There was a lot of hype this week about President Obama’s address to the “Muslim world” that he delivered some time Thursday early morning in Cairo. I looked upon this delivery with skepticism – as a Muslim in America, to me the Muslim world is here, not there. Being Muslim is a faith, not a region. As if reading my mind, The White House released the following video.
One of the questions that I did have about President Obama in regards to the Muslim community was how there was a lack of representation in his administration. We all know Israeli army serving Rahm Emanuel is his Chief of Staff, and with that appointment, it was pretty clear that the Palestine-Israeli conflict was not going to be resolved for the next four years. What we see in the video is three prominent Muslims (two of them Desi) serving in the White House administration, yet, it still seems to me that their positions are not high profile enough to influence international and domestic policy.
I’m not totally bashing on the President for his Muslim politics. In fact, Obama’s speech today does take a surprising amount of ownership over the power the United States has inflicted on the “Muslim world.”
We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world – tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam. [newyorktimes]
His speech is articulate and smart. He continues to talk about his personal relationship with Islam, as well as the intertwined history of Muslims in America.
I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America’s story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, “The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.” And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. T… And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers – Thomas Jefferson – kept in his personal library. [newyorktimes]
To me, the video and the speech are both what I as a Muslim in America wanted to see at minimum come out of Obama’s leadership when I voted for him. His first hundred days plus some have filled me with slight skeptism that he was just another cog in the wheel. His boycott of the United Nation’s Conference on Racism because of language around Israel reinforced this in my mind. Though I realize change can’t happen over night, I do feel like this week he has finally taken the right steps to start building bridges. I guess we’ll just have to see how the rest of the Muslim world accepts his speech and how soon action to words follow.
You have to admit that Obama is in a very tight predicament. On one hand, the rightwing is screaming that he’s not tough enough on terrorists and that he bows to Islam. Now, we have muslims throwing around accusations that he doesn’t care enough about Palestine because if Rahm Emmanuel.
Sigh.
Two sides of the same coin
The Rahm Emmanuel stuff detracted from an otherwise good post.
If, say, Netanyahoo adopts the Obama admin position on settlements, will you admit error?
Nissim, I just want to thank you for your post. It cheered me up. I echo every word you say.
Such hatred, such paranoia, such violence, such poison.
chee, chee, chanakya, talking to yourself now?
I seriously have nothing against you Taz or being Muslim in general, But why do ALL of your posts have something to do with being Muslim?
when i agree with my nemesis ikram it’s sign, good or bad you decide. sensitivity for me and not thee? the power of the pro-israel lobby is real. i don’t know if SM is really the appropriate forum to discuss the issue, but bringing up rahm emanuel’s background and personalizing the discussion was kind of repulsive.
and for the record i think talk about the ‘muslim world’ is probably counter-productive in the long run.
Yeah, you can’t trust the Juice
Counterproductive to whom? Americans? Muslim Americans? Desis? Muslims in the OIC? All Muslims? All the people in the world?
Counterproductive to whom? Americans? Muslim Americans? Desis? Muslims in the OIC? All Muslims? All the people in the world?
1, 2, 4 and 5. or at least a subset of all.
Al-Qaeda knows how to tap into this pan-islamic identity and actively encourages muslims everywhere to adopt grievances from all over the world.
exactly. that’s why arabs care so much about the muslims who died in gujarat or the moro libertariaion movement 🙂
moro libertariaion movement :
liberation. l-i-b-e-r-a-t-i-o-n.
A recent article in Newsweek disputes your point about Rahm’s appointment preventing peace in the Middle East. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/199146)
This is a very solid post. I think Obama is on the right track but he has a tough road ahead because he is asking for a complete paradigm shift in America’s thinking about Muslims and especially of Arabs. Obama will be called every name under the sun like appeaser of terrorists, antisemitic, Manchurian candidate for even acknowledging the humanity of 1.5 billion people regularly demonized here (just see the comments just on this site). But he cannot blink.
The reality is that we are in no position to throw money down the drain in our war against Muslims by propping up regimes, occupying countries, and sustaining colonial outposts. Now is the time to either disengage or engage in a way that is sustainable. The past 60 years of Mideast policies have been disastrous and those policies have spilled over to South Asia. There are 3 million people living in tents in Pakistan. Afghanistan is in ruins. Iraq is a wreck. Southern Lebanon and Gaza are nothing more debris. East Jerusalem is getting ethnically cleansed of Arabs. All with our money and support, direct or indirect. This is not sustainable. And it is morally reprehensible. Obama is trying, I think, to make a difference. I don’t think people realize just how deep the hatred for Muslims is in this country. Let’s give this man our support!
