No, I don't think they are morally equivalent, and certainly don't mean to insist that they are ;) Possibly I may sound that way though.
I just think that in a world where it is ok for the government to subsidize billionaires, where groundwater pollution has been redefined to not include oil, where we are killing thousands in Iraq for no known reason, where we let priceless antiquities be looted and destroyed while making sure that American corporations get a piece of the pie in Iraq.... Where the government seems to think elections are a joke, has essentially thumbed its nose at advise and consent, and barely bothers to hide its contempt for due process, free speech or any other civil liberty.... should I continue? What should I be mad about? Some benighted soul whose government is ALSO lying to him? No, I do not think they should engage in violence. I am also realistic about the weight that that opinion carries. I don't think my indignation, or yours, affects that end of the equation. But really. If moderation is to have a chance over there, it has to speak up over here as well. I don't excuse, I don't condone, I do see provocation. That is my opinion. Dana >Once again Dana you are insisting that the two actions are morally equivalent. > >That the publication of the images was exactly as wrong as arson, >kidnapping, murder, bombings, threats.equating the two things as > >I can't disagree more. One is MUCH more wrong than the other. They are >not even on the same scale of wrongness. > >As for blaming a whole culture for the actions of a few (or of many), >there is SOMETHING to be said for that. A culture is ALWAYS judged by >its extremes, and how the mainstream reacts to it. That is the world >works. Always has and always will. > >Here is a fun exercise: > >List the top 10 cities in each country in the world. Of those cities: >List the cities that have had citizens to shoot at embassies in the >last 5 years. >Add a point for the cities that have had riots due to content >published in a foreign country's press. >Add a point for the cities that have armed, masked men walking the >streets without arrest. >Add a point for the cities that have had more than 5 kidnappings of >foreign nationals in the last 5 years. >Add a point for the cities that have had more than 5 bombings in the >last 5 years. >Add a point for the cities that have severe punishment for religious >crimes (including imprisonment and death) >Add a point for the cities that have a completely unfree, controlled press. >Add a point for the cities that have had airlines cancel routes due to >violence in the past 5 years. >Add a point for the cities that have had more than 3 public officials >killed in the last 3 years. >Add a point for the cities that have closed embassies due to threats >of violence. > >Rank these cities by the number of points, highest total to lowest. > >Now, >List the majority religion of each city. >List the religion of those in power (government of the city) >List the religion of the perpetrators. > >Can you guess what the religion columns are going to show near the top >of this list? I think I can. Also, I think you will find that there >are way too many cities at the top of the list not to notice a trend. > >(Not exclusive, since there will be a couple of Catholic cities on the >list from that hotbed of sanity in South America) > >You can't say that everyone from any particular group is any >particular way. That is foolish. But it is also foolish not to notice >trends and tendencies. > > > >On 2/13/06, dana tierney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>A Danish newspaper published an ignorant cartoon and got an ignorant response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:196921 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
