Arab v./ westerner

[Guest guest]

Dear Denise & Jean & Coates,

 

Her "factually explaining" is all generality and when statements such as, "The whole (my emphasis) Arab culture is one where father will slay son, brother will attack brother and women are regarded as little more than dogs." then I have to take umbrage at the all encompassing generality of her post. This kind of generality breeds bigotry and upset.

 

When she says, "Because the Koran makes it quite clear that those who die in a war against the Infidels will get to their Paradise." and, "So, what do the common folk want? A life in Paradise. And, how can they achieve this great and illustrious (Sarcasm) next life? (remember - the rulers are keeping them poor and illiterate) - By a HOLY WAR.", and "And, now, by a quirk of fate, these fanatical races (my emphasis) have the Oil that is making them one of the richest nations in the world.", and "They WANT to die.", - I have to ask, who in hell is "they"???

 

The enemy here is NOT ISLAM OR THE SEMITIC (ARABIC) RACE!

 

THE EMEMY ARE A MINORITY OF TERRORISTS WHO ARE HIDING BEHIND A RELIGIOUS MASK, NOT AN ENTIRE FAITH AND/OR RACE OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE!

 

We should take a lesson from our President and a politically combined house who have correctly identified the enemy as terrorists and terrorism. The above denigration of the Moslem faith gives rise to the promotion of overt acts against these people whether or not this was Penny's intention or not. Its insidiousness makes less of them so as to lessen the overt acts against them.

 

I have read the Koran and remember no such promotion of a Holy War. It is not the "common folk" who want a "Holy War and a life in Paradise", it is the terrorists and certain terrorist sects hiding behind a bonafied and world wide religion.

 

Stating that all Arabs and/or Muslims "They WANT to die" would be ludicrous if it wasn't so subversive. This generality is the worst of all as even though it may describe the terrorists themselves, it certainly does not describe the majority of the Islamic peoples but gives them the same label. This has the makings of an insidious HATE campaign.

 

In my youth (in the late 60's), through my own foolishness (and highly adventurous spirit) I found myself stranded in Tunisia (Northern Africa) caught between a war in Algeria on one side, and a war in Israel on the other without a single red cent in my pocket. Not only was I flat broke, but I hadn't eaten in three days and had dysentry to top it off. I was in a bad way. A very poor (the combined gross income was $60 a year) Arab / Bedouin Moslem family took me in and cared for me with care, shelter and food for a whole week. They asked for no recompense as I was their guest. Even today, I remeber the young son's name (Yaya Babbaka) who found and befriended me. In the evening, when the Muezzin was chanting from his tower and the whole family were kneeling on their prayer mats facing Mecca, there was no recrimination or prejudice directed at me for sitting quietly in my chair engrossed in my own thoughts. The Canadian Consulate finally came through and managed to get me out of the country and also put a few dollars in my pocket, and as I said my good-byes to Yaya and his family, they would accept no money but finally allowed me to give the old man (the father) a spare pair of shoes I'd been carrying as a "thank you" gift. I will never forget their generosity, caring and love for a complete and foreign stranger.

 

These are true facts and not generalities.

 

Those of you who have been on the list for a while know me, and realize that I am not some 'bleeding heart' communist who believes in total permissiveness. I am not a pacifist. I personally feel that bin Laden should be tried for his crimes, publicly stood up against a wall in front of a firing squad and shot (with complete CNN coverage). The outrage I feel towards these terrorists is tremendous, but I will not condemn an entire race, or an entire religion for the heinous evil acts of a few demented terrorists and terrorist sects.

 

Nor will I allow it on this list.

 

Love,

 

Doc

Ian "Doc" Shillington N.D.505-772-5889Dr.IanShillington

 

From Penny's last name, I figured she was of Semitic descent or married to someone of that background. I understood her to be factually explaining a culture. Cultures are different even within this country. I moved from one part of the country to another and I've experienced bigotry and hatred. Those are facts. If I stated the who, what, where, and when, it would not make me filled with hate or in "their" camp. Consequently, I am puzzled by the attack on Penny.

Denise