I don’t think people realize just how deep the hatred for Muslims is in this country.
exactly. that’s why barack hussein obama was elected president, and keith ellison and andre carson were elected to congress as muslims from overwhelmingly non-muslim districts (and majority non-hispanic white, with ellison being elected from a district in minnesota which is more non-hispanic white than the national population).
Your retort is completely superficial and sophist. It’s like arguing that Asian American men are not feminized and marginalized in American TV because there is that Japanese dude on “Heroes” and that Korean dude on “Lost.” Ridiculous.
Oh, and by your argument, BLACK Obama as president is proof that there is no racism against blacks. Your “understanding” of Arabs and Muslim is similarly deep. Keep embarrassing yourself.
like arguing that Asian American men are not feminized and marginalized in American TV because there is that Japanese dude on “Heroes” and that Korean dude on “Lost.” Ridiculous.
no it’s not. you’re diminishing the role of the president of the united states by comparing him to actors.
Oh, and by your argument, BLACK Obama as president is proof that there is no racism against blacks.
weak. i didn’t make a positive argument. you made an argument about how people don’t realize how deep the hatred against muslims in the united states is. no matter how deep the hatred is, it is notable that someone with muslim associations and open practicing muslims could be elected to positions of non-trivial power by non-muslims, whose hate does not run that deep clearly.
the world is not black & white. and certainly most people who read this weblog are well aware of how much hatred (or not) against muslims there are in these united states because most of them “look muslim.” some of them also “look latino” so they are probably aware of the scope of anti-latino prejudice. i even have a “muslim name” despite being an atheist so i have some knowledge, or lack of, muslim hatred, especially in the 90+% white milieus where i spend most of my time.
You would hold the US rather than Pakistan responsible for that?
you can only accomplish so much with words, but Obama did accomplish quite a bit in this speech. In one single speech, he outlined the areas where Islamic world and U.S can cooperate, but pointed out the militant elements within Islam that he would confront. He spoke the language of the land, quoted Quran, addressed squarely the issues that muslims hold resentment, and acknowledged some of the pain inflicted on the muslim world. Some might say that he was less critical of the muslim world, in the issues of democracy and women’s rights, but i do not agree with that. it was nor the venue or time to lecture muslims when you are seeking to build a friendship.
Taz, I don’t particularly want muslims or jews or south asians in the Obama administration. I care about people who agree with my political views regardless of their ethnicity, religion or what not. Criticizing Rahm and at the same time lamenting that there aren’t enough powerful muslims in the administration is a little hypocritical.
To the rest of the people here, who rejoice when a south asian/indian joins the administration, how different is it from wanting a muslim or jew in the administration?
Ezekiel – “chanakya, you claimed to be one, in some belief that it would add to the power of your comment, which is the only reason i called you out on it.
You didn’t call out squat; you saw my email id in which I use the Chanakya, an important historical character, and assumed that my name must be Chanakya [btw, I have never met anybody actually named “Chanakya”]. . As I sad above, since you have access to my email, why don’t you email me and I will prove to you that my name is Nissim. Then you can apologize to me.
p.s. What I would like to know – how did you see my email id? I thought when we type our email, it remains private. So, either you are Taz or are friends with her, and she revealed it to you?
Untrue. You type your e-mail and website, and it is shown to the world. Typing an e-mail or website is optional.
Anyhow, kids. No need to get grade school and prove your name to anyone here. It’s not a playground. It’s a blog.
“To the rest of the people here, who rejoice when a south asian/indian joins the administration, how different is it from wanting a muslim or jew in the administration?”
That’s right, you could get Bobby Jindal, and then you would be happy, hainjee?
As for having doubts because of RE, so what, they’re doubts – can be proved right or wrong. (Right now seem to be wrong – which is good. But given some of his family’s statements to Israeli newspapers, not so outlandish to wonder.)
Btw, Rahm used to be a ballet dancer, so I am hanging for somebody to make a comment about undercover implementation of the gay agenda, because all male ballet dancers are gay, right?
