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The Forum > Article Comments > In tsunami’s wake 'Great Satan' rescues Muslims, again > Comments

In tsunami’s wake 'Great Satan' rescues Muslims, again : Comments

By Deroy Murdock, published 12/1/2005

Deroy Murdock argues that the massive mercy mission is the right thing to do, regardless of religion.

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Deroy Murdock argues that:

"Supply boxes and food sacks should be emblazoned with American flags. GIs who distribute that assistance should wear Old Glory on their uniforms. Private-sector American volunteers should be offered T-shirts that identify them as US ambassadors of goodwill."

Pragmatically, that would not be a good idea. It would make them more of a target than they already are (all aid workers are targets of Islamic fundamentalists. American logos would endanger them further).

The stinginess of the Saudi elite and other Middle-Eastern ruling classes doesn't surprise me. Their domestic policies indicate they couldn't care less about human life - including Muslim lives. The US and other major powers should disinvest from all those regimes. Hopefully without economic support they would be destroyed in a revolution they so richly deserve.
Posted by DavidJS, Wednesday, 12 January 2005 11:11:10 AM
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Referring to the same quote as DavidJS above, I don't think anyone needs to be quite that conspicuous. The whole word knows exactly who is paying for what. Turning it into such an obvious marketing campaign would have an extremely negative diplomatic effect. Everyone would believe that the only reason for the aid was to be seen to be helping.

Reminding everyone every few days about the contrast between western democratic countries humanity and the refusal to do more than a token offering from even the richest middle-east states wouldn't hurt though - it'd just be pointing out where your allies are.
Posted by Kalpa, Thursday, 13 January 2005 6:26:31 AM
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Having had some limited involvement with American Aid Packages. I can assure there is no doubt as to it's source. It is well labelled! The stinginess of Islamic countries with regard to support of a fellow Islamic Country in crisis is I hope a point well noted. The West in general has made a huge statement of generosity whilst some of the richest countries on earth who are spiritual fellows of the Indonesions have given didly squat and many of their co-religionists cannot even take a pause from blowing people up - as if the world does not have enough death and destruction atm.
Posted by WoodHenge, Thursday, 13 January 2005 8:42:40 AM
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I know you're probably not meaning to, but the article itself and all the comments after seem to be hearing one side of the story.

In Islam, it is one of the five holy duties of every Muslim (as an individual) to give charity to those less fortunate (as an individual). I make the distinction 'as an individual' because this is the point - of course the mainstream christianity based media would miss altogether that giving and caring for people less fortunate is an EVERYDAY thing for Muslims, not something remarkable to be reported. The other advantage of this is that everything given goes directly to the people in need, unlike many of the 'christian' charity organisations who have a well documented history of misappropriating funds. I've heard something like only 30c in every dollar actually makes it to the disadvantaged individual/community.

The U.S. have donated masses of money - because it suits their purpose. Colin Powell said as much when he announced their contribution to aid, very clearly indicating that the good ol' USofA was helping out because poverty, crisis and chaos are breeding grounds for terrorism. Whether that beleif is true or not is beside the point - the point is that the contribution was certainly not out of the good of their hearts.

Please don't confuse Islam and it's followers (Muslims) with these crazy regimes and 'stingy' Governments... most of the trouble with them is that they are NOT following Islam but their own capitalist self serving philosophy. It would be like confusing ALL americans with that fundamentalist, misogynist, backward christian nut - Bush.

For a good easy to understand guide to Islam try www.islamonline.net/english most of the questions there are answered by a woman, giving a very balanced view of this faith.

By the way - I am not Muslim myself but an Athiest. I just think it's better not to be ignorant.
Posted by Newsroo, Thursday, 13 January 2005 11:37:02 AM
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The poor old Yanks - thy're damned if they do and damned if they don't! They saved the butts of the Kosovars from the nominally Christian Serbs, and what thanks did the Muslims give them? Just abuse as "the Great Satan" and other bull.

Now they and ourselves are saving the butts of Indonesians and others working in appalling conditions and the nauseating stench of death. We give Indonesia a staggering $1 billion, and the practical assistance of our skilled and compassionate civilian and military medical teams, and construction personnell. The Indonesian Government has "thanked"us and the Americans by telling us we have 3 months to finish and then get out! How ungrateful can you get? What sort of philosophy drives these people? We don't cre about race or religion, we just want to save lives and help clean up and reconstruct. I am outraged that they have backed down to JI and other extremists, and even the people we are helping are suspicious of us, claiming we will try to convert them! I hope the donation I gave, small though it is, went to Sri Lanka or Thailand. I hope one day Indonesia will realise how stupid they were insulting their true "friends in need" and kow-towing to extremists. Next tsunami, ring Saudi Arabia or Osama bin-laden and see how generous they are!

