Right now we're acting as though literal belief in the Quran is not the problem even though the book clearly calls for world domination by force. The book is actually far more dangerous than Mein Kampf, precisely because it is not racist.
There is a middle ground between the utter insanity of pretending the Quran is benign and an attempt to forbid publication of the Quran and burn all the copies in existence. We are well on the danger side of that middle ground.
You misread me. I have no problem with the people, although I don't think we should import them, or even let them visit, if they carry the ideology. In the longer term, it's the ideology that needs to be abolished, as militant Shinto and Nazism were.
As I've pointed out before, I think our half measures and weak responses to provocation will probably lead to a very destructive global spasm which I would prefer were avoided.
you wrote - "Because we didn’t believe in collective guilt, we were able more or less immediately to establish ourselves as benign occupiers, guardians of Japanese (as German) welfare, respectful of indigenous culture."
An excellent analogy for use as a model for after we address the problem in a decisive fashion, although I suspect it will take a number of additional attacks on us, the catalyzing one likely with nuclear weapons, before our children or grandchildren implement it. I won't belabor the parallel to de-nazification and de-militantshintoization because it isn't necessary.
That Japanese Cultural Center was built in 1986, forty five years after the surprise attack and after forty one years of demonstrated Japanese peacefulness. Also, it's not as close to U.S. Arizona as the Islamic propaganda, terrorist recruitment and attack planning facility that's proposed for two blocks from Ground Zero.
Not that I oppose the building of that facility, I remind you. I would personally prefer that it be right across the street from Ground Zero, so every American visiting the site could see it.
many of the people nodding furiously when Glenn Beck indicts the Wilson-fascist American Protective League will be first in line to join its contemporary successor in such a circumstance.
Unless they decide Islam is the stronger horse, in which case they will be yelling Allahu Akbar, waving swords and slashing their kids' foreheads with the best of them.
@ forecastle casady:
I knew you would eventually work your way around to reason.
@ CK MacLeod:
Right now we're acting as though literal belief in the Quran is not the problem even though the book clearly calls for world domination by force. The book is actually far more dangerous than Mein Kampf, precisely because it is not racist.
There is a middle ground between the utter insanity of pretending the Quran is benign and an attempt to forbid publication of the Quran and burn all the copies in existence. We are well on the danger side of that middle ground.
@ CK MacLeod:
You misread me. I have no problem with the people, although I don't think we should import them, or even let them visit, if they carry the ideology. In the longer term, it's the ideology that needs to be abolished, as militant Shinto and Nazism were.
As I've pointed out before, I think our half measures and weak responses to provocation will probably lead to a very destructive global spasm which I would prefer were avoided.
@ CK MacLeod:
you wrote - "Because we didn’t believe in collective guilt, we were able more or less immediately to establish ourselves as benign occupiers, guardians of Japanese (as German) welfare, respectful of indigenous culture."
An excellent analogy for use as a model for after we address the problem in a decisive fashion, although I suspect it will take a number of additional attacks on us, the catalyzing one likely with nuclear weapons, before our children or grandchildren implement it. I won't belabor the parallel to de-nazification and de-militantshintoization because it isn't necessary.
@ forecastle casady:
That Japanese Cultural Center was built in 1986, forty five years after the surprise attack and after forty one years of demonstrated Japanese peacefulness. Also, it's not as close to U.S. Arizona as the Islamic propaganda, terrorist recruitment and attack planning facility that's proposed for two blocks from Ground Zero.
Not that I oppose the building of that facility, I remind you. I would personally prefer that it be right across the street from Ground Zero, so every American visiting the site could see it.
@ CK MacLeod:
We'll want to make sure ADA provisions are strictly enforced. Wouldn't want access of guide dogs to be hindered.
New Yorkers will also want to calculate the blast radius of the amount of ammonium nitrate that can be stuffed into a 15 story building.
@ CK MacLeod:
Unless they decide Islam is the stronger horse, in which case they will be yelling Allahu Akbar, waving swords and slashing their kids' foreheads with the best of them.
@ Fourcheese casady:
One of my "uncles" sometimes drove one of those cadillacs on the job, so to speak, not that he would ever have spoken of it.