Anyway – didn’t that woman Sonal Shah end up having to clarify her connections with VHPA, and what she thought of the Gujarat pogrom, in order to stay on the Obama team? Why is it okay to ask that of her, but not okay to demand a similar level of open-ness from Rahm Emmanuel?
it’s right there! how do you see your email address here? are you friends with taz too?
i did call it out, of course. are you now denying that i called you out?
Ezekiel – Didn’t realize that typing our email was optional. Nevertheless, please feel free to email me, so I may prove to you I am who I am. I would really like to do that, lest I add to the “conniving Jews” canard. Btw, there are hundreds of Jews of Indian extraction living in America. Not only that, I have cousins from Karachi, Pakistan who live on the upper west side in Manhattan.
for mroe – check out this link
Obama’s administration is slanted against the Palestinians with or without Rahm. There’s just a general bias amongst the American population against non-Europeans, and a very strong American Jewish lobby. That said, anything short of applauding while Palestinians get mowed down by IDF forces would be an improvement in their struggle.
To those American desis who are tired of hearing about the plight of Palestinians: remember Arabs are people too. Who gives a fuck where their parents fucked?
I think Obama’s reference to Morroco recognizing the US comes from Noble Drew Ali, the prophet of the American Moors.
But yeah, I gave up on Muslim solidarity when Iraqis tried to sell a vcr that was filled with rocks in South Side Chicago. But when I see women, I’m all about other cultures. I’m like Akbar, circling this fire with this Hindu girl, throwing rose pedals on this Shia girl. Get me a babe from Calcutta. Ki hochai. Get me a girl from Chandigarh. Ki haal ai. Get me a babe from Sindh. Dhadai Hao. Fuuuckkkkkk so many girls I can’t think right. Why settle (!) for just the Palestinians?
For you I would peel the clouds like fresh fruit, and grant the heavens as a dowry.
Really, taz?
How exactly is Rahm Emmanuel’s background relevant to a discussion of Muslims in the Administration? It almost reads like you’re implying Barack Obama hired him precisely or primarily BECAUSE of his Israeli military background. As though his long experience in the Clinton White House, his successful leadership of the Democratic Congressional Committee, and the fact that he was a powerful representative from the President’s home state are less important. Do you have any evidence, or even any indication that Emmanuel is pursuing some sort of AIPAC/anti-peace agenda from within the White House? Or is this basically just an assumption based on a single data point in his biography?
I may be reading your statement incorrectly. I certainly hope I am, because otherwise that sounds perilously close to exactly the kind of flip, reductive extrapolation that is so enraging when it’s coming out of Michael Savage or Daniel Pipes’ mouth, and the target is some Muslim-American figure.
While I’ll grant you that it’s structurally easier for a person of Jewish descent to rise to those powerful positions in this country, it’s really screwed up to assume that naturally dictates his policy position. It’s even more screwed up to assume that it dictates the President’s position. And it’s even more screwed up to assume that on the very day he chooses to take a harder line on Israeli settlements. If your goal is to open up political space for American Islam (at the very least, within the Democratic coalition), that kind of characterization of the President’s Chief of Staff can’t exactly help…
But I want to emphasize that I mostly agree with the point of this post — as important as it is for Barack Obama to publicly engage with Muslims in other parts of the world, it would be good to see a concerted, official effort to bring American Muslims back into the accepted mainstream. That doesn’t just mean highlighting Muslim Federal employees.
It also means aggressively going after hate crimes, and taking a tough stance on incitement. Anti-Islamic rhetoric in this country should be just as unacceptable as anti-Semitism, and it would be good to see some White House muscle making that point.
Anti-Islamic rhetoric in this country should be just as unacceptable as anti-Semitism
perhaps anti-muslim, to make a distinction between anti-religious sentiments and attacks against people more concretely? (that would make it analogous to anti-semitism, which refers to semites and not judaism).
I realize that this is a bit of an aside but would Muslims Americans who rightfully demand representation in the highest levels of government consider a boycott of the Hajj because the KSA is a racist apartheid state? I’ve often wondered this. Religious and to some extent, racial apartheid in Saudi Arabia is enshrined in law. It’s not exactly something perpetrated by isolated individuals. It wouldn’t be unreasonable then for Saudi Arabia to be held to the same standard as Israel, would it? Of course Muslim Americans are not in any position to influence Saudi laws but a boycott of Saudi Arabia would be a reasonable thing to expect, would it not? In the name of religious freedom, democracy and equality and all.
