Considering my last post, these two news items just seem to fit in horribly well, don't they?
"A Northwest Side man has been charged with plotting to bomb a strip of crowded Wrigleyville night spots around the time people were leaving a Dave Matthews concert at the ballpark over the weekend. Sami Samir Hassoun, 22, of the 4700 block of North Kedzie Avenue, was arrested as he placed a backpack containing what he thought were high-explosives in a trash can in front of Sluggers on Clark Street, about a block south of Wrigley Field, according to the FBI." - LINK
"Sonia Nassery Cole knew that shooting a movie on location in Afghanistan could get her killed. The most vivid reminder came a few weeks before filming, she said, when militants located her leading actress and cut off both of her feet." - LINK
CUT OFF HER FEET!
Hmm, it seems that neither one of these news stories is going to get ANYWHERE the coverage that one yahoo down in Florida got for threatening to burn Korans.
Funny, that.
Yeah, I know, the last item was not someone in America who had her feet cut off. I guess that its irrevelevant to that whole "irrational fear" thing I was speaking off, right?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Islamophobia? Really?
-
A recurring theme for the last 9 years, but one which seems particularly prevalent now, is the worrying tide of Islamophobia that is supposedly sweeping the US. As I have found, when one examines the actual meaning of words, you discover a clever manipulation has occurred in order to bolster a narrative.
The definition of Phobia as listed by Wikipedia:
"A phobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared stimulus. When the fear is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.[1]"
So, to accurately describe Islamophobia, we would get this:
""Islamophobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of Islam and/or Muslims. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid Muslims or Islam. When the fear of Islam or Muslims is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.[1]"
So, as defined, Islamophobia is an irrational, intense fear of Islam and Muslims.
Consider this List.
Even discounting some of the incidents cited as questionably more domestic violence related than Islamic terror AND allowing that some incidents listed are misreported, the totality of it still comes down to an inarguable fact.
There have been dozens of religiously inspired attacks by Muslims on Americans, ON American soil, over the last 3-4 decades, and they seem to be escalating. 3,000 Americans of all religions, colors and creeds have been targeted for murder by members of a self-identified group.
The only known incident of anti-Muslim violence was a Sikh man murdered by a couple of yahoos that were too stupid to know he was not a Muslim.
Even considering that the vast, VAST majority of Muslims in America do not approve, let alone participate in these violent acts, it brings into question whether Americans' fear of Muslims is irrational OR intense. If it does not qualify for either or both, it's not a phobia of any sort.
So, considering the record of attacks, and the body count resulting over just the last 10 years, and the motivating factor in all those attacks, there is nothing irrational about the fear. Irrational is defined as:
ir•ra•tion•al
ɪˈræʃ ə nlShow Spelled[ih-rash-uh-nl]
–adjective
1.
without the faculty of reason; deprived of reason.
2.
without or deprived of normal mental clarity or sound judgment.
3.
not in accordance with reason; utterly illogical: irrational arguments.
4.
not endowed with the faculty of reason: irrational animals.
irrational (ɪˈræʃən ə l)
— adj
1. inconsistent with reason or logic; illogical; absurd
2. incapable of reasoning
Now, one can argue about the degree of threat Islam or Muslims present; what should be done about it; how much it can be attributed to the fringe as opposed to the mainstream; etc.
However, there is nothing irrational about the fear, since there is some logical basis for it when looking at the known facts and the record. Those who are "fearful" (and we'll get to that term in a second) do not utterly lack reasons for their fear, nor can their concern be labeled absurd:
ab·surd
–adjective
1.
utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false: an absurd explanation.
In regards to intensity, the word "fear" does not even apply, further discrediting the use of Islamophobia.
A real, intense, uncontrollable fear of Muslims would result in weekly or daily attacks on Muslims or their Mosques, attempts to ban their religion from being practiced or at the very least protests at Mosques across the nation. This has not been happening, thank God, although the media loves to dress it up as such.
No, the Ground Zero mosque controversy does not count because the concern is those building it appear to be less moderate than they portray themselves, and are doing it for political or ideological, rather than religious, reasons.
