[lit-ideas] Re: Comments on Stans articles
- From: Carol Kirschenbaum <carolkir@xxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:14:02 -0700
LH wrote:
"...have been downtrodden by someone or something. Modern Psychology assures
us they are not responsible for their own actions."
ck: This sentiment is a complete misreading of psychology in a social context.
Responsibility for one's actions is distinct from the myriad contributing
factors that may cause individuals to commit crimes. But conflating these two
concepts--contributing causes and personal responsibility--is a favorite
pasttime of people who want to eliminate all societal responsibility for events.
Carol
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 7:54 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Comments on Stans articles
Phil,
My take on Stan's last two articles:
Both the articles that are the occasion of your objection illustrate
something very important, that the conflict we are witnessing is between a
Liberal Democracy and forces that favor tyrannical authoritarianism*. The
Lebanese girl isn't exaggerating when she says that if she were to be a Jew
asking similar help under similar circumstances from the Jihadists, she would
be killed and they would think they had done a good thing by killing an
infidel. We read about such things in the newspapers, often by
Leftist-oriented reporters who excuse the abuses because the Muslims
perpetrating them have been downtrodden by someone or something. Modern
Psychology assures us they are not responsible for their own actions.
The other article, the Haaretz editorial draws our attention at a broader
level to the same thing: a Liberal Democracy is fighting against the forces of
tyrannical authoritarianism*, in this case Militant Islam in the form of a
Terrorist organization (two if we count Hamas) bent upon their destruction.
What good is a cease fire? What good is a peace treaty with a force that has
sworn your destruction? Let them say first that they recognize Israel's right
to exist and then talk about a peace treaty. Can there be peace between you
and someone who has sworn to kill you?
Militant Islam has incorporated the worst characteristics of European
anti-Semitism into their anti-Israel campaign. They treat the Protocols of
Zion as though they represented fact. Who is ignorant enough not to know the
Protocols of Zion is a fiction? There is no excuse for anyone in this modern
age to pretend that the Protocols of Zion are fact. While there is no excuse,
a force that is authoritarian and tyrannical can lie to its people and convince
them that the Protocols of Zion is fact. Also, they treat the Holocaust as a
fiction. It is interesting that many in the Europe that in bygone days was the
home of so much anti-Semitism have warmed up to these Militant tyrannical
authoritarians as they exhibit the old-fashioned anti-Semitism to a remarkable
degree. This is one of the disgusting elements in this modern struggle, but it
is after all a mere distraction. The Militant Islamists would soon feel the
same way about Denmark should those happy people and Israel be able to change
places.
Israel is a Liberal Democracy and is indeed on the front lines of this
struggle against Militant Islam. There can be no moral equivalency in this
regard. Militant Islam must be opposed especially wherever it is doing what it
was designed to do -- fighting against any infidel or nation of infidels,
especially Liberal Democracies. They don't want peace and they don't want
truces or peace treaties unless they need a break from their ongoing relentless
campaign to destroy all infidels.
* Some here love to quibble about words or expressions, but the difficulty
with being able to use one term to fit all that Militant Islam is and is
mounting in the way of aggression against the West, against the US, against
Israel, and against infidels is endemic in the nature of Militant Islam itself.
They don't want to use one expression unless it is "Islam." They don't think
of themselves as a sect. They are engaging in what Islam urges them to do.
The Jihad is part of their religion and they are being true to it and the names
the west uses like "Islamism," "Militant Islam," "Islamic Fundamentalism," and
"Jihadism" are signs of the West's ignorance. They are merely being Muslims,
no more and no less. For the purposes of this note I have used an expression,
Tyrannical Authoritarianism, that is an attribute of their ideology. Their
Islam admits of no other authority. It demands compliance with the Sharia.
Thus a wounded Jew if captured by Hezbollah or other Jihadists would be killed
in compliance with Islam (as they see Islam). It is also being true to Islam
in its unending relentless attempts to destroy the Infidels inhabiting the
nation, which they don't consider a nation, called Israel.
Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Phil Enns
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 6:03 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] A Favour Please
I would like to ask a favour from those who contribute to the list.
Please don't post articles or parts of articles without commenting.
I ask this for two related reasons. First, I am part of this list
because I am interested in hearing what the others on this list have to
say about whatever topics are of interest. I want to hear what Omar or
Stan or Lawrence think, not some talking head. There are plenty of
services that collect articles and editorials so this list need not.
Second, an article posted without comment leaves me wondering about the
relationship between the content of the article and the poster. Does
Omar, or Stan, agree with the whole article, parts of it, and which?
Tell me if the article reflects your understanding and if you disagree
at points, why?
I have begun deleting posts that appear to be comprised of forwarded
articles. This isn't because I am not interested in the topics but
rather because reading them defeats the purpose of my belonging to this
list. May I suggest providing comments and then either pasting parts
of the article or linking to it. This may not always be appropriate but
I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Phil Enns
Toronto, ON
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