Hey Med Student good fucking point.
The Kindom of Saudi Arabia had Africans working as slaves up until the 70s (according to Abu Khalil/Angry Arab). Let’s not forget their awful treatment of Pakistanis, Fillipinos, Banglas, and other non-Arab Muslims. It is apartheid. Before we boycott Reese’s Pieces or whatever for supporting the IDF, let’s think about boycotting the Hajj.
Plus I want to get out there, head a little further west and meet some belly dancers. Keifa halaq, habibi!
Yeah.. I know that Calling Egypt and Malaysia with 90% and 60% Muslims as part of Muslim world is “secular” but calling India with 80% Hindus as part of Hindu world is “non-secular” in the “secular progressive” lingo.. This is on the same lines of Khilafat movement being a secular movement for the restoration of the islamic caliphate. 🙂
I know that Calling Egypt and Malaysia with 90% and 60% Muslims as part of Muslim world is “secular” but calling India with 80% Hindus as part of Hindu world is “non-secular” in the “secular progressive” lingo
this is a fair point in my book. but the analogy is weak insofar as india is the “hindu world” for all practical purposes. the “muslim world” is a coherent term because nations like indonesia and senegal don’t share anything besides islam. but yes, there is a double-standard by may when it comes to india. i suspect that that double standard simply has to do with higher expectations for india in regards to the norms of western liberal democracy as opposed to most muslim countries. i think that that double standard is probably not predicated on as much reality as people like to believe, especially for north india.
one of the most sickening aspects of Obamas trip to the middle-east was his visit to the sectarian and hate-mongering “state” of saudi arabia. There he kow-towed to one of their “princes”.
This is a country that has spent billions of dollars pushing wahhabi hate-mongering throughout south asia and the entire world. But not a word about any of this from the american or the middle-eastern press – its just A-OK to have a country which exports a KKK-like ideology with 10s of billions of dollars to back it up.
Take a look at the Saudi Arabian flag
No better symbol for islamo-imperialism could be devised by even its most harsh critics. As a pagan and polytheist, I consider this as a direct warning and a symbol of hatred that must be collectively defeated.
No worries, friend, we will reestablish the original Hindu temple at the Kaaba; it will just take a few more years of growth so that even more Indian billionaires will fund us. 😉
“To me, the video and the speech are both what I as a Muslim in America wanted to see at minimum come out of Obama’s leadership when I voted for him.”
what more did you want to see?
i liked the speech, very smart and productive. i think his address to the Muslim world was to mend the great damage that has been done to the reputation of the USA. some really don’t realize how hated the USA was especially in the height of the bush administration and in many of places still is.
he specifically took the Afghanistan/ Pakistan, Israel Palestine, Iran and Iraq as separate issues. to put them all under a Muslim umbrella has been the stupidity of the Bush government and has been very damaging.
to have a muslim in a high profile role in the white house in order to balance the seesaw is never the correct thing to do. it always should and has to be the right person for the job.
Suggestions to Taz:
Before you write any post on/about Muslims anywhere in the world, please start with: Condemn Pakistan. Apology to Hinduvta knights for Muslim rape/genocide of Hindus/India since the 9th century. Apology to Hinduvta knights for Ghodra train attack in Gujarat. Apology to Hinduvtas knights for Muslims getting hajj subsidies in India. Apology to Hindus knights for not being critical enough of Pakis killing so many Banglas in 71. Follow that up with serious condemnation of Pakistan. Condemn Pakistan.
Getting to the substance of this post, I do not believe that Taz has said anything offensive. I am surprising that people (including even more surprisingly Razib) have piled on. Taz stated
‘ We all know Israeli army serving Rahm Emanuel is his Chief of Staff, and with that appointment, it was pretty clear that the Palestine-Israeli conflict was not going to be resolved for the next four years’
I am not sure how the above statement is anti-semitic or anti-Jewish. She is not saying that Rahm Emanuel cannot be fair on Israel because he is Jewish. She is stating that he cannot be fair on the issue as he volunteered for the Israeli army. I would imagine that after volunteering for the Israeli army, he is not exactly neautral on the conflict.
