h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You can talk to people who are using terror as a tool to achieve some end. (They hate what you do.) However, there are some for whom terror IS the end. Their aim is to kill you. Period. (They hate you.) I don't see how you come to a meeting of the minds with those folks.

I also have a real problem with mass murders criticising my behaviour, but that's another discussion.

However, I agree that the current US administration is pretty clueless, as are many of my countrymen. They don't seem to grasp that you can agree on the need to deal with terrorism but disagree vehemently on methods. And I also think many people (on 'their' side and 'our' side) miss the fact that militant Islam is politics, not religion.

The US Founding Fathers separated Church from State, not to protect religions from the State, but to protect the State from religions. Militant Islam is a graphic demonstration as to why.

Cheers quizzical my column is designed to spark debate. I'm glad it has with you.

Has anybody bothered to ask the terrorist in this case if they have a pupose?

Is it against the financial superpower of the World finance capital? After all that was represented by the World Trade Center.

Or was it an attack against unilateral Miltary intervention into every world crisis? The pentagon.

As for the fourth plane on 09/11 where was that bound?

As for fundamentalist Islam which leads to the milatancy you hint at. Within the Koran the only reason this is actually allowed to aid the followers cause for paradise in a Holy War or Ji'had. Therefore something that the West is doing to Muslim states, or Islamic peoples that is causing them to seek this stance.

Bush and Blair appear ignorant in their knowledge of Islam. Even a very brief piece of education into that religion might aid them in their deliberations over what to do. Look at the anti-government reaction recently in asian Leicester and Birmingham.

Separation of church and state is good. But has America ever elected a Jew, Muslim, Buddist, agnostic or atheist for that matter. Having researched the American Prezes for one of my articles under religion all that is listed are different flavours of Christian church. the UK at least has had one Jewish born PM Disreali. An a couple of agnotics or atheists.

DD

'Has anybody bothered to ask the terrorist in this case if they have a pupose?
Is it against the financial superpower of the World finance capital? After all that was represented by the World Trade Center.
Or was it an attack against unilateral Miltary intervention into every world crisis? The pentagon'

I think al Qaeda has said that their aim is the destruction of the US. Doesn't appear to leave much room for fruitful discussion.

'As for the fourth plane on 09/11 where was that bound?' The Pentagon, I think.

'As for fundamentalist Islam which leads to the milatancy you hint at. Within the Koran the only reason this is actually allowed to aid the followers cause for paradise in a Holy War or Ji'had. Therefore something that the West is doing to Muslim states, or Islamic peoples that is causing them to seek this stance.'

I'm not sure the one follows from the other. Just because someone feels threatened doesn't mean that anyone is actively or consciously acting against him. I do think that, to outsiders, the US appears to be this huge, powerful monolith that rolls over anything in its path. (Shoot, our culture rolls over its own citizens a lot of the time.) I think that's often the result of corporations spreading themselves all over the planet in an attempt to sell their products. And I would also suggest that if your religion tells you that holy war will lead you to paradise, you'll be looking hard for something to make war on.

'Bush and Blair appear ignorant in their knowledge of Islam. Even a very brief piece of education into that religion might aid them in their deliberations over what to do. Look at the anti-government reaction recently in asian Leicester and Birmingham.'

Absolutely. And because citizens of both countries elect their leaders, it would behoove them to educate themselves as well. (Yeah, like that will happen.) But I would also suggest that there is plenty of ignorance on both sides.

'Separation of church and state is good. But has America ever elected a Jew, Muslim, Buddist, agnostic or atheist for that matter. Having researched the American Prezes for one of my articles under religion all that is listed are different flavours of Christian church. the UK at least has had one Jewish born PM Disreali. An a couple of agnotics or atheists.'


Nope, nearly all were WASPs (white Anglo-Saxon Protestants). We've had one Roman Catholic (John F Kennedy), and his election was a pretty close thing. Despite what you may see coming out of Hollywood, the US is actually a fairly conservative, prudish country.

Another thing that makes me wonder if we can ever come to some agreement with certain elements is a difference in basic values. In the West, random killing of women and children is considered an abominable evil. It appears that other countries consider it 'OK in certain circumstances'. And there are things that we do that they consider an abominable evil but that don't even register on our Evil-O-Metres. We look at each other and wonder how on earth anyone can think that way. This looks like an unbridgeable gulf to me.

The one thing that is NOT helpful and that everybody needs to get over is viewing 'The Other' as the Great Satan. That viewpoint simply blinds you to what is really going on and guarantees that nothing you do will accomplish what you hope it will. Another thing that everyone should get over is thinking that a passionate belief in a particular world view means that 1) your view is correct and that 2) the rest of the world is obligated to agree with you. You may be wrong. The universe was not created in your image. Get over it.

I'm working on a response.

Please hold....