Re: [CH] Ch card--"Middle Eastern People"--OT
Virginia Anderson (assembly1@waitrose.com)
Fri, 14 Sep 2001 17:17:27 +0100
on 13/9/01 11:59 pm, "Bruce" <blacksheep@awwwsome.com> wrote:
> Please let's not paint "The Middle Eastern people" with such
> a broad paranoid brush. The people that were celebrating
> for the cameras were some Palestinians. Most people of the
> Middle East are decent people who do not support the terrorist
> acts of yesterday. We don't need another situation like during
> WWII where thousands of Japanese Americans were rounded
> up and put into camps. I should say that I doubt that all
> Palestinians support yesterday's acts either. The only way that
> a world war will start from this is if angry paranoid people act
> upon their bigotry and lash out at anyone regardless of guilt.
> A few bozos that I work with have already been saying how
> we should just nuke the entire Middle East. Now *that's* what
> really scares me.
I agree. One of the first foreign reactions to this tragedy was from Yasser
Arafat, who was visibly and authentically upset. He then publicly gave
blood, despite his obvious frailty, and exhorted his people to do so as
well. Even Iran has given a heartfelt condemnation of this act. This was
not a gimmick: every sane person, whatever their views of the United States
and capitalism, is shocked and deplores this act. The outrage at this
atrocity cuts across political, national and religious boundaries: the list
of countries whose citizens have died or are still missing was scrolled by
the BBC last night, and it was a long one. I'd imagine that many of the
Palestinians filmed celebrating were doing so through an unthinking mob
impulse, without considering that the attack was wholly inappropriate and
unthinkable as a response to the grievances they feel.
At one stroke these fanatics have killed all reasoned argument and, through
their religious and political bigotry, have fostered bigotry against
innocent Muslims and Palestinians of other religious beliefs, and the silly
"me-too" celebrants have helped them to do it. Forty per cent of the
population of Leicester are from the Indian subcontinent - a lot of them are
Muslim - and I've enjoyed chatting about chiles and spicy food with quite a
number of them. I'm absolutely terrified that some people here might
emulate the bozos Bruce works with - or, indeed, the Palestinian bozos
filmed celebrating - and, perhaps, harm these nice regular folk, who like
all of us, are just trying to live a good, productive life.
The only us versus them should be the entire world versus the guys who did
this. My thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy, and for this
list with the CH firefighters who, even though they may not have loved ones
there, are particularly moved by the plights of their brothers and sisters
at the site.
Best,
Virginia
--
Virginia Anderson
Leicester, UK
<vanderson@experimentalmusic.co.uk>
Experimental Music Catalogue: <http://www.experimentalmusic.co.uk>
...experimental music since 1969....