A better, much more appropriate word is not "fear" but "concern". Americans of all stripes, including other Muslims, are concerned that a militant faction of Islam, present even in the United States, is at war with us and has the blood on its hands to prove it.
Now, since the definition of "phobia" is not a "irrational, intense and persistent concern" we need to resist the liberal (pun intended) use of that word.
A recurring theme for the last 9 years, but one which seems particularly prevalent now, is the worrying tide of Islamophobia that is supposedly sweeping the US. As I have found, when one examines the actual meaning of words, you discover a clever manipulation has occurred in order to bolster a narrative.
The definition of Phobia as listed by Wikipedia:
"A phobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid the feared stimulus. When the fear is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.[1]"
So, to accurately describe Islamophobia, we would get this:
""Islamophobia is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of Islam and/or Muslims. The main symptom of this disorder is the excessive and unreasonable desire to avoid Muslims or Islam. When the fear of Islam or Muslims is beyond one's control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made.[1]"
So, as defined, Islamophobia is an irrational, intense fear of Islam and Muslims.
Consider this List.
Even discounting some of the incidents cited as questionably more domestic violence related than Islamic terror AND allowing that some incidents listed are misreported, the totality of it still comes down to an inarguable fact.
There have been dozens of religiously inspired attacks by Muslims on Americans, ON American soil, over the last 3-4 decades, and they seem to be escalating. 3,000 Americans of all religions, colors and creeds have been targeted for murder by members of a self-identified group.
The only known incident of anti-Muslim violence was a Sikh man murdered by a couple of yahoos that were too stupid to know he was not a Muslim.
Even considering that the vast, VAST majority of Muslims in America do not approve, let alone participate in these violent acts, it brings into question whether Americans' fear of Muslims is irrational OR intense. If it does not qualify for either or both, it's not a phobia of any sort.
So, considering the record of attacks, and the body count resulting over just the last 10 years, and the motivating factor in all those attacks, there is nothing irrational about the fear. Irrational is defined as:
ir•ra•tion•al
ɪˈræʃ ə nlShow Spelled[ih-rash-uh-nl]
–adjective
1.
without the faculty of reason; deprived of reason.
2.
without or deprived of normal mental clarity or sound judgment.
3.
not in accordance with reason; utterly illogical: irrational arguments.
4.
not endowed with the faculty of reason: irrational animals.
irrational (ɪˈræʃən ə l)
— adj
1. inconsistent with reason or logic; illogical; absurd
2. incapable of reasoning
Now, one can argue about the degree of threat Islam or Muslims present; what should be done about it; how much it can be attributed to the fringe as opposed to the mainstream; etc.
However, there is nothing irrational about the fear, since there is some logical basis for it when looking at the known facts and the record. Those who are "fearful" (and we'll get to that term in a second) do not utterly lack reasons for their fear, nor can their concern be labeled absurd:
ab·surd
–adjective
1.
utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false: an absurd explanation.
In regards to intensity, the word "fear" does not even apply, further discrediting the use of Islamophobia.
A real, intense, uncontrollable fear of Muslims would result in weekly or daily attacks on Muslims or their Mosques, attempts to ban their religion from being practiced or at the very least protests at Mosques across the nation. This has not been happening, thank God, although the media loves to dress it up as such.
No, the Ground Zero mosque controversy does not count because the concern is those building it appear to be less moderate than they portray themselves, and are doing it for political or ideological, rather than religious, reasons.
A better, much more appropriate word is not "fear" but "concern". Americans of all stripes, including other Muslims, are concerned that a militant faction of Islam, present even in the United States, is at war with us and has the blood on its hands to prove it.
Now, since the definition of "phobia" is not a "irrational, intense and persistent concern" we need to resist the liberal (pun intended) use of that word.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Tea Party Extremism...
...is a fantasy, particularly when one recalls the vitriol we've endured from the Left over the last 10 years.
Washington is Broke has a fantastic, and I mean FANTASTIC, little video exposing the hypocrisy of both the Left and the Media over supposed extremism from Tea Party people.
WARNING! You are going to see some disturbing images and ugly language, but that is entirely the point.
