Conversation with a Muslim

[ethics]

My brother has a friend who is from Jordan (not Omar). He was friends with Zadoun since we were teenagers. Zadoun married and still lives in Freeport, LI.

My brother speaks with him and cares deeply for his friend but rarely visits. Over this past weekend he finally took his girlfriend and went over there.

My brother relayed this to me over a phone conversation on Sunday and I must say I am depressed about the outcome. As much as I defend Muslims, I have to say there are still many many of them who need open their eyes.

Dmitry (my brother) is not really a political person. He runs his site and likes to keep it light. Dmitry is also a centrist, like me, one who doesn't go by any political line but looks at each issue individually, reads on it, and decides what side he is on later.

After my brother arrived to his house, he was besieged by political conversation. No matter how many times my brother, kindly, asked him to not talk about Bush or Iraq, Zadoun just couldn't stop.

Among many revelations from an American who has lived here since he was a tiny kid:

1. Bush and the US government were the ones who were responsible for 9.11.01. There's a huge US conspiracy and everyone who comes in to the government becomes a puppet and brainwashed in to marching to the same orders.

2. Hamas are not terrorists. They do more for people than anyone else in PA. Killing Israeli Jews is not terrorism but battles in war.

3. Our Colleges are our only hope since that's where people like Zadoun hide and express their true feelings.

Now, keep in mind, this is from a Jordanian who doesn't know what Jordan is like nor has been back there since. He is more American than probably me as far as time being in the US. And yet?

*sigh* We have such a long way to go and these type of people do nothing for advancement towards peace of Muslims and everyone else.

[Techie2000]

Ignorance is dangerous on all sides, for it is the enemy of democracy. Critical thinking is a skill that seems to be severly lacking in society today. I've always felt that "debate" should be a required class, as it forces people to learn to think critically and look at issues objectively from both sides.

[ethics]

Would debate class be enough to circumvent hatred within an ideology?

[Techie2000]

Would debate class be enough to circumvent hatred within an ideology?The problem with hatred, is that it is usually something that is learned at a young age before critical thinking is taught. To have people stop hating, they'd have to "unlearn" their hatred and often "unlearning" is harder than learning itself. Things such as Debate Class that teach and plant the seeds of critical thinking could do well to help curb the hatred. However circumventing it completely requires a lot more than just planting the seeds of critical thought.

[cdw]

I'm not sure I understand what the fact he is a Muslim has to do with it.
You can find people here and everywhere who are not Muslim and never lived in another country or those outside of this country who have never been here that believe the same garbage.
As for critical thinking and debating...there are plenty of people who are intelligent and can debate very well and still believe that garbage.
Hell, look at a past female member who shall remain nameless who said basically the same thing as the first two items on the list...I have no idea how she feels about the third. :)

[ravital]

Now, keep in mind, this is from a Jordanian who doesn't know what Jordan is like nor has been back there since.
And that's a big part of it. Jordan isn't great but not nearly half as bad as a few other places in the Middle East. Has he visited that area at all? As an adult? I'll wager that if he ever does get to a place like Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and decides to come back to the U.S. after that, he'll kneel and kiss the tarmac at JFK.

[ethics]

I'll wager that if he ever does get to a place like Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and decides to come back to the U.S. after that, he'll kneel and kiss the tarmac at JFK.


That's the crux of that whole "nationality" issue.

Too many people are all of a sudden nationals of their "homeland". That is, UNTIL they go back to their homeland and two things happen.

1. They realize there is no other home for them OTHER than US.

2. The nationals there will think they are more national, patriotic than they are.

I've had plenty of Irish friends I grew up with. One girl (happens to work in the same company as me) boldly told me that Brits are inherently evil when I prodded her long and annoyingly enough (simply because I wanted her to admit she was racist).

Then she went back to Ireland and I never heard about how great it is from her.