[lit-ideas] Re: Who are you calling crazy?
- From: Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 21:21:25 -0700 (PDT)
I don't know if the Marines are really mentally ill,
but from your account they sound to be. Of course, I
am cautious about taking your account as an accurate
description of reality, as ever.
As for "Islamists" and "moderate Muslims," we have had
this discussion many times before. In your eyes, I am
a dangerous extremist because I express critical
opinions about the US and Israel. So I am not
surprized that you don't see a lot of "moderate
Muslims" unless they are on Washington's payroll or
something like Fuad Ajami or Ibn-Waraq.
The suicide bombers don't blow themselves up for 71
virgins in paradize, but for attainment of political
or military goals, or sometimes in revenge. I don't
have much liking for them as I am not a military type,
but I don't think they are much different from the war
and resistance heroes whom other nations, including
the US, celebrate. Was Davie Crockett sane that he
allowed himself to be killed at Alamo ?
As for Bin-Laden calling for Musharaff's assasination,
I don't see how it is necessarily more insane than
Bush calling for Saddam Hussein's assassination, or
Pat Robertosn calling for the assassination of Hugo
Chavez, etc.
Finally, as to the constant obsession with security,
there is an element of cowardice (midly put) in it.
Yes, bad things do happen, mostly in unexpected ways.
I have had a lot of fights, some spectacular, but I
never got seriously injured in any of them. I got
seriously injured when I just slipped on ice and fell,
and took me more than a year to recover. We cannot
possibly eliminate all the dangers that exist in the
world, and usually we just have to live with them.
People who are truly brave take it philosophically.
O.K.
--- Lawrence Helm <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Omar
>
>
>
> Marines aren't mentally ill but the Islamists are.
> Islamists describe
> themselves in word and deeds and their descriptions
> correspond to mental
> illness. You once suggested that I had a thing
> about their blowing up cars.
> It isn't my thing. It was after reading account
> after account of their
> doing that in Europe that I mentioned several times.
> It is their thing, and
> apparently not just Islamists but your "moderate"
> Muslims. There have been
> lots and lots of damage and it can't all have been
> caused by the Islamists -
> unless there really are no moderates. Are there?
> They behave insanely and
> as of the time of the writings of Bawer, Berlinski,
> Fenby, Yeor, Fallici
> etc, they are still behaving that way.
>
>
>
> Is their being willing to blow themselves up not
> mentally ill? Do you
> appeal to Islam to justify an explanation of sanity?
> Let's hear it. I
> don't think there is one. Anyone willing to blow
> himself up for virgins in
> paradise is nuts. Marines are called nuts for being
> willing to fight such
> people. It's all in how you look at the world I
> suppose.
>
>
>
> Bin Laden has called for Musharaff's assassination.
> Is that not insane? The
> wimpy of the world worry about the attitude of the
> Marines, about their
> being insensitive and unfeeling. But they don't
> worry about berserk
> Islamists. Some of the people here on Lit-Ideas
> sound as thought they would
> rather stop the Marines than the Islamists. Now
> that is mentally ill.
> Fortunately Marines are taught about Civilians in
> boot camp. They are
> taught that civilians barely have sense enough to
> get out of each other's
> way. We are taught not worry about the dumb things
> they say and do but to
> fight for them in spite of all that.
>
>
>
> Lawrence
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Omar Kusturica
> Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 6:39 PM
> To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Punitive Expeditions (in
> the garden)
>
>
>
> Lawrence,
>
>
>
> Ever seen MASH ? No, I didn't think so. You might
> have
>
> a bit more sense of humour about "a Marine being
>
> always prepared" if you have.
>
> You description of a Marine strikes me a lot like a
>
> description of mental illness.
>
>
>
> Omar
>
>
>
>
>
>
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