"But why is this still happening today?"
With reference to Radical Islamicists:
Everyone has something to say about what is happening today. If you want my opinion I am happy to add to the current perspectives, many of which are right on.
1) I've studied the phenomenon of 'group think', and I suppose that has something to do with it. Group think starts when a group forms and is successful in doing something. They enjoy their relationship and their success and so try to repeat it and form strong loyalties, so strong that it becomes taboo to criticize the ideas and efforts coming from the group, or members of the group. However, they begin repeating their earlier approaches in circumstances where they don't really produce positive outcomes.
2) There is a lot of ignorance based fear that is especially common in monocultures about outsiders. America and Western societies have been outside many cultures for centuries, and visa versa. Now we are seeing some culture clashes that aren't going well.
3) After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, scholars of Islam were inclined to support regimes that could protect pockets of Islamic cultures. Those became Kingdoms, Religious Fascisms, and Dictatorships that have become more identified with Islam than the original concept, which was adaptable to various forms of government. This seems to be changing for the better but not fast enough to avoid conflict over it.
4) Radical extremists have corrupted views of what is a righteous life and have interpreted Islam according to those views.
5) Extremists from withing our own culture act as tools of Radical Islamicists, by providing justifications for the complaints of the Radical Islamicists, when they persecute innocent Muslims. |
