Dear Yabby,

Nah, my hair's too thick and curly to
wear in a bun - and I don't wear glasses (yet).
I also prefer jeans or slack to dresess - however
when I do wear dresses - they're usually the
shorter version (more practical, besides I've
been told I've got nice pins).

Now, in all fairness I'll tell you what I
think you look like... George Clooney - right?
(Yummy Yabster!).

Dear Herman,

Of course I'm sincere - always!
Just trying to help - with the best intentions!
However, you go on doing what you're doing
(just don't expect different results).

Dear Bazz,

You've got a good and generous heart!

And now folks... let's get back to the topic of this
thread - please?

Well, I'm not shy for a bit of sledging

BUT

for the record, I am actually straight in sexual preference

AND

prefer Fluff and Growl to PoleAxe and Reaming.

;-)

Still, there have been a few boys along the way that have wanted to give me the pork sword, and indeed, I have a number of Gay friends.

(hope I didn't just break any OLO rules)

That hopefully will satisfy *HermanMunster* and *Yappy*

And now back to the topic ...

I've just come across an interesting book
on Islamic Fundamentalism by Kim Whitehead
which gives a valuable overview. It details
the historical and political context that
gave rise to modern Islamic fundamentalism,
suveys fundamentalist movements in a variety
of countires and regions, and outlines the
ongoing challenges Islamic fundamentalism presents
for the US and its allies.

One chapter that I'm finding particularly intersting
is entitled, "The Western Response." It states:

"In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks on
the US, analysts and ordinary citizens in the West
have explored various explanations for why Islamic
terrorist organisations are targeting the West...

Many of these arguments, however, contradict one
another, and no single argument sufficiently explains
the complexities of Islamic fundamentalism or the
Western response to it.

Some argue for swift and decisive military retaliation
without dialogue, while others say the only lasting
solution is increased exchange between Westerners and
Islamic leaders around the world.

Many make broad assumptions about the nature of Islam
itself. Some, for example, maintain that Islam and the
West are now engaged in a titanic battle between
civilizations. Others say Islam is simply incompatible
with the modern way of life, while still others argue
that Islam is inherently violent and unjust... Some
say Islam and democracy can never coexist, while others
insist that Islamic democracies will work under the
right conditions."

The author finds that the central problem with the idea that
the West and Islam are locked in an inevitable, global
conflict is that Islam, like the West, is not easily defined
as a single entity.

She points out that Islam is in fact made up of Muslims
who think differently about the relationship between their
faith and politics, just as Westerners have different,
shifting ideas about freedom, democracy, and the
relationship between church and state.

cont'd ...

cont'd ...

The author tells us that similarly, the argument
that Islam is by nature unjust belies the reality
of different legal codes and freedoms in Muslim
nations; women for instance, are thought by some
to be oppressed in all Muslim countries, when in
fact, the author states that the status of women
is often affected by socioeconomic and cultural
trends as by Islam. She tells us that
the arguments that democracy and Islam do or do
not mix often overlook the complexities of
political rule in Muslim countries, where the chaos
of post-colonialism has led to authoritarianism and
democratic projects have not been attempted at all
or have been attempted only in ways that deny true
participation from opposition groups, including
fundamentalists.

The author warns that the US and its allies must
seriously weigh their responses to Islamic
fundamentalism in general and Islamic terrorist groups
in particular.

However, she says that more and more,
Western lawmakers and policy
analysts interpret the Muslim world through the lens
of extremist activity.

She sees the future in this way:

" It will be interesting to see if democracy emerges in
Iraq as promised and if a final peace deal can
successfully be brokered between Israel and a new
Palestinian state. The outcome of these and other
situations in which Western and Islamic interests
intersect may shape Islamic fundamentalism
and the Western response to it for decades to come."

"When Christians were burning witches and praying for deliverance from smallpox, the Islamic world was preserving the knowledge of the Greeks in universities and public hospitals."

I keep seeing this pop up all the time- yet ALWAYS falls flat on its face at failing to point out that this was an achievement of the pagan ancient Greeks.

That's like crediting the Spanish empire with preserving the astronomic wisdom of the Aztec pyramids.

Dear King Hazza,

A point of clarification:

It was thanks to Islamic scholars that Hellenic
philosophy and science was re-discovered in the
West after many centuries of neglect. The Islamic
scholars preserved much of the works of the
great Greeks. These were saved in Baghdad,
translated, re-translated and transmitted to
Muslim Spain. These texts started to become
available to the West with the defeat and expulsion
of the Moors (Muslims) in what was then known as
Andalusia. The end of the Dark Ages was on its way...

As Tor Hundloe points out in his book, "From Buddha to
Bono," : "Today, we may have very serious concerns
with the fundamentalist fringe of Islam - just as we
do with the fundamentalist fringes of Christianity
and Hinduism - but we should never forget the role
of the Muslim scholars of 1000 or so years ago..."

" What would society be like today if we had lost that
once-in-millenium era of Greek philosophy?
Would the enlightenment have occurred? Or would we
only today be in the initial phase of inventing
democracy, law, science and ethics? The answer
must be "probably yes." New ideas - better ideas -
build on old ideas. Ideas can be lost and can be
destroyed. Dark Ages resurface. Dictators burn books
because it is possible to destroy the building blocks
of civilisation. All these things happened in the Dark
Ages. Yet classical Greek science and philosophy was saved,
to be built upon."

"We did not have to start from scratch."

Thanks to Muslim scholars of 1000 or so years ago.