12 killed in shooting at French satirical magazine
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Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
Well, re such violence as terrorism, it developed largely by Christian nations in the twentieth century. It's always been around, of course. But it became the standard method of warfare. One of the pioneers of it was Winston Churchill who ordered the aerial bombing of defenceless Kurd villages in 1920. By 1942, terrorism had became the major strategy of all powers on all sides. This continued in Korea, Cambodia and Vietnam. In fact, since 1945, the largely Christian US has been the world's biggest terrorist.
Actually, there are older roots, even for the west. Western imperialism was based on the assumption that the imperialist belonged to a superior race, and were therefore justified in conquering others, and because Churchill saw the English-speaking peoples as the world's superior race, then one was justified in using any means, including terror, to kill them. Hitler was actually quite mainstream in his thinking.
Actually, there are older roots, even for the west. Western imperialism was based on the assumption that the imperialist belonged to a superior race, and were therefore justified in conquering others, and because Churchill saw the English-speaking peoples as the world's superior race, then one was justified in using any means, including terror, to kill them. Hitler was actually quite mainstream in his thinking.
Hermann
Well-Known Member
An ethnic joke: What is the difference between the British, the French, and the Germans? The French think they are superior, the Germans pretend they are superior, and the British are superior.
No joke. It astonishes me to see how some British people, especially members of the British aristocracy, still believe in their superiority. To them, British superiority is as unassailable and natural as the findings of natural science.
But science does not support genetic superiority.
No joke. It astonishes me to see how some British people, especially members of the British aristocracy, still believe in their superiority. To them, British superiority is as unassailable and natural as the findings of natural science.
But science does not support genetic superiority.
Mendalla
Happy headbanging ape!!
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Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
terrorism is not peculiar to Muslims. I has been the standard strategy for war for a century. Leaders in it have been western Christians.
Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
I'm afraid that what we're watching in Ukraine is the unfolding of the old story. Obama has made no attempt at discussion.
Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
I'm just writing my blog on this. The origins of modern terrorism go back about a century - and they are Christian - and they are justified by racism. One of the pioneers was Winston Churchill (who, like all the British aristocracy and the English people) was a flaming racist. Hitler did not invent his racism. He was simply copying the rest of the Christian world -hitler was a Catholic.
The world leaders in terrorism are still the Christian nations. The wars in Vietnam and Iraq were essentially terrorist wars. Hiroshima Nagasaki were chosen deliberately because they were civilian; they had no military value. All bombing from 1942 on was essentially terrorist.
Why do we ignore this but, in practice, accept it? The truth is painful - but it's obvious. We are racist.
As to which countries are friends---ain't no such thing as friends between countries. Canada makes a big deal of friendship with the US - which has invaded us once, helped another invasion after the civil war, threatened invasion in 1903. It also is the only threat to our north as the US refuses to recognize our control of the Northwest passage, and routinely sends ships through deliberately to challenge Canadian authority. Churchill and Roosevelt spoke of their friendship. In fact, the US hung Britain out to dry in both wars, intervening only when it was to US advantage to do so - and then it tried to get control of the British and French Empires for itself. That's what Vietnam was about.
The world leaders in terrorism are still the Christian nations. The wars in Vietnam and Iraq were essentially terrorist wars. Hiroshima Nagasaki were chosen deliberately because they were civilian; they had no military value. All bombing from 1942 on was essentially terrorist.
Why do we ignore this but, in practice, accept it? The truth is painful - but it's obvious. We are racist.
As to which countries are friends---ain't no such thing as friends between countries. Canada makes a big deal of friendship with the US - which has invaded us once, helped another invasion after the civil war, threatened invasion in 1903. It also is the only threat to our north as the US refuses to recognize our control of the Northwest passage, and routinely sends ships through deliberately to challenge Canadian authority. Churchill and Roosevelt spoke of their friendship. In fact, the US hung Britain out to dry in both wars, intervening only when it was to US advantage to do so - and then it tried to get control of the British and French Empires for itself. That's what Vietnam was about.
