Posted on 08/21/2004 3:49:47 AM PDT by Clive
THERE ARE things you are not supposed to say. Things that people pretend are not true. Things that get you into all sorts of trouble because we live in a dishonest world. Here goes...
* Not supposed to say that the Crusades were not some vile Christian slaughter, but a response by Europe to the military expansion of Islam. Muslim armies had invaded Christian lands and would continue to do so for hundreds of years. They moved into Spain and reached the gates of Vienna.
The idea that Christians became Muslim with smiles on their faces is ludicrous. Countless people died and the very birthplace of Christianity was soaked in blood. The Crusaders did not always act morally -- though they often did -- but they were merely reacting to aggressive conquest.
Today the Roman Catholic Church condemns the Crusades as being wrong. Yet few if any Muslim leaders will condemn the rape of so many Christian countries by their own ancestors. On the contrary, some Muslims speak of these countries as being somehow Islamic by nature and sometimes refer to the re-conquest of Spain.
Muslim democracy?
* Not supposed to say that the United States, Europe, Israel, Jews and Christians have little to do with the fact that there is no democracy in the Muslim world. Of course many of these countries were colonized and exploited, but then most of the world suffered such a fate.
India is composed of a billion people speaking various languages. The Hindu religion and culture of this magnificent nation has achieved the largest democracy in the world. People vote, honestly, fairly and peacefully. Violence is rare and political corruption isolated. All this in spite of poverty, partial rural illiteracy and centuries of imperial dominance.
* Not supposed to say that Israel has become the new international whipping boy. Its people are broadly divided into Ashkenazi and Sephardi. Ashkenazi Jews were perhaps the most persecuted people in history. The colonization of Arab nations by the West is nothing compared to the pogroms and Holocaust.
Sephardic Jews were mostly to be found in Muslim states, where they were always at the bottom of the social ladder. Sometimes they were treated fairly well, sometimes very badly. But never were they complete equals. Even in Ethiopia, with all of its problems, a way was found to treat Jews worse than anybody else.
Yet whatever one wants to say about Israel -- and people will say everything about Israel, whether it's true or not -- the country enjoys a flourishing democracy. The million Arab citizens of Israel are not always first-class citizens. But they have the vote. More democratic rights than their Arab relatives across the border in Egypt or Jordan.
* Not supposed to say that although the war in Iraq was, in my opinion, wrong and foolish, many Iraqis are acting like brutal and irrational thugs. Saddam Hussein kept his country in order by ruling as a murderous tyrant yet faced very little opposition. Where were these brave Islamic militants then?
The Americans have often acted thoughtlessly and have caused much suffering. But this can't justify blowing up churches, killing innocent Iraqi people and beheading foreign truck drivers. I'm tired of various so-called "holy" cities, holy men and holy ideas. None seem very holy or capable of giving people a life of dignity and safety.
Routine torture?
* Not supposed to say that while the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers was bad, it was nothing compared to the routine torture that takes place in most of the Muslim world. Yes, most. Egypt, Iran, Syria, Jordan and the rest. It was still wrong. Yet look at the reaction.
A free American press criticized its government. That government launched an inquiry. People were charged. Endless media coverage and national lamenting. As you read this another Muslim is being beaten, tortured or killed by other Muslims. No free press can write about it, no free people can protest about it.
* Not supposed to say that many of the excuses and explanations offered by woolly thinkers to explain world events are invalid and fatuous. Not supposed to say that some beliefs are ethically and intellectually superior to others. Not supposed to say we should think outside of the boxes of both left and right.
Not supposed to -- but will.
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Why is it a problem to say what is true?
Well said
I just can't believe this was actually printed in a canadian paper.
will wonders never cease?
regards
rmo
Well, it does have the requisite dumbass Canadian commentary:
"Not supposed to say that although the war in Iraq was, in my opinion, wrong and foolish,"
Close, but not quite . . .
The Defense Department lauched and inquiry. Press was informed. Press "ignored" the inquiry until "the time was right" (as did the Congress). People were charged / disciplined / relieved. A free American press criticized its government. Congress and the media went into major spin mode.
There, thats a little better.
"Not supposed to say that although the war in Iraq was, in my opinion, wrong and foolish,"
Well Mr. Coren, tell me, if they blew up some huge building in Canada and killed thousands of people, how would your country respond? Slap them on the hand I suppose and say, "you shouldn't have done that now". Give me a break!
Coren is one of the ones on our side. That does not oblige him to park his brain and unquestioningly agee with every decision that Bush makes. Conservatives reserve the right to think for themselves. The overwhelming thrust of his columns are in support of the US and of the Bush administration.
I had always thought that unquestioning obedience to dogma and unquestioning parroting of talking points was a liberal characteristic. It appears from recent postings that I was wrong.
Good editing!
It is important to note that the actual events were reversed. The government started investigating before the press noticed. They even put out a press release about it. The press did not care until photos were available.
...and could be used to hurt President Bush and his chances for re-election.
In the days of Clinton, back when Saddam was still in power, EVERYONE believed that he had weapons of mass destruction and would use them AGAIN. EVERYONE knew he was a tyrant and had committed atrosities against his people and his neighbors. But...the truth be told...EVERYONE was afraid to do something about him.
Only now. after Saddam is gone and after only but a few of the weapons of mass destruction that EVERYONE knew Saddam had have been found, do they say that it was a mistake to go into Iraq.
I hear people question our "Iraq adventure" with: "Why not go to Syria or Iran? Why not invade North Korea? Surely, they are as bad as Saddam's Iraq."
To me, in our war on terror, they all need to be dealt with. Islamic terrorism is a snake with many heads and it has been growing new ones. But finally, we are cutting the heads off, one head at a time. Ignoring it would not make it go away. Appeasing it would not make it leave us alone. Coren himself tells us this.
And this is why we must kill it...one head at a time. No one else in the world would do it and would only offer justifications as to why we shouldn't and now complain that we did. The war in Iraq? A necessary first step. No dogma, just my opinion.
Agreed. And I do think that Saddam had to be put out of business.
My objection is to the attitude, all too prevalent on both sides that it is "all or nothing" and "my way or the highway".
Please understand that Coren is not opposed to the "war on terror" but only specifically to the Iraq adventure.
I guess that I am being misled because I thought that we were fighting the "war on terror"
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