[Cacophonous]

Achmed may hate America. But you better believe the Imams don't tell Achmed that Americans are evil because we can drink bourbon, get haircuts, drive fast cats, eat with both hands...no, we're evil because we are not Muslim. The other stuff would mean nothing to Achmed.

[Cacophonous]

I meant drive fast cars, not fast cats. Cats hate being driven fast.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Sure they do. If they are going to say that we are infidels, they have to say why our way is not the right way.

If I said to you that people from Branson, MO were evil, wouldn't you want to know WHY? You don't think that they hear the specific reasons why we are evil?

If we are just different, and no specifics are given, then why would the people even listen? Would you listen?

[Quix]

I agree that we are evil to them first and foremost because we are not Muslim.

But those other, more concrete things follow swiftly behind in many cases, i suspect.

Some of the things may not mean much to this or that individual Muslim. However, it doesn't take much for one of those things--not wearing a beard--for example--to symbolize most emotionally our not being a Muslim. I just don't know that the line between abstract and concrete is that . . . uhhhhh concrete.

I think the tendency in that region is to EMOTE first, last and always . . . and connect it consciously to whatever if and when they get around to it. I think EMOTING DEMONSTRABLY is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CLOSE TO, SO AKIN TO PROVING HOW LONG THEIR'S IS that nothing has much of a chance of moderating those emotional habits a lot. It seems to be ingrained--like worrying about food and money is so ingrained in the Chinese.

imho.