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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: one_less who wrote (32149)	11/30/2006 9:18:18 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 543334

From what I have seen of Muslim countries, whether Sunni or Shiite, they are full of people who are living their lives, and their religions, in the small day to day ways most people all over the world do things. They go to work; they pray; they love and care for their families; they go out to eat; they play soccer, or go to the movies, etc. I understand what you are saying about tact being necessary, but I worry for the vast bulk of Muslims who are not extremists, since I feel that the Muslims who oppose extremism are in very real danger of being exterminated by extremists, and then the large quiet populations of peaceful non-extreme Muslims, who, if they hate anyone, hate them the way you hate the opposing sports team- not with a will to kill, but simply with that back of the mind "they're not on my team" sort of hate, will find themselves under the heel of extremists who hate enough to kill, simply because extremists are willing to do anything to achieve their ends. All over the Muslim world thinkers and rulers who stand out against extremism are threatened and killed. I know the killers represent a small minority of the world's Muslims, and I do think Islam is as much a religion of peace as any other (which is to say no religion is really a religion of peace, except the B'hai who accept all religions, and thus aren't very popular), but things are not looking very good for the peaceful Muslims. On the other hand, where they have been able to do so, Muslims have generally ignored or rejected Al Qaeda and extremist Muslims. It's pretty clear that large majorities of Muslims want to be left alone by extremists, AND left alone by the West (which they rightly see as being a threat to their way of life- and Western culture is a threat, since it cannibalizes other cultures, and leaves very little meat on the bones. Those who love Western culture of course see that as a Good Thing, the triumph of W. culture and Mc Donalds- but I do understand why other cultures might not see it as benevolent. Really, I do.) So I wonder, how do we support the Muslims of the world without overwhelming them with our culture, which they rightly fear? How do we offer assistance in places like Iraq, where extremists of all kinds are growing in power and dominion, without actually strengthening the hands of the extremists as we are doing now?