Food for thought for the moral and religious equivalence crowd – how many Christian-led riots has this incited? How many have died as a result? Where’s the equivalent outrage?
Though I can’t vouch for its complete veracity, the story from Saudi Arabia certainly has much more comprehensive credibility, much more established detail, and a much longer history than Newsweek‘s factual faux pas that sparked a firestorm of riot in Afghanistan and heightened distrust of American intervention in the region.
The larger questions must continue to be asked: How compatible is Islam with liberal Western notions of democracy, pluralism, and the rule of law? What Islamic leaders, if any, will take the mantle of reform and make a widespread and lasting impact? How long will it take?
Or will oppression and persecution remain the norm in places like Darfur, so ably highlighted in recent days by Jared and others?
It almost makes you wonder why Dear Leader keeps inviting the head-bible-shredders to his ranch.
It’s sad that I even have to explain this to someone who claims some degree of educated political sophistication, but the realities of international affairs and diplomacy don’t entitle world leaders to dissociate themselves from every regime or administration that has distasteful policies.
But Mr. Stranger already knew that… he just couldn’t resist the chance to poke a stick at President Bush. So much for a serious discussion of the issue.
If I had wanted to take a similar tack, I could have turned the post into a diatribe against Senate Democrats who voted against drilling in ANWR. I mean, after all, they must want us to keep buying more oil from Saudi Arabia and lining the pockets and bank accounts of the Bible-shredders, right?
That’s what you would expect from some right-wing wacko fundamentalist Christian nut job, isn’t it, Mr. Stranger? But such an argument seemed absurd enough to be rejected when I initially posted this as it does now.
Eschew the hypocrisy. Fight the hate. Open your eyes. And if you want to persuade the clear-thinking readers of this site, find a relevant argument!