Empty Pockets, Angry Minds (Tom Friedman)

The New York Times ^ | February 22, 2006 | Thomas L. Friedman

[Sarastro]

I have no doubt that the Danish cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad have caused real offense to many Muslims. I'm glad my newspaper didn't publish them. But there is something in the worldwide Muslim reaction to these cartoons that is excessive, and suggests that something else is at work in this story. It's time we talked about it….

[T]his explosion of Muslim rage is not just about some Western insult. It's also about an Eastern failure. It is about the failure of many Muslim countries to build economies that prepare young people for modernity — and all the insult, humiliation and frustration that has produced.

[snip]

No wonder so many young people in this part of the world are unprepared, and therefore easily enraged, as they encounter modernity. And no wonder backward religious leaders and dictators in places like Syria and Iran — who have miserably failed their youth — are so quick to turn their young people's anger against an insulting cartoon and away from themselves and the rot they have wrought.

[Sarastro]

Friedman's argument makes sense, and the statistics he quotes about more and more unemployed and outrageable Muslim youths are very worrisome.

His argument implies that it's not enough for us to make democracy work in Iraq, but also the economy.

[SuziQ]

He's kinda late to the party; folks have been saying this since the 80's when the terrorists started attacking in the West. Folks in Israel have known it since the country's founding.

[arthurus]

make democracy work in Iraq, but also the economy.

The one implies the other. If democracy can be made to work in Iraq, so will the economy come alive.

[2banana]

Dear Editor,

The editors of most of America’s major newspapers are cowards (with the Philadelphia Inquirer an amazing exception). These editors thought nothing of running pictures that put our troops in more danger (such as the New York Times putting Abu Grab pictures on its front page for over 4 weeks) or running fake stories that would incite Muslims worldwide (such as the Newsweek bogus story of Korans in the Toilet). Yet when it comes to putting their own sorry X’s (rhymes with “basses”) on the line, they all of a sudden become all so sensitive and understanding. Somehow, the First Amendment is not all that important if some Islamic nut may do something to you. Shame on all of them. Cowards. Thank God we have braver and better men that refuse to lie down and give up their freedoms so easily.

Regards,

2banana

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

http://chronicle.com/free/v50/i26/26a03601.htm

[TexasCajun]

Why would any US business want to startup in these areas where islamo-moonbats burn down American business and chant 'Death to America'?

[austinaero]

"caused real offense to many Muslims. I'm glad my newspaper didn't publish them."

I love the implication he makes that the reason the NYT didn't publish the photos is because they caused offense. Give me a break.

[TexasCajun]

Let's see how long is before the NYSlime prints some insulting Christian or Jewish cartoon?

...or some mocking editorial.

I bet a lexus-nexus search would find plenty of precedence.

[steve-b]

[T]his explosion of Muslim rage is not just about some Western insult. It's also about an Eastern failure. It is about the failure of many Muslim countries to build economies that prepare young people for modernity — and all the insult, humiliation and frustration that has produced.

[Billthedrill]

I'm glad my newspaper didn't publish them.

Good to see Friedman is foremost at the barricades. Thanks, Tom, and keep those "root causes" letters coming - we'll call you when it's safe to come out.

[Cecily]

Tom is always years behind the curve. Mark Steyn is one of the most astute commentators on the Muslim world, and vastly superior in all respects to pompous dhimmis like Tom Friedman.

[VeritatisSplendor]

Do we have to write the Prophet Muhammed? How about plain Muhammed? Could we write the "Prophet" Muhammed? We could be very French and intellectual about it -- the soi-disant Prophet Muhammed.

Mrs VS

[horse_doc]

And yet he fails to make that one last leap - that ISLAM is the ultimate root cause of their backwardness.

They are going to have to dump large parts of Islam to de-stultify themselves, and they just won't do it.

[Publius6961]

Empty Pockets, Angry Empty Minds (Tom Friedman)

There. I fixed it.

[GSlob]

"...not enough for us to make democracy work in Iraq,..."
The only tribal democracies known to history were gathering of all armed males of a tribe to decide on the next hunting or plundering expedition.

[Fido969]

Friedman's argument makes sense

You're right, and that is scary.

[Publius6961]

make democracy work in Iraq, but also the economy.

Unfortunately, Mr. Friedman still doesn't get it. The fundamentals of islam, that is.

Forget the theoretical crap the apologists feed you; the reality, the actual practice of islam is complete, all encompassing, politically, religiously, economically and personally. It is all or nothing.
You literally can't have democracy, free exchange, private property and islam simultaneously.

If islam ever accomodates the modern age successfuly, whatever it might become isn't islam.

[Vicomte13]

"But there is something in the worldwide Muslim reaction to these cartoons that is excessive..."

Nah, ya THINK?

[dblshot]

"But there is something in the worldwide Muslim reaction to these cartoons that is excessive..."

Like what? Killing each other in riots, burning down embassies and churches, attacking Hindu's, issuing Fatwa's, holding Holocaust cartoon contests? Something indeed!

[Albion Wilde]

Pardon me, this is off the point, but is your screen name after the character in Mozart's Magic Flute, or after the fabulous London restaurant by the same name?