Letters to the Editor
Baldie McEagle
Published Letters: 992 Editor's Choice: 3
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Goldenturd
[Read the article: Support for al-Qaida plots on large right-wing blog]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hi Baldie,
If you think I am a new fool to kick around, you are mistaken - at least about the "new" part. I've been posting on Salon for some time now, and have kicked around quite a bit and called much worse than a fool. If you ever have something substantive to say I'll try my best to respond.
Well, you're new to me. But your once-astonishing combination of arrogance and ignorance, sadly, is not.
It's certainly no surprise that you "missed" the substance in my remarks. The reason is plain---I flatly contradicted you. However much you have posted here, and however much you enjoy being called a fool, you are incapable of actually engaging in argument. All you can do is misdirect.
I called you on it, as did others, and you respond by fluffing your chickenfeathers. I won't hold my breath for a substantive response from you.
Aside to Michelle: I'm well aware of Muslim's historical taste for the Koran in its original tongue---I was strictly addressing the irrelevance of GB's little lecture. I'm glad you have some knowledge of actual Muslims to contribute here. Little enough to go around.
Hmm, I wonder what other major religion insisted on devotion in a dead tongue for a thousand years? And until as recently as the last century. At least Arabic is still alive.
Did you know that, Goldenturd?
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@GB
[Read the article: Support for al-Qaida plots on large right-wing blog]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm not the only one who's been drawn out today - you have stated clearly that you have no sympathy for the victims of the CAIR-sponsored intimidation. Let's see how that one plays out, including the likely death threats.
Yes, the death threats, of course. Would they be from Muslims? Or liberals?
Is there any other kind? Is there a difference?
Now, is that substance, or just mockery? All in the eye of the beholder, I suspect.
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An answer from GB
[Read the article: Support for al-Qaida plots on large right-wing blog]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Baldie,
Well, at least you have a question. Yes, I am aware that Roman Catholic masses were held in Latin until Vatican II. Thanks for the quiz, that was fun. Let me know if you want to talk about anything else. By the way, those passengers named in the US Airways suit will almost certainly have very bad things happen to them, including death threats. I don't see that as funny at all, or as somthing desirable because it allows one to bash those who criticize Islam.
Thank you for the answer, but you may not have the whole story. Masses were not always held in Latin by choice, but sometimes by law. This was the case in Ireland until very recently, if I'm not mistaken. So you had millions of Xians mumbling mumbojumbo they could not possibly understand. And this was considered ideal by the men in red dresses. So in brief, aren't you just replacing good old-fashioned Papist paranoia with newfangled Islamist paranoia?
The rest makes no sense to me. And you still haven't said who will "almost certainly" be issuing the death threats.
William,
Your bizarre thought experiment has Muslims cast in the victim role, when the fact is that we are talking about how people have been murdered and intimidated in the name of Islam. But you do bring up a good point about whether or not I know any actual Muslims. In fact, I do. It was when these Muslims began to open to me and share their thoughts about Americans that I started to re-examine my opinions about Islam. It was absolutely shocking to hear what those who I thought of as mainstream, moderate Muslims really think about Americans and our values. There was a time when I thought like most of you, that Muslims were scapegoats of the right, but once I started to learn about Islam I realized the truth.
No, YOU were talking about those murdered in the name of Islam. It's all you talk about, and that's why you are a bigot. Hey, did you hear about the black guy that robbed a store?
Funny, I used to know a guy who was a bigoted black Muslim whom one day God told to stop it with "that shit." And he became a bigoted Xian. It really wasn't much of a shift, but it made him feel better about himself.
There was an article somewhere very recently---possibly in Salon---about how Muslim groups/mosques in the US have been slow to realize that their unwillingness to condemn Islamic terrorism in absolute terms---because they couldn't face the idea that Muslims actually did those things---has not helped them with Americans. They are slowly coming around. You should read this if you haven't already.
As I see it, Muslims easily find themselves trapped in medieval rhetoric dating back to when Islam was the center of civilization. That gives them, to us, an arrogant-seeming posture, makes them appear intolerant or unconciliatory, and scares the bejeezus out of plain folk who don't know their history. It's a real problem, and I'm sorry you got taken in by it. I'm guessing you feel better about it though, because it means you don't need to feel guilty any more about your fear and rage. Like any neoliberal (read: neocon). White guilt gets old, don't it? But what you realized was nothing like truth, because truth does not rest easy.
I understand, you see, because for a few days after 9/11, I wanted to kill them all too, and take some French with them. But I didn't take the easy way, like you did. I sought questions, not answers.
Hmmm, who else uses arrogant medieval rhetoric that frightens the foolish and keeps continents in line? Hint---it's another old guy in a dress.
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Fred and the world
[Read the article: Fred Hiatt and Iraq -- Together Forever]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You mean it's not all about Fred and his valuable interactions with his world? Think of it as a kind of home schooling. Fred sits at home with his "long-distance learning" while the world burns. What would you have him do---go out into it? Ewww, germs.
It's better to be inside the bubble pissing out than outside the bubble pissing in.