A lot of the time, I have a real problem with blogging. The temptation is too great to spout off a quick rant without sitting down to think about what I really mean to say. Then, when I get around to saying it, someone (or more likely a dozen someones) have already beaten me to it. Of course, just to rub salt into the wound, they have the audacity to write more eloquently than I. Bastidges.
In response to my recent off-the-cuff reaction to the Iraqis’ official note of joy and wonder at how cool God is to blow up an evil American space shuttle (mainly, of course, because it was carrying an evil Israeli astronaut), wKen had this to say:
According to Congressman Lindsey Graham, god is evidently a Republican, because he said recently, “George W. Bush’s election by 1,000 votes was an act of miraculous Divine intervention the real magnitude of which we are only realizing a year later. Heaven help us had God not intervened on our behalf!”
Everyone thinks god is on their side, and I don’t see any difference in the statements from Iraq than I do in our nation or others believing god helped kill thousand of enemies in various battles.
I think Lincoln said it best in his second inauguaral address when he pointed out that neither the North nor South escaped hardship and tragedy in the Civil War. “Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other… The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes.”
People should stop using god to justify their own hatred, regardless of who they hate, or why.
Exactly.
The problem is that the gut speaks louder than the head sometimes. The head tells me that the impending attack on Iraq is unjustified for a hundred different reasons. But as I sat and mourned the loss of seven brave men and women who were doing their part to further mankind’s progress, the despicable joy of the Iraqis was too much to take. Even the Palestinians didn’t go that far.
There is no justification for taking glory in the deaths of others. Even in the case of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, dancing in the streets and praising God for His glorious help in their righteous destruction would be wrong. And, though some individuals would take that road, I believe that our nation (and the civilized world to which it belongs) would not.
I do not doubt for a second that, even with all the might of a superpower poised to attack them, and with our own sanctions causing just as much pain, if Iraq were to suffer an earthquake or some other natural disaster tomorrow, the West would come immediately to their aid. And we would be the first in line.
Natural disaster or destruction at our hand, I’m not doubting that there will be dancing in the streets or that some idiot will say it is God’s justice, but our government won’t officially proclaim that God wanted to show Iraq the error of its ways.
At least, I hope the hell not.
Very well said, no matter who might have blogged about it first.
I get so tired of all the countries who hate us, who dance in joy at the tragedies that have occurred here, but who also are the first to put their hands out for foreign aid. Every time there has been a major earthquake overseas, we’ve sent money, supplies, and people to help out. Not out of duty to any greater power, but because we’re compassionate people. If we were as selfish and arrogant as some countries would like to believe, we would not rush to aid others. And despite their reaction, I would still rush to help, knowing there are people lost, or hurting, or in need, because that’s the kind of person I am.
So sad that these people can’t are so comfortable expressing their inhumanity.
“but our government won’t officially proclaim that God wanted to show Iraq the error of its ways.”
They damned well better not.
Sweetie, the Palestinians danced for joy when the towers fell and 3000 died, don’t you remember?
There was an email that went around recently, by a Korean War veteran (not the Jane Fonda in the 100 Most Importan Women of the 20th Century one, a different email). In it, he notes that most countries of the world don’t like us. They certainly like it when we’re around to save their asses (listening, France & South Korea?) or to take care of them in their times of need (any of the several countries to whom we’ve sent aid after natural disasters). Other countries “liking us” isn’t the issue. Taking care of business is.
And for those who claim that the US is trying to become an “Empire”, he reminds us that most empires tend to keep the stuff that they’ve taken over, not re-build it, better than before, even to our their economical disadvantage. We’re not in the wrong here folks. The world expects us to be the Global Police now. Perhaps we’ve set our selves up for that expectation, but we’re the only ones capable of carrying it out. For better or for worse. Imagine how much worse things will get if we’re not diligent in these matters.
I’m no war monger, and certainly not a member of “the right”… but I also don’t see bombings in the Middle East stopping any time soon, nor embassy attacks, or any of the other terrorist activities so prevelant today. Diplomacy doesn’t work with people who send children to their deaths with a suicide bomb. The value systems aren’t compatible, so there can be very little diplomacy. I don’t want to see a war any more than anyone else, but occassionally, these thugs need to be shown that their activities won’t be tolerated.
End neo-political rant. (Like any of you expect me to go off like this!) On to the cookies and beer! After all, The Man Show is on. Priorities, priorities…
That turned out to be a much smaller group than originally thought, Sekimori. Staged for the cameras, that sort of thing.
However, even if it was 100,000, why does it matter to anyone? They’re a culture apart from ours. Bombing them back into the stone ages certainly isn’t the answer now, is it?
I meant they didn’t go that far yesterday, Seki. And even then, I don’t recall that the official proclamation of the PA was that the WTC attack was God’s will. Might have been. Even still, my point is that we should be better than that. And I still trust that we are. Not always and not individually maybe, but as nations of evolved humans.
You know what, we can be educated and “evolved” all we want. Those astronauts died advancing space exploration, not just for US, but for our entire world. Who knows what the future could bring from the small steps they’re doing now. And my guess is, they wouldn’t be NEARLY as quick to proclaim it “god’s vengance” had there not been an Israeli on board.
And no, the statement about it being god’s vengance may not be a good reason to bomb them back into the stone age. Luckily, there are several other reasons. You know, chemical weapons, human rights violations, and other goodies like that.
You know what else? I was against the war before this weekend. Really, I was. Not because I think the war is wrong, or the reasons are wrong, but because I wouldn’t want to fight it myself, and I can’t ask others to do that which I’m too weak to do myself. But you know what? After their OFFICIAL reaction from their government, I’m feeling a whole lot less anti-war than I was before. I don’t believe the average person in Iraq understands anything other than force. How could they? It’s what their government is built on. So, we use force, we get rid of their psycho dictator, and we clean up their country and make it better. So that Al Qaeda can come back, and bomb us again for something else.
Whoopdefuckingdo.
Well, I find it a coincidence that the President is starting to lose steam and support for this war, and this story comes out. Much less from Reuters whose been accused of propaganda before…
Maybe this story is *supposed* to stir up Anti-Iraqui/American sentiment?
Religion + Government = A lot of dead people. That’s why we set up “Separation of Church and State”… it’s always bad news.
It’s so sad to see a tragedy manipulated this way, hundreds of years from now, space exploration won’t be seen as an American thing, it’ll be one of “Mankind’s Achievements”.
Sometimes people forget what it means to be human, regardless of race or nationality. You’ve made some valid points and I sincerely thank you for them. How great is it that we can express our dissatisfaction with our elected government without concern of imprisonment, torture or death?
I agree, our officials are taking desperate turn for the worst. There is no argument there. Like our battered economy, it is going to get much, much worse before it gets better.
I can only hope that those who make the decisions will remember that there is real blood about to be spilled, not only theirs but our very own.
Thanks again-
A bastard cynic-
-a
Carnival of the Vanities #20
The Carnival turns 20 this week. One more week, and it’s old enough to drink. It will be celebrating its