Let's remember how aghast the media and the Left were over the Joker poster images, and the few depiction of Obama as Hitler (mostly from Larouche nutballs, not tea partiers) and their contention that ANY disagreement with Obama's policies was merely hatred boiling to the surface.
Note particularly the number of images and signs that directly call for the ASSASSINATION of Bush and other politicians.
Note the kind soul whose sign tells us that the removal of the World Trade Center was an improvement for New York.
Also note that this video, as well done as it is, is merely a small taste of the nasty swill the Left has been spooning out for decades, let alone the last 10 years.
Once again, the utter lack of consistency rears its head. Its do as I say, not as I do from the Left, ad nauseum, and the media for the most part plays right along.
Washington is Broke has a fantastic, and I mean FANTASTIC, little video exposing the hypocrisy of both the Left and the Media over supposed extremism from Tea Party people.
WARNING! You are going to see some disturbing images and ugly language, but that is entirely the point.
Let's remember how aghast the media and the Left were over the Joker poster images, and the few depiction of Obama as Hitler (mostly from Larouche nutballs, not tea partiers) and their contention that ANY disagreement with Obama's policies was merely hatred boiling to the surface.
Note particularly the number of images and signs that directly call for the ASSASSINATION of Bush and other politicians.
Note the kind soul whose sign tells us that the removal of the World Trade Center was an improvement for New York.
Also note that this video, as well done as it is, is merely a small taste of the nasty swill the Left has been spooning out for decades, let alone the last 10 years.
Once again, the utter lack of consistency rears its head. Its do as I say, not as I do from the Left, ad nauseum, and the media for the most part plays right along.
Who's Intolerant?
In this back and forth over the Cordoba Mosque, and now this bible burning story in Florida, I keep hearing that people are becoming more and more bigoted against Muslims.
We are then told not to confuse the small number of radicals in that faith with the vast majority of moderates.
Then we are told that if the Mosque is NOT built, or if the Korans ARE burned, the Muslim world is going to explode with anger and violence, because the extremists (the ones who oppose the mosque) have taken over the debate.
????
I'm sorry?
The extremists are the ones who oppose the Mosque, not the ones who threaten riots and murder and mayhem if they don't get their way?
This kind of blatant hypocrisy, seeking of special privilege, and the propensity for violence over any slight, is WHY people are so wary of Islam in the first place.
Piss Christ was a work of "art" where a crucifix was dropped into a jar of URINE, and was exhibited with NEA support, IE, tax-payer funds.
Let me restate that:
A crucifix, an object symbolizing and representing the most important figure and most sacred event of his life to Christians, was put into a jar full of excrement.
HOW MANY people were killed world-wide when Christians rioted in protest?
ZERO. Zip. Nada. None.
Ditto for when a image of the virgin Mary was covered in elephant dung and pornographic images.
Ditto for when a play was done representing Christ as homosexual.
Somehow, SOMEHOW, Christians manage to endure this insults and provocations without mass violence, or violence in micro, and protested these things as unfair and bigoted. That's how religions on liberal (old school) democracies are supposed to react.
Too many in Islam, however, wants it both ways. They want tolerance and understanding and sensitivity, FOR THEM, but don't want to hear about any of it when it involves something that is not to their liking. And if they really don't like it, some of them will kill you over it, and others may say, "Well, what did you expect?"
Build a mosque right by Ground Zero? We demand the right under the first Amendment!
Burn the Koran in protest of Islamic terror and violence? You better *$^%* not or so help us, Allah, we won't be held responsible for the murder and destruction we wreak!
The American public has picked up on this very selective outrage and the underlying threats that come with it, and are fed up. When, with a straight face, Mayor Bloomberg says he thinks the Times Square bomber might have been someone upset with Obamacare, they know they are being fed a diet of BS for politically correct purposes
For the record, I don't support the burning of Korans, because I think people's religious symbols should be respected, and that antagonizing them by displaying blatant provocations is not kosher. Its an a-hole move in most situations.
That's the same reason that while I understand legally the Mosque at Ground Zero may be built, it should NOT be. It's a provocative act, something which many Muslims also believe, and for people to see it for what it is and decry it, they are called bigots.
