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More from The PAE
Love Stories Project
March 4, 2015 at 6:25 pm
genius.
Anonymous
March 5, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Performance Art
K. Lattimore
March 5, 2015 at 2:55 pm
The satire is great. Does the satire eliminate the possibility of constructive conversation. I find it interesting that the “west” takes such an approach toward the Middle East (wherever that is). By all accounts of this article, the Islamic state is performing and behaving exactly as did European ancestral civilizations. These ancestors are the subjects in academia, Disney movies, and repeatedly romanticized in contemporary literature and media. Because Europeans dominated much of the earth in a 1000 times more vicious manner than the so called Islamic State, and therefore had the freedom of natural progression and the creation of laws to stop themselves from committing atrocities against human beings, the aura created by European empires now dictates the barbarism of people that do not suit its interest. In my opinion, those who are so “progressed” as human beings should find ways to deal with this issue in the Middle East more effectively. Satire of their beliefs and practices and resorting to more effective ways of taking human life are two ingredients which stewed the current response in the Middle East. When “we” (as westerns) are confronted with these same circumstances, “we” behave with the same barbarism as those we condemn.
grandson individual
March 5, 2015 at 11:47 pm
kudos to you for clarity in thinking. neither Isis or Western world’s past actions are worthy of applause or approval and need to be condemned. maybe, the mid Eastern religions need to look East two religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism etc.which are much more tolerant.stf
jke
March 6, 2015 at 2:09 pm
Your comment is valid but misses the point that these IS dudes are not comming from a less developed society or civilization. Yes, the ancient europeans did stupid shit 1000 years ago but you dont see it today. However, idiots like IS do stupid shit like this even tho they know “better”.
M
March 7, 2015 at 2:39 am
I’m sorry, but I had to comment because of your needless and obscene attempt at over intellectualising this argument. There are schools of religious thought that exist within this world that are, in my opinion, despicable. I find it offensive that although throughout the centuries in Europe, people have yearned to prove theories, have fought, suffered and died in an attempt to challenge certain oppressive religious ideas, you try to sit and propagate some sort of faux lefty ideal that the “west” (whatever that is) is all at fault.As terrible as European colonialisation was, I assume you are somewhat referring to this, it has to be taken into account that Empires have also previously existed in the Islamic world (See the Umayyad caliphate and Ottoman Empire amongst others). What you fail to acknowledgeis that your dodo-esque, apologist approach and attitude to this actually facilitates the religious fascist right’s agenda and also allows a platform to scum like the EDL and other such right wing nuts. Forget the west, what sort of message are you sending out to millions of people in the middle east who strive to fight religious ideological oppression in their countries?
Anonymous
March 8, 2015 at 2:42 am
What rubbish. The “beliefs and practices” of what you call the “Middle East” do not include the destruction of ancient cultural monuments except at the nutcase margins. There is nothing “eastern” about Isis’s barbaric destruction of Hatra. Muslim populations have occupied Syria for years and years yet Hatra stood till now. Barbarism is to be condemned wherever it is found, and arguments of cultural equivalence, whether true or false, should never silence those who condemn barbarism, mock it, or destroy it. And satire is not what is “stewing” the middle east, however much our puppeteers may want you to think so.
Roger Netzer
March 8, 2015 at 3:00 am
Rubbish, Lattimore. What are the “beliefs and practices” of the “Middle East ” that you reference? Muslims have lived near and with Hatra for centuries and Hatra came to no harm. So there is nothing “eastern” about destroying ancient cultural monuments, despite what our puppeteers may want us to believe.
Cultural equivalence arguments should never be used to silence those who speak up against genuine barbarism — which is what Isis is. How much more evidence do you need? Should we go easy on Isis’s book- burnings, since after all the Nazis (“westerns,” and therefore apparently just like me) did it too?
I will expect better of you next time, Lattimore.
Mike
March 5, 2015 at 6:03 pm
K.Lattimore – and what were Arabs and Africans doing when Europe had these empires? Living peacefully among themselves? Their empires were just as brutal, and they never went through the rigours of secular philosophy, self examination and free speech that European societies did. This constant “its all white people’s fault” is just crude racism disguised as “discussion”.
grandson individual
March 5, 2015 at 11:59 pm
and you’re right, the Arab were no better. the whole problem arises because the religion springing from the Mideast are monotheistic and therefore by their very nature not tolerant of other views and opinions and this permeates the whole culture. you need to look east toward Indian religions which are far more tolerant, such as Jainism and Buddhism which are probably lillingtons for current age and the future. for me it’s the whole argument is useless because human race has so many problems such as powerty, common disease, hunger, suffering and so on so forth so we need to follow 3 simple religions – nonviolence, multiplicity of views, non materialism, universal brotherhood. I can guarantee if you follow just these 4 common threads the world will be a much better place and we can together solve the worlds problems and make the world a better place to live in for everyone.
