Current Events

[syed]

I can understand the reaction that people think Islam is the cause of the violence and terrorism, because these people are doing it in the name of Islam. But at the same time the vitriol against Islam from certain corners (not calling out people in this thread, just stuff I've seen on social media) is exactly what Daesh want - they don't want Muslims in the West to live peacefully, they want them to feel alienated and attacked. A lot of the knee-jerk reactions I've seen seem to play into exactly what they want. The worst thing for Daesh is to see Germany opening their arms to refugees, because acceptance goes against everything they stand for.

I'd also like to point out that the overwhelming majority of casualties from Islamist terrorism....are Muslims. Not Christians, not Jews, not atheists, but perfectly normal Muslims who happen to live in the wrong part of the world. Thousands and thousands of Muslims have been killed by terrorists who have extremist views. And no, it's not because these terrorists follow the religion better or closer than the ordinary Muslims who they kill. People will always find justification for murderous intent, whether it be the superiority of their religion, their nation, their skin colour, whatever.

And if we want to talk about the religious side of things, it's Wahhabism being exported from Saudi Arabia. Everyone has known this for years, but nobody wants to say anything because Saudi make good business partners. Follow the money and you see where people turn a blind eye.

[Faust]

I can understand the reaction that people think Islam is the cause of the violence and terrorism, because these people are doing it in the name of Islam. But at the same time the vitriol against Islam from certain corners (not calling out people in this thread, just stuff I've seen on social media) is exactly what Daesh want - they don't want Muslims in the West to live peacefully, they want them to feel alienated and attacked. A lot of the knee-jerk reactions I've seen seem to play into exactly what they want. The worst thing for Daesh is to see Germany opening their arms to refugees, because acceptance goes against everything they stand for.

I'd also like to point out that the overwhelming majority of casualties from Islamist terrorism....are Muslims. Not Christians, not Jews, not atheists, but perfectly normal Muslims who happen to live in the wrong part of the world. Thousands and thousands of Muslims have been killed by terrorists who have extremist views. And no, it's not because these terrorists follow the religion better or closer than the ordinary Muslims who they kill. People will always find justification for murderous intent, whether it be the superiority of their religion, their nation, their skin colour, whatever.

And if we want to talk about the religious side of things, it's Wahhabism being exported from Saudi Arabia. Everyone has known this for years, but nobody wants to say anything because Saudi make good business partners. Follow the money and you see where people turn a blind eye.

Well-said

[En.]

And if we want to talk about the religious side of things, it's Wahhabism being exported from Saudi Arabia. Everyone has known this for years, but nobody wants to say anything because Saudi make good business partners. Follow the money and you see where people turn a blind eye.

It's also why Zionism has grown to where it's at now. The US wants to avoid another situation like the 1973 oil embargo by playing nice with Saudi Arabia, despite the nation's theocratic monarchy and Sharia Law going against the US's version "DEMOCRACY".

[nvsnli]

And if we want to talk about the religious side of things, it's Wahhabism being exported from Saudi Arabia. Everyone has known this for years, but nobody wants to say anything because Saudi make good business partners. Follow the money and you see where people turn a blind eye.

Obviously

United Nations Criticized For Choosing Saudi Arabia To Head Human Rights Panel

http://www.hngn.com/articles/131673/20150920/united-nations-critized-choosing-saudi-arabia-head-human-rights-panel.htm

[cjbreed]

that was fucking incredible.

[Law]

This is old news, though the first time I read the article, I genuinely thought it was satire.

[Faust]

Yeah, looked like The Onion piece.

[Faust]

Europe continues to dig its own grave

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/09/world/europe/cologne-new-years-eve-attacks.html?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad

[gregor]

i don't think i can ever say i've been proud of hungarian politics, but i can say that i think it's the most sane reaction of any nation in the eu so far.

it pains me at admit that, considering orban's track record on almost everything else, but if there is one move that can define this term in office as the thing that should and will probably get him reelected, it's this.

[Defender]

Who would have thought that allowing nearly a million people into your country, many of whom believe that any woman who shows her face in public is a whore, would have negative consequences for European women?

It's interesting, as an American, to watch World War Z play out in real-time across Europe.

[bukka]

Who would have thought that allowing nearly a million people into your country, many of whom believe that any woman who shows her face in public is a whore, would have negative consequences for European women?

It's interesting, as an American, to watch World War Z play out in real-time across Europe.

#trump2016

[Arkady]

Germany's now saying they'll be deporting the offenders, and there seems to be some shift in Merkel's rhetoric spooling up. It's an odd situation, you have right wing groups using the initially convoluted reporting to their advantage while the liberal government has to stand by some vague multicultural imperative and the mayor of Cologne is telling women they should avoid being raped by keeping strange men at arm's length. Thanks, lady.

It's only a matter of time before one of these incidents goes deadly, and it will likely be an EU citizen who winds up in prison for it.

There appears to be a substantial gambit taking place wherein the welfare republics of the EU are experimenting with using the migrant crisis to their advantage. Germany is a good example -- lowest birth rate in the world (even lower than Japan), rapidly aging population, unfolding issues with financing a socialized government etc. Allowing a massive influx of unskilled, low-wage labor mitigates some of these issues. Immigration is typically very good for a stalling economy and the humanist imperative is half the story at best here.

As an asylee / refugee I think it's vital to accept as many victims of war as possible (especially a war the EU stands to profit tremendously from) but it's clear some European governments are ignoring possibilities for outsourcing asylum and more even-handed distribution of refugees among member states in order to access cheap labor, and fucking over their constituents in the process.

[Faust]

Who would have thought that allowing nearly a million people into your country, many of whom believe that any woman who shows her face in public is a whore, would have negative consequences for European women?

It's interesting, as an American, to watch World War Z play out in real-time across Europe.

It's interesting for me to see a clear sighted reaction from you. I was bracing for a PC-shit storm.

[Faust]

#trump2016

Now, now - let's not confuse realpolitik with trumppolitik.

[Defender]

Yeah there's an interesting thread among liberals: we might want all people to be treated well and offered the things they need to succeed, but we are also sick of the religious using their fairy tales as a justification for their psychotic behavior.

It's a delicate balance ha