Yes, there have been no military attorneys who have questioned the legality of holding of prisoners at Guantanamo. Am sure they all volunteered to join the army or navy too. Your imagination fails.
why do muslims from south asia feel that it’s their responsibility to speak up on the behalf of the muslims from palestine, or in a few rare cases even resort to terrorism against ordinary Jews ? [a few years back, israeli security forces arrested a would be british suicide bomber, who was of “azad Kashmir” heritage. a half a dozen or so israeli tourists were kidnapped in kashmir, india by hizbul-mujahadeen in the early 90s. four jews were killed in cold blood by terrorists in mumbai in november 2008]. i am a kashmiri hindu who, along with the entire kashmiri hindu population of kashmir was forced to leave their ancestral home in 1990 by islamist terror groups. how do you think i feel when, over the last two decades, i have seen the kashmiri muslims take to the streets dozens of times protesting against israel or denmark, but not even once against pakistan or the terrorists who ethnically cleansed their fellow kashmiris from their home land, where my ancestors had lived long before islam was revealed to the prophet muhammad. even if you care only for muslims, why not start by caring for muslims in your own back yards first? god knows they can use the help. if the back yard is not good enough, ask your self – when was the last time you saw the palestinians, or any arabs for that matter, take to the streets on behalf of kashmiri or other sub-continental muslims ? i used to live in dubai and have witnessed first hand the way the arabs treat muslims from india, pakistan and bangladesh – like crap, and you can ask anybody who has lived there if you do not believe me.
aarti kaul +1
My mothers family was ethically cleansed from Kashmir valley during the late 80s and 90s. They were informed that its was time for them to leave, as USA was now going to help Kashmir join pakistan. The choice given to them is found on the Saudi Arabia flag – convert or die. There was a special focus on my girl cousins and hints that they might just get “lost” one day. All this in a state that was ostensibly part of india!
I do not harbor irrational hatred for anyone, but I do want to make sure that wahhabi and salafi islam is met fully on its own terms – through aggressive self-defence and also soft power – there is a real need for literature that exposes islamo-imperialism for the nazi-like ideology that it truly is – and ultimately defeated.
And, finally, lets not forget that the group that has suffered the most in kashmir valley are the working people – mostly kashmiri muslims but also poor hindus and sikhs – people unlike most of my family who could escape without catastrophic loss of income.
Paagal — Why the Hell should Rahm’s status as a civilian volounteer in Israel affect his policymaking skills? To quote the Fareed Zakaria, when responding to a negative review from Robert Kagan in The New Republic Magazine back in 2003
The review’s most offensive aspect…is the opening paragraph, where Kagan suggests that my views …are simply the product of my identity and experience as an Indian Muslim. … I am an American citizen and have been writing about a broad range of issues here for almost two decades, always with America’s interests at heart. The insinuation that my ideas can be reduced to matters of religion or ethnicity is beneath contempt but a perfect example of the dishonorable tactics that dominate Kagan’s review
Kagan responded
I am also sorry that Zakaria found my reference to his experience as an Indian Muslim insulting. In his book, he writes movingly and at length about growing up in a changing India … Clearly this experience played some part in shaping his views, as it would anyone’s, we are all immigrants or children of immigrants and are all affected by that history.
Bob Kagan is an evil neocon, and Zakaria is a superDesi, second only the Sanjaya Malarkar in the hearts of Macaca-Americans. Whose side would you pick?
Good luck brokering a peace deal without dealing with the IDF. Compromises that exclude major stakeholders always go swimmingly right?
“this is a fair point in my book. but the analogy is weak insofar as india is the “hindu world” for all practical purposes. the “muslim world” is a coherent term because nations like indonesia and senegal don’t share anything besides islam. but yes, there is a double-standard by may when it comes to india. i suspect that that double standard simply has to do with higher expectations for india in regards to the norms of western liberal democracy as opposed to most muslim countries. i think that that double standard is probably not predicated on as much reality as people like to believe, especially for north india.”
India is an empire turned nation-state.It’s like the European Union.Europe if part of Christendom but there are many other countries such as Bosnia and Albania which are Muslim majority nations.Likewise, India has Sikh majority state and Muslim majority state and Christian majority state which are loosely united by the concept of India. India can call itself as a Hindu nation – my Christian friends do that but for Khalistanis,Christians in Northeast and Muslims in Kashmir, declaring India as a Hindu nation just proved Jinnah/Bhindrawale were right and the freedom from the “Hindu” empire turned nation-state is ultimatley justified.