Sorry, that is not going to wash anymore.
Now the media is trying to stir up a narrative that the protest against Muslims is going nationwide, leading to things like arson and general bigotry against them.
As usual, this is something the media will create with whatever disparate incidents that occur, ignoring the larger picture of tolerance in this country despite the facts.
However, I think there is some truth here in the sense that people's tolerance for being played for fools is wearing thin. As a 9/11 family member said on Anderson Cooper last night, the Mosque controversy is a microcosm of the way the middle class in the country has been ignored on any number of important issues.
People who dare speak their minds, who dare to question the powers that be, to question the narratives being spun are called radicals, or bigots, or extremists.
They know they are no such thing, and that those accusations are code for, "We don't care what you think or what your concerns are. We intend to do exactly as we please, so shut up and take it."
Well, they are not going to take, and how hard they push back will be determined by how hard they are pushed in the first place.
We are then told not to confuse the small number of radicals in that faith with the vast majority of moderates.
Then we are told that if the Mosque is NOT built, or if the Korans ARE burned, the Muslim world is going to explode with anger and violence, because the extremists (the ones who oppose the mosque) have taken over the debate.
????
I'm sorry?
The extremists are the ones who oppose the Mosque, not the ones who threaten riots and murder and mayhem if they don't get their way?
This kind of blatant hypocrisy, seeking of special privilege, and the propensity for violence over any slight, is WHY people are so wary of Islam in the first place.
Piss Christ was a work of "art" where a crucifix was dropped into a jar of URINE, and was exhibited with NEA support, IE, tax-payer funds.
Let me restate that:
A crucifix, an object symbolizing and representing the most important figure and most sacred event of his life to Christians, was put into a jar full of excrement.
HOW MANY people were killed world-wide when Christians rioted in protest?
ZERO. Zip. Nada. None.
Ditto for when a image of the virgin Mary was covered in elephant dung and pornographic images.
Ditto for when a play was done representing Christ as homosexual.
Somehow, SOMEHOW, Christians manage to endure this insults and provocations without mass violence, or violence in micro, and protested these things as unfair and bigoted. That's how religions on liberal (old school) democracies are supposed to react.
Too many in Islam, however, wants it both ways. They want tolerance and understanding and sensitivity, FOR THEM, but don't want to hear about any of it when it involves something that is not to their liking. And if they really don't like it, some of them will kill you over it, and others may say, "Well, what did you expect?"
Build a mosque right by Ground Zero? We demand the right under the first Amendment!
Burn the Koran in protest of Islamic terror and violence? You better *$^%* not or so help us, Allah, we won't be held responsible for the murder and destruction we wreak!
The American public has picked up on this very selective outrage and the underlying threats that come with it, and are fed up. When, with a straight face, Mayor Bloomberg says he thinks the Times Square bomber might have been someone upset with Obamacare, they know they are being fed a diet of BS for politically correct purposes
For the record, I don't support the burning of Korans, because I think people's religious symbols should be respected, and that antagonizing them by displaying blatant provocations is not kosher. Its an a-hole move in most situations.
That's the same reason that while I understand legally the Mosque at Ground Zero may be built, it should NOT be. It's a provocative act, something which many Muslims also believe, and for people to see it for what it is and decry it, they are called bigots.
Sorry, that is not going to wash anymore.
Now the media is trying to stir up a narrative that the protest against Muslims is going nationwide, leading to things like arson and general bigotry against them.
As usual, this is something the media will create with whatever disparate incidents that occur, ignoring the larger picture of tolerance in this country despite the facts.
However, I think there is some truth here in the sense that people's tolerance for being played for fools is wearing thin. As a 9/11 family member said on Anderson Cooper last night, the Mosque controversy is a microcosm of the way the middle class in the country has been ignored on any number of important issues.
People who dare speak their minds, who dare to question the powers that be, to question the narratives being spun are called radicals, or bigots, or extremists.
They know they are no such thing, and that those accusations are code for, "We don't care what you think or what your concerns are. We intend to do exactly as we please, so shut up and take it."
Well, they are not going to take, and how hard they push back will be determined by how hard they are pushed in the first place.
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