K. Lattimore
March 6, 2015 at 4:43 am
With all do respect Mr. Mike, I am in no way attempting to be racist or disguise anything. What I spoke of is a quantitative and historical fact. European empires have achieved more in the categories of the subject than any other could ever come close to. I am not condemning or calling for hate in any way and I apologies if I’ve been unclear. My point was as progressive as western civilization is, how and why can’t we deal with these kinds of issues without adding to the same behavior of which is being condemned? But I will not pretend that those civilizations that went through secular philosophy, self examination and free speech did so outside the luxury of near global conquest. And no one said anything about white people. I referred to an aura that is remnant left from the advancement of European empires and when I named such aura as the west, I included myself in that classification. So please don’t be hasty and classify my opinion as racist.
Faye
March 6, 2015 at 10:15 pm
Speak of the double standards or lack of knowledge … you sir need to go through history books .. there was a time when these regions witnessed the greatest of the civilizations in the world while the rest of the Europe n western world were dwelling in the dark era .. no wonder history repeats itself .. everything has a downfall .. eventually.
Aaron Boone
March 5, 2015 at 10:20 pm
K. Lattimore – rarely have I seen such pompous, wrong-headed wank in my entire life.
K. Lattimore
March 6, 2015 at 4:57 am
With all do respect Mr. Aaron Boone, wrong-headedness maybe, that’s however subjective. But pompous? No Sr. Where in any of my statements have I alluded arrogance or self importance? I have not spoken about myself. And a wank? Well yes, and if you’re a man I’d hope at some point you’ve been a wank yourself because there’d be other questions about you otherwise. Are you used to using words to insult people because they sound good? There’s no need to of me Sr. I assure you I’m not your enemy. But I will say that it is pompous and wrong-headed for you to consider someone’s opinion as lacking while not providing one of your own. With that said, I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Sean Patrick
March 5, 2015 at 10:28 pm
Neo Barbarian – Barbarians of the East funded by the West as blind and controlled opposition.
Faye
March 6, 2015 at 10:17 pm
You sir..deserve a solute
Anonymous
March 6, 2015 at 1:39 am
Sean Patrick, now there’s a can of worms for the masses!
James
March 6, 2015 at 10:01 am
Lattimore – Really?? I find it fascinating that someone can take (what was clearly) an incredibly long time and still write such drivel. Well done you.
Anonymous
March 6, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Love it! It’s a great satire of intercultural stupidities. A real Poetic of Misunderstanding.
Tina Cooke
March 6, 2015 at 3:18 pm
I don’t know that I’m ready to laugh over this very sad destruction of antiquity. Such a great loss for the Iraqi people and the world, too.
Jettboy
March 6, 2015 at 4:46 pm
“In my opinion, those who are so “progressed” as human beings should find ways to deal with this issue in the Middle East more effectively.”
I agree with this. The progressive West should make the MIddle East into a nuclear parking lot of glass. It worked for the Japanese barbarians.
Douglas
March 6, 2015 at 10:40 pm
KL – I suppose if you consider centuries-dead Europeans to be part of your “we” you’d have a point. I don’t identify with, say, a Crusader any more than I do with ISIS. Knowing your history is neat-o . . but how that translates to being more “understanding” of decapitation-loving, “Death to America!” spouting, neanderthals I fail to grasp. In other words, that was a real purdy, well-written speech there . . but there’s no “there” there. What’s your point?
Jay Dillon
March 6, 2015 at 11:54 pm
Some military artists could do some vaporware called “Vapor that once was Islamofascist.” But it would be generally seen as derivative I suppose.
Tes
March 7, 2015 at 2:53 am
Thank you, thank you. I’ve often thought we could destroy more “bad guys” by laughing at them than by giving them what they so desperately crave: a Pyrric battle.
Anonymous
March 8, 2015 at 5:31 am
the original Caliphate was a much better place than Europe was at the time. But the worst excesses of the Inquisition were still about as bad as ISIS on any given Thursday.
Anonymous
March 8, 2015 at 12:38 pm
What a silly thing to do. It’s like smashing up your neighbors antique pin-ball machine just because you don’t dig his religious vibe. Islamic fundamentalists are just a bunch of jealous kids.
Brian
March 11, 2015 at 8:43 am
People’s Front of Judea?
F*ck off! We’re the Judean People’s Front!
Splitters!
wiseblood23
March 12, 2015 at 7:50 pm
what about the Popular Front ? 😉