Many Khalistanis still viewed India as a Hindu nation who is colonizing their land.India can try calling itself as a Hindu nation – but be prepared to see the disintegration of this empire turned nation-state.
I don’t at all feel alienated when Christmas time rolls around in America. I am still a proud citizen and I still have a flag fluttering freely at my door. The absence of an “s” in “In God We Trust” frankly doesn’t bother me. Nor does the ‘One nation, under God’ bit.
I’m proud because despite being a Christian country minorities are free to practice their religion freely. I don’t need to make the entire country bend over backwards to accommodate me, all I want is space to be me.
aarti kaul on June 5, 2009 09:04 AM
Strange logic here. The entire nation was with you when the yatra issue happened while Muslims of Kashmir were reduced as bigots, salafis and wahhabis. But the same nation is silent to what’s happening in Kashmir today( because they are not Hindus?). Kashmirians ( mostly Muslims) have witnessed killing,bombshell and have been paraded as criminals in their own land by the Indian army.India has justified placing the Kashmir valley under the contant din of guns in order to defend its territory.Half of million Indian soldiers are in Kashmir today!!
I felt the pain you are enduring but it is important to bring up Panun Kashmir when we are talking about Kashmirian Pandits.Muslims/Sikhs in Kashmir will tell stories of how Muslims/Sikhs are viewed as dirty by the Pandits and the presence of Muslims/Sikhs in Pandits’ kitchens means cleansing and watching afterward – lest it betrays their superiority over Muslims/Sikhs.
Muslims care about Palestine just like why Hindus in India weep for Fijian Hindus and for Indians in Australia today and just like why Christians in western countries care about Christians in Kandamal and Mangalore.
Bob Kagan is an evil neocon, and Zakaria is a superDesi, second only the Sanjaya Malarkar in the hearts of Macaca-Americans. Whose side would you pick?
Ikram: Let me start by saying, I heart Fareed Bhai.
I don’t think Taz was making the point that Emanual’s stint with the IDF colors his views in a way that would make influence his views on Israel-Palestinian conflict. This is what Kagan was suggesting about Fareed Bhai. Taz on the other hand was making a more direct point. She was starting with a posteriori, namely, that Emanual is Pro-Israel,and then proceeded to cite his volunteering with the IDF as a small brick in the wall of evidence which suggests that Emanuel is Pro-Israel. Yes, this piece of evidence (aka the stint with IDF) by itself is not dispositive, but when combined with his whole body of work, its indisputable that Emanuel is Pro-Israel.
Is this piece of evidence the strongest in making the case that Emanuel is Pro-Israel? I don’t think so. Maybe she should have said that Obama’s pick of Emanuel was met by relief and giddiness from AIPAC and the Israeli right. Regardless of what evidence she could have cited, I fail to see why the comment by itself was anti-semitic and despicable (I know you did not say that but I was not addressing you anyway)
Heh. I guess this is like the longstanding rule: positive, but not negative, stereotypes are allowed. If one says jews are hardworking one is observing a cultural trait. but to say jews are greedy is to be anti-semitic. likewise, its ok to say Sotomayer’s immigrant experience adds debt to her understanding of the world, but not ok to wonder if it restricts her to certain ethnocentric interests.
obviously there’s a contradiction here. Now, what i think happened is the ruling intellectual elites got together and decided the former statements should be allowed but not the latter, not because the latter are any less true than the former, but because in the hands of uneducated masses so vulnerable to savagery, xenophobia, racism, and such, all hell will break loose. So the ruler’s created a taboo to control the masses.
Plato called such a tactic a “noble lie”… a critical aspect to his ideal republic.
Yes, there have been no military attorneys who have questioned the legality of holding of prisoners at Guantanamo. Am sure they all volunteered to join the army or navy too. Your imagination fails
More like your reasoning fails.
Has Rambo Rahm questioned the legality of IDF’s tactics in Gaza?
.randy – when was the last time hindus took to the streets to protest the plight of hindus in fiji? or, how many hindus in mumbai, delhi and calcutta took to the streets protesting the horrible treatment of tamil hindus in sri lanka recently?? – not one.
p.s. do you know that despite kashmiri hindus being ethnically cleansed from kashmir, not one kashmiri pandit boy has blown himself up in a crowded srinagar or karachi market.
Some Israeli reaction to Hopey’s speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxt9HwfPwPo