My Saudi Students

[Devastatin Dave]

Good post Tachi, every Arab I've ever met were nice and pleasent. Every society has their share of jerks. Still the nicest folks to me are Koreans.

[Divinus Arma]

I prefer the term "boomski".


That's a joke.



Seriously though, I agree with the intent of this post. It is sad. But it is even sadder that mainstream muslim organizations refuse to condemn terrorist acts.


Here's a funny story: A family friend of mine is Jewish and was recently divorced. He dated an Iranian-American shortly after. Until she stated that Israel should be destroyed and that Jews are evil, except for him. He found that just a little awkward.

I feel bad for the majority of Muslims who are victimized by their own people who perpetrate stereotypical behavior.

I also feel bad for black people who are victimized by their own ethnic members who embrace stereotypical black urban culture.

And Republicans who are racist white trash also piss me off, because they make the rest of republicans look like trash.


I have no prob with ethnicity. White, black, brown, yellow, it matters not. We all bleed green. It's culture that defines us, and that is a matter of nurture, not nature. Racists of any color make me sick to my stomach. They are truly misguided evil SOBs.

[Reenk Roink]

Seriously though, I agree with the intent of this post. It is sad. But it is even sadder that mainstream muslim organizations refuse to condemn terrorist acts.

I can actually get you a list of hundreds of Muslim organizations, from liberal, to orthodox, and even the radical, that condemned terrorist attacks. I can get you hundreds of statements from Muslims, from Orthodox clerics to the ordinary Abdullah that condemn terrorist attacks. Or you could google it. www.google.com

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Well, I would be interested in riots protesting terrorist attacks.

[Reenk Roink]

Well, I would be interested in riots protesting terrorist attacks.

Well, I'm sure they would be interested in riots protesting the civilian deaths in their countries due to our bombs...

After all, most of the war protests are small (opposition to it is large) and focus on getting our troops out of there...

[Divinus Arma]

I would be even more interested in them turning on their own extremists and engaging in a civil war to purge themselves of their cancer.

[Reenk Roink]

Civil War? I'm sorry, but al-Qaeda is much too small of an organization and controls no land. It would have to be a..."war on terror". But it also must be done ideologically which is why this response by an important Muslim scholar was such a pleasing find on google:

http://www.mereislam.info/articles/D...A-Al-Akiti.pdf

*it's long, and I skimmed through it, but it is a good read*

Also, there was this interesting interview with Sadr in Newsweek, that firebrand Iraqi cleric, who earlier was on our hitlist because he was able to hold back our military quite effectively, and only backed down when his superior Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani wagged his finger. He was talking about how he classified the Sunni's into two groups:

1) The majority who are his brothers in Islam
2) The takfiri's who follow Zarqawi and kill Iraqis and need to be fought

See, I think that the Muslim world in general is doing it's best to shed the unfair 'terrorist' label...

If this isn't enough evidence, than I don't know what is...

[Ice]

Well, I'm sure they would be interested in riots protesting the civilian deaths in their countries due to our bombs...

After all, most of the war protests are small (opposition to it is large) and focus on getting our troops out of there...

You are going to fit in well at U of M.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I feel bad for the majority of Muslims who are victimized by their own people who perpetrate stereotypical behavior.

I also feel bad for black people who are victimized by their own ethnic members who embrace stereotypical black urban culture.

I also feel bad for Republicans.

I agree, Divinus.

[Divinus Arma]

I agree, Divinus.

Oh you wascally wabbit. You spinster you. That is jutht dethpicable. Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Wakka wakka wakka!

[Romulas]

I think we would all agree that the stereotypes are indeed view points born of ignorance. We all develop our opinions based on personal experience or the experiences of others. I dare say, is it possible that having the opportunity to meet and interact with people from the Middle East in our communities or in our classrooms does not give an all inclusive religious, sexism, politeness medal. Now, is there anyone who has been over there to experience the Middle East and its stereotypes of Westerners and just HOW polite they might be. How many of us can walk through the lands of the MIddle East and come out alive. Compared to how many of the Middle East not only walk through our lands, but have been welcomed into our communities and schools. Comparing Oklahoma City bombing and abortion doctor murders to daily terrorist bombings is stretch.

So I say that before I wave the wand of forgiveness, show me more that politeness here in the West.

Romulas

[Reenk Roink]

I think we would all agree that the stereotypes are indeed view points born of ignorance. We all develop our opinions based on personal experience or the experiences of others. I dare say, is it possible that having the opportunity to meet and interact with people from the Middle East in our communities or in our classrooms does not give an all inclusive religious, sexism, politeness medal. Now, is there anyone who has been over there to experience the Middle East and its stereotypes of Westerners and just HOW polite they might be. How many of us can walk through the lands of the MIddle East and come out alive. Compared to how many of the Middle East not only walk through our lands, but have been welcomed into our communities and schools. Comparing Oklahoma City bombing and abortion doctor murders to daily terrorist bombings is stretch.

So I say that before I wave the wand of forgiveness, show me more that politeness here in the West.

Romulas

A little while back (1970's-1980's), we were welcomed and treated like honored guests...

That changed, and there is a reason...

You are going to fit in well at U of M.

With the 'fair and cool kids group' . But not with the kids who think religion is a drug (and the only drug they won't try... ).

[Tachikaze]

I meant in my first post that the Muslim men (also all Saudi in this case) wrote about their desires for equality with women. And it wasn't 100%. One had some reservations.

DevDave:
I also like the Koreans very much.

[Xiahou]

Tachikaze, not to disagree overmuch with your point about stereotypes, but surely you can't make a judgement based on your experiences with a handful of wealthy, liberal(comparatively) students who have been sent to America to learn with that of your average Middle-easterner. I dont know that that's anymore valid than the stereotype you're trying to put down.

If you're trying to say not every Muslim is a terrorist, then I think you're preaching to the choir here- but is there much else to be gleaned from this?

[Fragony]

I prefer the term "boomski".


That's a joke.

Hey, that's my joke(tm)

I am sure they can be great people, but there are differences that make it hard to communicate. We do have completily different cultures, friction is best avoided.