As for Newsroo calling George W. Bush a nut, you are the nut. You don't even realise that our generosity was prompted by humanitarian motives. Where is the Muslim money you talk about. I think it's like you, all w. and p.
Posted by Big Al 30, Saturday, 15 January 2005 9:17:50 PM
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Once the mark of a gentleman* was not drawing attention to one's self. To do good—certainly; to give to charity—undoubtedly; but to make a fuss about such giving and to draw attention to one's own generosity in comparison to others, was unacceptable behaviour. True generosity is the act of giving without seeking any personal advantage or gain—to have helped others without regard for whether one is given credit or not was once the mark of a true gentleman: a pity that it is no longer the case.

*A cultured man who behaves with courtesy and thoughtfulness.
Posted by JB1, Sunday, 16 January 2005 7:30:38 AM
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I am sure that the victims of the Tsunami would be happy to quietly receive a couple of billion in assistance from the Saudis and others who have a similar world view. It won't happen, because any giving is going to attract media attention. The excuse that giving will attract a fuss therefore we won't give is pathetic!

Atli
Posted by WoodHenge, Sunday, 16 January 2005 10:30:57 AM
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Newsroo, oops, that last sentence of mine on Jan 15 was a bit harsh for this site! Please let me substitute this: You say Muslims give aid to the less fortunate in their community as a matter of course. I don't doubt that, but how were they going to send it to Indonesia? They wouldn't give it to the main aid agencies, because most of them [if not all] are Christian based. I would be interested to know how it was done [if indeed it was done]. At all events, I am confident that the response by non-Muslims was many times per capita what Muslims contributed. Considering that the recipients in Sumatra are almost all Muslims, this was a noble contribution which deserves recognition, not ingratitude.
Posted by Big Al 30, Sunday, 16 January 2005 11:11:55 AM
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Islamic countries can make funds available through Red Crescent - an Islamic version of Red Cross which has been so strapped for cash in this case it has been forced to accept fund transfers from Red Cross and Western Governments. NO excuse!
Posted by WoodHenge, Sunday, 16 January 2005 2:26:15 PM
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I read Murdocks article in the National Reveiw on line a few days ago. Like so much of the furore surrounding the tsunami to our north it struck me as another contribution to the International pissing contest that has so typified the tragedy.

First we had the league ladder of deaths then we had the top ten giving nations, a coalition of the compassionate and increasingly conspicuous. And all of that has ben surrounded by the writings of people like Murdock as further means to run thier essentially one dimensional line that the Christian west is good and the Islamic East is not.
I do not care that some countries have contributed little; I am gratified that many have contributed a great deal. In a sense that is where it ends for me. It is not for me to judge who is the greater nation based on how much any one gave and when.

It might be worth our while however to review the situation in, say five years time, when the eyes of the world are diverted elsewhere; when the front pages of our papers arent splashed with images of devastation, or weeping parents or doe eyed orphans.

While international corporations make millions from sweat shops in places like Indonesia by paying slave wages to people to produice deigner label shoes for example - I'll fail to be impressed by overt signs of seasonal generosity.

Critics of the situation of the giving seem more concerned with using it as further propaganda; they use every opportunity to shore up and justify their position against the interests of nations that are predominately Muslim. If their position was so strong I suggest it might be self evident and not attract so much criticism; incisive and justifeid criticism at that. While we have plenty to crow about we do not have a mortgage on righteousness, we do not occupy the high moral ground on many issues all that often, we are driven by self interest and greed. And slinging a few dollars to nations we inherently despise and exploit may make us feel warm and fuzzy for a while at best.

We should simply give and shut up.

Inkeemagee
Posted by inkeemagee, Monday, 17 January 2005 9:40:36 AM
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I checked out IslamOnLine - there are many, many ways listed there so that Muslims can provide aid for the Tsunami victims. I suggest those casting aspersions on muslims check their facts first.
Posted by Ringtail, Monday, 17 January 2005 5:00:13 PM
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Ringtail, glad to hear it. I hope they used those facilities to give generously and maybe proved me wrong on that score. We'll never know for sure one way or the other.
Posted by Big Al 30, Monday, 17 January 2005 8:15:35 PM
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