Part of the problem exists in the way Americans and people in the Middle East perceive the situation. Sadly, American media and most American politicians, on both sides of the aisle (Rick Santorum cough cough cough), continue to proliferate the idea that Muslims hate the USA because of its freedoms and way of life, which couldnt be further from the truth.
These politicians try to hide or deflect the fact that the US has, for several decades now, Arab Spring aside, given billions of dollars to dictators that HAVE been oppressive to their people. There are several prominent countries in the Middle East that this qualifies for. The US has been a state sponsor of dictators, which could be construed as government terrorism. People over there are very cognizant of this.
They see the US invading Iraq and Afghanistan as politically motivated, and they have every right to see it that way. Until further notice I have no reason to see it any other way.
Americans on the other hand, have this perception that even though governments throughout history have oppressed their people or have oppressed other people, that the US government is immune from this. That the US government is filled with good people that would never try to hurt anyone or take advantage of anyone in another country. The only possible reason anyone might try to attack us or hate us is because we are so cool and they are just jealous of how cool we are. This kind of logic is what makes it possible for Bush and Obama to convince people that when something bad happens here, we have no blame whatsoever. That those evil people attacked us because they think we are infidels, or are jealous of us. This is simply just not the case.
As I stated in my first post, while I support those who have been oppressed, and there are many, I do not condone suicide bombers or terrorist attacks. I do not believe that blowing up a bus full of women and children, and men, is the right way to deal with the situation. Islam expressly forbids murder, and expressly forbids judging others. If you kill someone, you are playing God, and you do not know what that person's future will hold. They may end up becoming your best friend, but if you murder them, then you will never know, and that is a sin. You cannot play God.
That said, these people in many cases are so desperate, that they see anyone who is Jewish in Israel as the enemy, so they blow up a bus. It is a very sad thing. Jihad does not mean killing yourself intentionally. These people have warped perceptions of what it means to fight back. Attacking settlers is not the way to go about it, but then again, Im sitting comfortably on my couch and Ive never had to go through checkpoints or be treated like a second class citizen. We can debate why that is the case, but the fact is that people in the Middle East have been subject to many things Americans have not. Saddam Hussein gassed his own people, and Iranians, and the US took Iraq off the State Sponsored Terrorist list. Hows that feel if you are one of the people over there being gassed? Way to go USA.... Way to support that thug gassing us.
Arabs in particular dont forget things. Its a very cultural thing. Revenge is a long standing cultural thing. Arabs are fighters. Its a cultural thing. These are not "Islamic" things as much as they are cultural things that were integrated into the Islamic mindset. You go live in Iraq in the middle ages and see how you act! And this over generations produces a culture akin to fire ants when their nest is disrupted.
That said, while I support the people who have been oppressed for decades by US funded and supported Crooks, while our politicians for the most part ignore it (Notably Ron Paul as the exception), I do not support the murder of innocent Israelis or Americans who have done nothing wrong other than be Jewish or American, which isnt wrong to begin with.
br>Concerning stepping out into the 21st century, thats all a matter of perspective. I respect nuns who wear the habit. They choose to do so according to their religious dictates. Muslim women, by and large, especially those that convert, choose to wear the hijab. Again, it is a cultural distinction first and foremost. There is a natural progression in Islam because Islam states that women should dress modestly so as to not attract the eyes and attention of men who they are not related to not married to. The dress lends itself to modesty.
Now that said, the Quran does not give a dress code. It doesnt say a woman must be covered from head to ankle and only her eyes may be visible. It says to be modest. However, the majority of Muslim women choose to cover up. It protects them quite frankly. It also protects men. It keeps men honest and keeps them faithful to their own wives. A woman's beauty is not a competition with other women.
Again, these are cultural differences as much as they are religious. Of course, being raised in America makes it difficult for most people, men in particular, to understand the difference. Then again, look at the way women dressed in this country 100 years ago. Archaic? Depends on how you define archaic. If your *** and cleavage hanging out counts as modern, and modesty counts as archaic, then I suppose so.....
Just dont misunderstand me. I thought it was quite clear in my first post. One can support those being oppressed without supporting violence.