Mendalla
Happy headbanging ape!!
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They are Sunni but tend to belong to more extreme branches of Sunni Islam, such as Wahabism (the branch the Saudis follow and promote). Much as Christian extremists tend towards fundamentalist, literalist branches of the faith rather than more mainstream expressions.
As for whether the Sunnis are allies of the US, some are and some aren't. "Sunni" or "Shiite" in Islam is rather like "Protestant" in Christianity: they are very broad groups with a lot of range and nuance between sub-groups. E.g. in Shi'ism they range from the hardcore fundamentalists who run Iran to the very liberal Ismailis that I know.
Delightful Life
M&M, Cascadian Lovers
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too much morality: hypocrisy might just save us
http://www.londonreal.tv/episodes/stephen-pinker-too-much-morality-redux
http://www.londonreal.tv/episodes/stephen-pinker-too-much-morality-redux
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Delightful Life
M&M, Cascadian Lovers
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From this week's Economist:
cool dyslexic agnostic atheists -- now they have more to eat, too
RitaTG
Well-Known Member
The British must be in 2nd place....
Have they not heard of American exceptionalism???? LOL
Ritafee
Is Being Human
It’s a sign of how far France has politically fallen that people are claiming solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, which has produced some of the most racist and inflammatory cartoons directed at Muslims, Arabs, and people of North Africans, which contributes to the culture of hatred that resulted in physical attacks against Muslims after the Charlie Hebdo massacre. This is the exact same political dynamic that led to Hitler’s racist scapegoating of the Jews.
Racism in France may have surpassed racism in the United States, since it’s unimaginable that, if the Ku Klux Klan were attacked in the United States for anti-Mexican hate speech, that the U.S. public would announce “I am the KKK.”
Hebdo is of course not a far-right publication. But the consistent attacks on Muslims and Africans show how far Charlie had been incorporated into the French political establishment, which now relies increasingly on scapegoating minorities to remain in power, in order to prevent the big corporations and wealthy from being blamed by the depreciating state of the French working class. Better to blame unions and minorities for the sorry state of the corporate-dominated French economy.
The only way to combat political scapegoating is to focus on the social forces responsible for the economic crisis and have them pay for the solutions that they are demanding the working class to pay through austerity measures and lower wages. Shamus Cooke
Racism in France may have surpassed racism in the United States, since it’s unimaginable that, if the Ku Klux Klan were attacked in the United States for anti-Mexican hate speech, that the U.S. public would announce “I am the KKK.”
Hebdo is of course not a far-right publication. But the consistent attacks on Muslims and Africans show how far Charlie had been incorporated into the French political establishment, which now relies increasingly on scapegoating minorities to remain in power, in order to prevent the big corporations and wealthy from being blamed by the depreciating state of the French working class. Better to blame unions and minorities for the sorry state of the corporate-dominated French economy.
The only way to combat political scapegoating is to focus on the social forces responsible for the economic crisis and have them pay for the solutions that they are demanding the working class to pay through austerity measures and lower wages. Shamus Cooke
Graeme Decarie
Well-Known Member
Obama should talk.
1. He is the one who violated Ukraine territory by setting up the coup that displaced the elected government.
2.The US, just three weeks into the New Year, has had special ops killers in at least 115 countries It has also fought illegal wars in Vietnam, Guatemala, Libya, Iraq, Syria and AFghanistan. Oh, and it also overthrew the only democratic government Haiti has ever had. And Obama is a 'moderate' in American terms. Hilary clinton is not. Nor is anybody on the Republican side. We are into dangerous times.
1. He is the one who violated Ukraine territory by setting up the coup that displaced the elected government.
2.The US, just three weeks into the New Year, has had special ops killers in at least 115 countries It has also fought illegal wars in Vietnam, Guatemala, Libya, Iraq, Syria and AFghanistan. Oh, and it also overthrew the only democratic government Haiti has ever had. And Obama is a 'moderate' in American terms. Hilary clinton is not. Nor is anybody on the Republican side. We are into dangerous times.