And if they want to stop and pray while doing it, and believe that they are defending "Christian Americans" against "Godless Muslims" that's fine with me. (If you don't recognize these Muslim fanatics as "Barbarians," I suggest you take a closer look.)
I don't disagree that the Muslim fanatics are barbarians. That's not the point.
I have found it very interesting during the last couple of years to observe how different people scope out "them" and "us." People use very different criteria. Some use no criteria at all save their guts, mom, and apple pie. This war is supposed to be against terrorists. The particular terrorists in our sights now are the Islamist variety of terrorists. These terrorists are, as you say, barbarians. They get aid and comfort from other terrorists and from other Islamists, whether militant or not, so Islamists are the enemy, as well. Ordinary Muslims are not the enemy.
Now, we don't happen to be dealing with any Christian terrorists at the moment, so all the barbarians are on the other side. But all those giving aid and comfort to the enemy are not on the other side. We've seen comments that treat American, Christian pacifists as the enemy. We've seen comments that treat American Christians in the loyal opposition as the enemy. The rationale behind this, to the extent that there is one, is because they give aid and comfort to the enemy. I submit that our home-grown counterparts to the Islamists, the "Christian soldiers," are also the enemy for the same reason. That's not to say that Christians are the enemy. Or even fundamentalist Christians, those nice people you talk about who mind their own business, pay their taxes, and stay out of jail. Or the ones who pray as they fight. But the ones who are pushing the terrorists' buttons are the enemy. They may not be "enemy" in a class with the barbarian terrorists. Or even in a class with the "Islamist soldiers" who lend credence to the terrorists. But they are unwittingly giving aid and comfort to our enemy and it is not smart to overlook that. You need to keep your wits about you in a war.
People don't always differentiate well. It is foolish to assume that all Americans are good guys and all Middle Eastern Muslims or all Muslims or all Arabs or whatever are the bad guys. The bad guys are the terrorists and those who encourage them in their barbarian acts.
Now, Karen, you know consistency is the "Hobgoblin of small minds."
That's "foolish consistency." <g> |
