The vast majority also don't seem to condemn too damn strongly it either. They always seem to offer sympathy, but seldom do you hear outright condemnation. I suspect, simply through my belief in basic human nature, that their reluctance to speak too loudly in public is because of internal intimidation. I also suspect that some percentage are quietly cheering for the 'Brother" who commits these atrocities while publicly pretending to be horrified but equally worried about revenge attacks which never seem to happen.
I know a Muslim man who was outraged by 9-11 and spoke so publicly and often, until one day he suddenly fell silent and would no longer discuss it. I can't prove it, but I'd bet he was given an ultimatum to keep his mouth shut or else. The man has a wife and children. What would I do? What would you do?
Well, let me give you two similar situations to consider. If the artist Andres Serrano who created the work "Piss Christ" with a crucifix in a jar of urine were to be murdered by a crazed Christian fundamentalist, how much sympathy do you think he'd get here even though people might condemn the murder? If that's too speculative, take a look at some of the threads on Free Republic when abortionists are murdered. While most Freepers and pro-life people do condemn such murders, there are also plenty of people who express sentiments that perhaps the abortionist got what they deserved.
My point is that people normally don't get too broken up over the death of someone who they consider an adversary or bad person and the condemnations of their killers can be less than forceful, even if they would never personally raise a hand to murder them themselves and even if they object to the murder out of principle. Consider that people have been toying with the idea of genocide against Muslims in this thread. While I doubt most Freepers would do the deed themselves, where is the outrage and condemnation?
I suspect, simply through my belief in basic human nature, that their reluctance to speak too loudly in public is because of internal intimidation. I also suspect that some percentage are quietly cheering for the 'Brother" who commits these atrocities while publicly pretending to be horrified but equally worried about revenge attacks which never seem to happen.
And as I pointed out above, I suspect another percentage regret the atrocity and would never do it themselves, but have trouble feeling too much sympathy for the victim and maybe sympathize with the anger of the perpetrator just as very extreme, anti-Muslim sentiments are getting a pass in these threads because many Freepers sympathize with the anger that's behind the sentiments.
I know a Muslim man who was outraged by 9-11 and spoke so publicly and often, until one day he suddenly fell silent and would no longer discuss it. I can't prove it, but I'd bet he was given an ultimatum to keep his mouth shut or else. The man has a wife and children. What would I do? What would you do?
What most people do is shut their mouths, which is what more than one person in this thread has asked me to do, too. Part of the reason I'm speaking up is that my Muslim friend and his wife wound up being CCed on an email years ago containing a message forwarded by a friend of a friend that said essentially that all Muslims are garbage (and worse) and realizing what was sent to whom I asked him, "So are you going to reply?" And he asked me, "Why don't you reply?" And he was right, so I did. It's easier to remain silent and not be called names, not be threatened, and not be killed for disagreeing.
That nails that part of the issue for me.
It’s nice to say “we should take everyone as individuals”. The practical reality is that it is extremely difficult to do this, borderline impossible.
And it is not at all clear that the “MTV bomb” of cultural assimilation will ever work in the face of quiet intimidation and indoctrination by the radicals. See: Europe for how this is working; not well, from what I can tell.