http://akramsrazor.typepad.com/islam_america/2006/05/understanding_t.html Rule 1: Muslims always speak truthfully and literally Muslims always mean exactly what they say and in as literally a sense as possible. It’s a commonly known fact that all Muslims are born with (or acquire instantly upon conversion) dazzling, Ciceronian eloquence and supercomputer-like minds that allow them to effortlessly think through the political, social and theological implications of even the most off-the-cuff observation down to the smallest detail. As a result, Muslims never say things they don't mean in the heat of the moment, use ambiguous language that has to be judged by its context, or generally misspeak in any way. More importantly, outside observers needn't worry about how to interpret their words, since Muslims are always honest. Ergo, if a Pakistani American Red Sox fan in Boston exclaims, "Damn those Yankees!", it is possible that he dislikes the New York Yankees, but his unambiguous aim in speaking is to issue a fatwah concerning the ultimate fate in the Hereafter of that baseball team’s members. Similiarly, when a Muslim exclaims to a buddy, "Man, I'm gonna kill you!" he is not expressing anger or resentment but rather informing his associate of the latter's imminent demise. Rule 2: Except when they’re lying to trick you. There is an exception to Rule 1, namely when a Muslim states anything which is modern, enlightened, politically moderate or in any way positive. Muslims are deceitful by nature and come into the world hardwired with the most abhorrent and alien of values. (Just like those cunning Jews!) Consequently, the most reliable method of determining a Muslim's beliefs when he inexplicably says something you agree with is to disregard his words and instead consider what views a civilized, modern person would hold on the matter. Then choose the opposite approach, no matter how chilling, seemingly implausible, or strenuously denied the reading is by said Muslim and you have the answer. Wondering whether Palestinians consider their children disposable cannon fodder for jihad against the Jews? Don't waste your time analyzing their dire circumstances or the failure of non-violent forms of resistance to attract international attention. Ask youself, do normal people love and protect their children from harm? There you have it. Since the answer is by definition "yes," it follows inexorably that Palestinians lack love for or concern about the welfare of their children. Move on to the next heartwarming report about a fireman rescuing a cat from a tree. Rule 3: Muslim words apply to all times, places A fact that has long puzzled linguists is how the phenomenon discussed in Rule 1 applies to all circumstances and places. Muslim utterances retain their meaning, intent and political significance in translation--regardless of the translation’s quality and even when a translation of translation is involved--and regardless of the historical and cultural circumstances to which they are transplanted. Thus, the aforementioned malediction against the New York Yankees can not only be translated word for word into any human language without introducing any misunderstandings, but its theological commentary can be applied not only to fellow believers in an afterlife such as Christians and Jews, but also to atheists in New York, Wiccans in California, Japanese Shintoists in Hokkaido, and Yuruba animists in southwestern Nigeria. Don't fret about authorial intent or context--he's a Muslim, so he thought it all through for you before saying a word. Rule 4: Deep down, Muslims are always thinking about (and yearning for) violence. Muslims are by nature warlike and inclined to violence, so physically harming other people is never absent from their minds, regardless of the topic under discussion. In cases where they endeavor to conceal this fact, you just need to dig deeper. Strap 'em down and break out the lie detector. Thus, if a Muslim American student activist talks about his personal interpretation of jihad (literally, "struggle [in God's way]") as striving to integrate Islam's values of justice and service to ones neighbors into his daily life as a patriotic American, you can be sure that he is in reality trying to slip in a plug for terrorists who behead and kill plane loads of those same neighbors. Similarly, if some graduating students who are Muslim decide to add to their gowns green stoles that read in Arabic Rabbi ziddini ilm ("Oh Lord, grant me knowledge", a prayer from the Quran) on one side and the Islamic profession of faith or Shahada on the other, these provocateurs are obviously trying to turn the ceremony into a tribute to the Hamas suicide bombers (who are known for wearing black armbands emblazoned with the Shahada). Don't let the fact that Muslims use those prayers in the most mundane of situations--even before going to bed--throw you off the scent. Rule 5: It's always "jihad" Related to Rule 4 is the fact that any event involving Muslims is always jihad. Not the concept of a peaceful personal struggle to do the right thing that most Muslims, sly foxes that they are, claim to intend when using the word. Nor is it the noble campaigns for good causes that normal, Christian people think of when they talk about "crusades". Anything a Muslim does is always violent holy war directed against everyone around them. Whether they're pinning prayers to their graduation gowns or just standing by the road licking an ice cream cone, it's jihad and you're under siege like the Viennese facing the Ottoman hordes in 1529. Don't let the social economic and political realities of near complete Muslim powerlessness in the modern, Western/Christian-dominated world distract you from the fact that you are an oppressed Dhimmi living under the yoke of Muslim tyranny. So make sure you pepper your report with the word "jihad" and other buzzwords that remind readers of the mortal peril we all live in thanks to the existence of Islam. Don't forget to mention medieval Islamic concepts like jizya, slavery, and, everyone's favorite, houris. The fact that these concepts are about as relevant to most modern political problems as Danegeld is besides the point. Finally, always err on the side of innuendo, paranoia and stereotype. Remember that if you can't think of a good reason for inserting prejudicial language now, someone else will eventually dream up a retroactive justification. And then you'll be a prophet.
It's very funny and not true of course, Muslims are from all backgrounds and cultures and thus theya re 'people'. And like all people, they have different measures of good and bad traits. Meanwhile One thing I admired very much when I went to Tunisia was the way that the Arabs there behaved with regards to , if they did not like you they did not pretend to and vice versa, they were not inhibited with regards to their affection for you. It was amazingly refreshing and a trait that is also apparant with Arabs I knew in this country. That does by no means, mean that they do not lie, but just that the trait with regards to friendship is not a thing you ever need to doubt, where as with British culture, we are so polite it can be heard to tell and hence the expression evolved 'two faced'. I wonder if there is even an arab equivalent for that expression? Anyone know?
Only if you blow up their families first. Tell me what was first, US intervention or Arab terrorism? And if the positions were reversed? As in 9/11? What did the US do? Praise Allah?
There've been many Arab terrorists. Think the beginning of Islamism. And how about the 1972 Olympic games? I suppose the US were responsible because they arranged Israel? The fact of the matter is, whatever anyone does or says, it's just not good enough unless everyone bows down to Allah
The US has been intervening in the ME since it was formed. http://www.isreview.org/issues/15/blood_for_oil.shtml
First, the "Middle East" has existed since the invention of directions and standardized maps. Second, maybe the US has been intervening because the ME is full of terrorists. And oil. Possibly the oil.
damn, and Sam was just beginning to respond to my posts Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
It's all very simple. The ME has, by far, the largest supplies of oil in the world. Since the industrial revolution in Europe and the subsequent elevation of oil to the status of "black gold", the ME was doomed to be a war-torn, divided, fought-over region. It's just unfortunate that there happened to be people there. The more powerful industrial nations try to play as nice as they can given their dependence on the regions oil. But rest assured, they will protect their own interests. The US is just currently the biggest of the thirsty industrial giants. All of the "west", Japan, and now China, are just waiting in line with their billion-barrell jugs. If it was reversed, the "west" would be terrorizing the rest of the world and the ME would be sending aircraft carriers to "visit" the more unstable regions of central and north America.
The ME and Middle Eastern "muslims" do not have any moral high-ground. Any powerful group that needs the resources of a less powerful group will get them any way they can.
Are these the same British who colonised and enslaved much of the Third World? The ones who divided the ME to maintain their interests? The same ones who "gave" European Jews a country in the middle of the Arabs but refused them entry into their owwn country? Those British?
