| Subject: Re: fundamentalism is scary |
Author:
Astrid
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Date Posted: 19:02:10 07/10/02 Wed
In reply to:
Raisinmom
's message, "Re: fundamentalism is scary" on 04:55:20 07/10/02 Wed
Some comments on the Buruma opinion piece...
"Why do some western intellectuals get more worked up about George Bush than they do about Saddam Hussein, and more about Ramallah than Kashmir?"
That's easy--because Saddam isn't claiming to be a progressive representative of democracy and freedom (and then turning around and acting as dictator and oppressor).
Saddam and his rule is clearly more problematic that Bush's, but Bush's is something we can actually do something about through open discourse and criticism. When Bush's behaviour betrays our ideals, we feel compelled to speak out (some of us more dogmatically and violently than others, which I find ironic, but anyway).
"Suicide-bombing is understandable, but harsh treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay inexcusable."
It's a question of power, isn't it? Suicide bombing can be seen as the act of the powerless, whereas the military is firmly in control in Guantanamo Bay.
"It is true that anti-Americanism and anti-semitism are linked, historically, and dovetail nicely in the demonology of anti-capitalism. But, especially in the case of Pinter, anti-semitism is surely a bit implausible. (Not that Jewish anti-semitism does not exist; think of Karl Marx.)"
This is an idea you've mentioned before, Raisinmom, and it intrigues me, but I would like to see a more complete argument for this. Are Judaism and capitalism a package deal? I should think not. It's an interesting idea, though, that racism or prejudice would influence economic ideas.
"Fairly or not, the US and Israel remind us of what we once were, and they are hated for it."
I think you can make a stronger case for hatred of the US than of Israel. Perhaps it's just the circles I run with, but the US is clearly an easy target for political criticism--it IS the superpower of the world, and it's notoriously insular in its thinking. We won't even go into the history of its allegiances and feuds...
I don't get the sense of a hatred toward Israel by anyone but Arab states, however. Maybe I'm naive?
"It would be more logical - and historically accurate - to blame Stalinism, religious extremism and tyranny for making the world unsafe, instead of taking our fears out on the Americans and the Israelis."
Well these are the sorts of things I blame.
"To use military force on them strikes many well-meaning Europeans not only as anachronistic, but immoral."
But wait a second... what of the idea that military force should be minimised whenever possible? Maybe it's not guilt talking, but experience. We see WWII as a necessary evil, but still an evil to be avoided whenever possible.
"The tasteless parallels drawn between Israelis and Nazis help to press this idea home. "
I'm not going to indulge in such parallels, which aren't just tasteless but also inaccurate. But I admit to a sense of disappointment that a people as oppressed as the Jews in Europe would in turn support the oppression of the Palestinians. Ultimately, I think that people are people, but the irony strikes me from time to time.
And yes, I recognise that this oppression is more complicated than other forms of oppression have been, historically. Nevertheless, the levels of violence sometimes indulged in by the Israeli military make me cringe with a sense of, "will we humans ever learn from the sins of the past?"
"To be sceptical of military solutions is reasonable. But to think, as some do, that the axis of evil runs through Washington and Jerusalem, is perverse."
Well, this seems like hyperbole. Criticism of what administrations do is a far cry from claims of an "axis of evil" (which is a US phrase, not a european one, incidentally. ;-)
Astrid
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