“The fact that the bombers are believed to have been born in the UK, demonstrates that terrorism is not a result of a lack of freedom, opportunity, living in poverty, and all the other “root causes” that are touted each time there is an attack. The root cause of terrorism, quite simply, is hate. The root cause of the hate in regards to terrorism is an ideological belief in a system of moral extremes that preaches and rewards violence perpetuated by hate. Hate thrives in both affluent and impoverished peoples and nations. The only thing moral extremism needs to flourish is an open and accepting ear, and the romanticization of a cause as just and noble.” Have Your Say on the BBC site.
That sentiment works two ways. I feel sorry for, and worry about, all of the British Muslims living here. One of Britain’s biggest strengths, I think is that she is a multicultural nation. Stupidity like this will only fan bigotry and acts of hatred against innocent people who genuinely want to live here, in peace, free to follow their own traditions and religious beliefs. How scared would YOU be to be a woman in traditional dress and headscarf, walking through a city centre or taking a bus after the recent bombings? I would be terrified of retaliation. Hate the sin, not the sinner, as the saying goes. And have some common sense and human charity…don’t lump every Hindu or Sikh together with the recent suicide bombers.
started quite a conversation over at on this same subject. Link here. There are a couple of rabidly conservative pro-Bush Amurricans on that community (ye shall know them by their gun-totin’ icons), but for the most part both Brits and Americans thought the article, and the sentiments therein, were total rubbish.
Hatred, ignorance and fanaticism of any kind are some of the greatest sins that man can have.
It seems to me that the Muslim communities have been allowed ultimate freedom in this country, as perhaps a country such as ours allows…but what HAS to happen now is that the Muslim community works to cleanse itself of this virus, before it spreads and calls are made for the whole thing to be cut away lest it kill us all.
I think the point is that if you allow/protect personal freedom, you have to accept that you have to protect radical beliefs, as well…as long as they don’t cross over into criminal acts. If I believe in freedom of speech, which I absolutely do, then I therefore have to protect the right of neo-nazi assholes to be able to make speeches on the steps of the local library. If they bomb a local synagogue, then I think the law should hunt them down and fry them. I wouldn’t, however, say “all Germans are bad, they need to be driven from our communities” because a neo-nazi group that had nothing to do with actually being German bombed a synagogue.
I do, however, hold the families and friends of these suicide bombers to be just as responsible for their actions, if they knew of their plans, or had fostered this kind of hatred in their children. The Muslim community DOES (in my opinion) have a responsibility to monitor, and possibly turn in, anyone that they know is advocating this type of thing.