I agree with you completely.
The neocons seem to see the world as a sort of large missionary field rather than a shared mission with other cultures. And have you noticed that if you try to understand a people, offer any explanations, it is seen as making excuses, or even being a traitor?
Very sad but true. Reminds me of the ME rather than a Western democracy, actually...
Anyway, a word that came up a lot in Friedman's interviews was "dignity". The Arab male feels humiliated
It's a concept of utmost importance. ME people die, and are expected to die, for their honor & dignity. That is behind some of the sicker traditions like the family deciding the youngest boy should kill his teenage sister who was seen alone with a guy.
I have the utmost respect for the right to live in peace and happiness of every single Jewish person on this planet, but anyone who has been to that part of the world can tell you the way the Israelis are going about achieving this right is just not right. It is not just dignity.
and the author of that for them is the Israelis, and by extension us
Obviously. Sooner or later, Americans will have to ask themselves just what it is worth to them to finance the Israeli expansion into occupied territories.
When Israel says how they have improved the lot of Arabs, it ignores the fact that when you treat someone like a second-class citizen whose own culture and values are infinitely inferior to your own, of course you breed resentment and anger.
Heh. Israelis have improved the lives of Palestinians the way early American settlers have improved the lives of Africans they brought in for slavery.
I repeat- this is NO excuse for suicide bombings and terrorism, but an attempt at understanding that could possibly lead to solutions- why is that so difficult?
I agree with you. Israel tries to portray Palestinians as irrational, pyromaniac Fremen, whereas they are also human beings. The difference between us and them is that they have been pushed around for so long, until no hope remains, friends, family, and loved ones being killed around them by an oppressor so much stronger than they are that they just don't believe they have anything to live for anymore. They have no life, so they just live for revenge. That is very twisted, scary, and sad at the same time.
Oops, my plane is boarding :-)
...but not before:
But also, for the ME to think that we are the above is also a big mistake and gets in the way of their understanding us and the good things we might be able to bring to the table.
I know! I was just trying to bring "humour" to the table :-)
I love your thought of a "round table", by the way.
Have a good weekend. |
