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"Death by Kindness" Common Sense from Saudi Arabia
arab news ^ | 10/10/2004 | Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal

Posted on 10/10/2004 9:05:37 AM PDT by trek

For many people the idea of a state that cares for every aspect of its citizens’ well-being is a highly desirable even utopian ideal. The rise of the “nanny state” in many Western countries was heralded as a triumph of political evolution.

For me, this is a highly dangerous prospect.

There are several reasons that lead me to this conclusion.

Firstly, human beings are, on principle, fallible and corruptible, who will take any opportunity to abuse power when it is placed in their hands. A state which intervenes in the affairs of its citizens to serve their every need inevitably will exercise enormous power over such citizens. This power if abused — and it will be — can lead to great injustice and oppression of the very people the state is supposed to take care of.

Secondly, citizens of such a nanny state may have their own sense of personal responsibility atrophy.

They will rely on the state to take care of their fellow citizens and will no longer feel personally obligated to care for other members of their society. Societies atomize and fragment, social groups such as tribes, unions, neighborhoods and so forth diminish in importance and strength, thereby rendering the citizens helpless before the all-powerful state and its organizations.

Western countries’ citizens are already facing the negative consequences of this type of state as they are increasingly being rendered incapable of standing up to their governments.

They find themselves unable to influence the course of their nations and realize that their governments are more and more serving the interests of the rich and powerful minority in those countries.

The overemphasis on elections and the so-called democratic process is no protection from the modern nation state. The glorification of individualism is a serious undermining of a society’s ability to protect itself from the depredation of the nation state.

Societies must emphasize personal responsibility and must protect systems of collective care such as extended families and unions. They must do this as a counter to the increasing power and intrusiveness of the nanny state.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: alfaisal; islamicnutball; saudiarabia
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For those of you who think that all Saudis are islamic nutballs, read this article.
1 posted on 10/10/2004 9:05:37 AM PDT by trek
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To: trek

What do you mean? This is a call for Islamist theocracy.


2 posted on 10/10/2004 9:11:49 AM PDT by angkor
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To: trek
They find themselves unable to influence the course of their nations and realize that their governments are more and more serving the interests of the rich and powerful minority in those countries.

There's certainly that, but there's also the pandering to small but vocal pressure groups such as the gay lobby, or the illegal alien advocates. On the latter issue, both parties have sold us out.

3 posted on 10/10/2004 9:14:27 AM PDT by John Jorsett (Kerry-Edwards: FORGING AHEAD)
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To: trek
Societies must emphasize personal responsibility and must protect systems of collective care such as extended families and unions. They must do this as a counter to the increasing power and intrusiveness of the nanny state.

I can agree with the personal responsibility part. Not sure how it'll curb the encroachment of the nanny state, though.

4 posted on 10/10/2004 9:14:51 AM PDT by Aristotle721 ("What kind of society is it where Mother Teresa needs a lawyer?" - W.)
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To: angkor
You sir are blind! The ideals expressed in that article agree with the very foundations of our nation.
5 posted on 10/10/2004 9:19:06 AM PDT by trek
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To: trek
This is the same Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal that writes:

"[The abuse at Abu Ghraib] comes as no surprise for those of us who years ago stopped buying the horse manure the Americans laughingly describe as 'truth and honesty' ... This hullabaloo will soon be over. Everything will be forgotten within a week at the most. The Iraqis will continue to suffer torture and abuse as if none of this had happened. But we will not forget ... You see, revenge is a dish best eaten cold. Our friends and allies the Americans have a saying, which I believe we should make our motto: 'Don't get mad. Get even.'"

6 posted on 10/10/2004 9:23:48 AM PDT by USF
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To: trek
More of Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal:

Oil Ticks Mock America

7 posted on 10/10/2004 9:28:27 AM PDT by USF
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To: trek
The ideals expressed in that article agree with the very foundations of our nation.

Do some research before you post this sort of thing again.

Clearly you're not familiar with the body of anti-American invective penned by Saudi Prince Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal.

Here's his Sept 24th warning to the Kurds, also published ini Arab News: "Your situation is almost hopeless. You have one last chance and that is to revolt on your leaders and align yourselves with the rest of Iraq against the Americans."

8 posted on 10/10/2004 9:43:06 AM PDT by angkor
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To: trek
When you said "You sir are blind!," I forgot to point out this sentence:

"The overemphasis on elections and the so-called democratic process is no protection from the modern nation state."

How do you explain that one?

9 posted on 10/10/2004 9:46:42 AM PDT by angkor
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To: angkor; trek
Nice quote by Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal:

I must admit, naively assumed that the letter X was just that, a letter of the alphabet, not as it turns out a cunning and dastardly plot by Christians to corrupt our Muslim faith."

10 posted on 10/10/2004 9:47:43 AM PDT by USF
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To: angkor

I never said the guy was Thomas Jefferson. My point is that the all Saudis are not the fanatical kooks portrayed in the elite press.


11 posted on 10/10/2004 11:46:34 AM PDT by trek
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To: USF

The Saudis did not think the invasion of Iraq wise. I happen to disagree with them. But the post is not about foreign policy. It is about values.


12 posted on 10/10/2004 11:47:50 AM PDT by trek
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To: trek

He may not be a fanatical kook, but he is fanatically anti-American.


13 posted on 10/10/2004 11:49:56 AM PDT by angkor
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To: angkor

Hugo Chavez just survived an "election." The Communists always held "elections." But their elections did not mean popular governance. Elections do not in and of themselves guarantee good governance. Many despotic regimes use elections to legitimize the illegitimate.


14 posted on 10/10/2004 11:52:29 AM PDT by trek
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To: angkor; trek
And an islamic nutball. That's my point.
15 posted on 10/10/2004 11:52:55 AM PDT by USF
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To: trek
Elections do not in and of themselves guarantee good governance.

Elections are the prerequisite to good government. Everything else is a dictatorship or a theocracy or both.

16 posted on 10/10/2004 11:56:41 AM PDT by angkor
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To: trek
A state which intervenes in the affairs of its citizens to serve their every need inevitably will exercise enormous power over such citizens. This power if abused — and it will be — can lead to great injustice and oppression of the very people the state is supposed to take care of.

There is a profound irony here.
This clown is absoltely right. That's the good news.

The bad news is that he's describing islam, which he proceeds to promote.

17 posted on 10/10/2004 11:57:47 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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To: angkor
Elections are the prerequisite to good government. Everything else is a dictatorship or a theocracy or both.

Saddam had elections.

18 posted on 10/10/2004 11:59:31 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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To: trek
Hypocrisy
19 posted on 10/10/2004 12:01:39 PM PDT by Helms (nu-ance : [ from KERRY French, from nuer, to Shade the Truth via Language and Subvert Reality])
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To: trek
It's also based on what political system he favors. Amr Mohammed Al-Faisal writes:

Firstly, human beings are, on principle, fallible and corruptible, who will take any opportunity to abuse power when it is placed in their hands.

And then goes on to criticize The overemphasis on elections and the so-called democratic process.

This is the part of the argument Islamowhackos use to advocate the Islamofascist political system of gender and religious apartheid based on Sharia law. They see the "laws of man" as fallible, and the "laws of Allah" (sharia) as superior.

Lets face it, he's not advocating democracy, or socialism here, so what kind of political system or "values" do you think he favors?

(Hint: See Publius6961 post #17)

20 posted on 10/10/2004 12:27:52 PM PDT by USF
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