of the most fair, even-handed, lucid, straight-shooting, scrupulously honest columnists there is, and I've read hundreds. He holds a few incongruously conservative ideals, but I can respect and admire somebody I sometimes disagree with as long as I believe they're honest and speak from conviction and a genuine desire to do what's right.
If that were not so, we wouldn't be people, we'd be mindless sheep.
On the things that are most vital and count...opposition and recognition of the worthlessness of Bush, civil rights, the constitution, social fairness, contempt for the war...he's right on the money.
Reese is my favorite columnist.

[oberliner]

5. it just seems strange to see the author of these editorials posted here

Wal-Mart Is Right
by Charley Reese

Wal-Mart is the only corporation in the world that I know of or have ever heard of that is hated because it is successful. What do these critics want Wal-Mart to do? Fail? Start selling $300 shirts like Saks Fifth Avenue?

Of course, some of the hatred is coming from unions, which have tried but, so far as I know, failed to unionize Wal-Mart's work force. That one thing tells you that it must be a much better deal to work for Wal-Mart than its critics let on. Some of the disdain comes from leftist snobs who think they should run the lives of the peasants who work and shop there.

Don't Fret About Global Warming
by Charley Reese

Global warming means it will get hotter or colder, drier or wetter, stormier or calmer. One of the people at a recent conference on global warming made just such an asinine statement. Talk about covering your bases – if we have weather, it's because of global warming.

About the only fact in this global-warming brouhaha is that the planet has warmed up about 1 degree in the past century. Keep in mind that in the past the planet has gotten much warmer and much colder during times when humans were too few to make any difference

None of Our Business
by Charley Reese

The conflict is, most of all, none of our business. It does not affect the United States one iota. If it goes on for 10 years, it will not affect the United States. If it is resolved tomorrow, it will not affect the United States. We have no strategic or national interests whatsoever in Sudan. If the people in Sudan wish to kill each other, that is their business, not ours.

[calzone]

6. You must've spent 3 hours....

...digging up that conservative 2% out of the 98% of Charlie's views. Big deal. I agree with him on the Sudan. After 40 years of blackening our reputation by negatively interfering in other countries, we have no more moral right to interfere militarily in any conflict or crisis in the world.
I also can't fault him for his stance on global warming. I disagree, but he's basing his argument on fact.
BTW on Robert E. Lee, I admire Lee, he was an honorable man and a great general. He had high character. Most people who are even vaguely familiar with American military history would agree.
I hate Walmart, and am fiercely pro-union. But like I said, someone can disagree with me and still earn my respect.

[izzie]

2. I do not like what you said but do believe most of it.

this part----It's control of the world's oil that interests them, and also the arms business----is what is a little off. One only needs to add to the oil and arms and put in things that make money and a lot of it for some people. Such a pills, gems, cheap labor, selling special planting seeds to people,control of the worlds money and all things that 'robber barons' do to rub every day people the things they need. I have never been in Marx corner but I do believe business must be checked by the people at all times with rules for what is best for the people.

[calzone]

3. Couldn't agree more though I'm not sure...

...what u meant by not liking what I/Reese? said?