Gettin' all political on you

Okay, so sometimes I can't help it...I HAVE to organize my political ramblings. They aren't meant to offend or alienate anyone, I just like to offer my opinion to anyone willing to listen (in your case, read). On my way to the grocery store this morning I was listening to my beloved station, AM 1280 The Patriot which, by the way, is glorious. A caller made the comment that Islamic Fundamentalists hate the Jewish for the same reason they hate Americans, which is that we value hard-work, family, and the rule of law. I found this point to be extremely interstice and quite revealing. As a region, the Middle East contains countries which derive their wealth from natural resources. This wealth is not acquired through creation of some profitable medium, but instead of materials that merely existed. Some would argue that this fact alone prevents them from culturally, socially, and politically modernizing and liberalizing. These things are reflected in their attitudes and actions towards both the Jewish and the American. Most interesting is that few of these Jihad warriors know nothing of what it is to be Jewish or American. They are led to believe that these two groups are inherently evil based on stereotypes and mechanisms of jealousy and resentment.

Something else that is worth pointing out is that before the creation of Israel, Jews lived throughout the Arab world quite harmoniously, they were a minority. It wasn't until they were given land that people began inventing reasons as to why they should be hated. Some believe that because Jews were able to make something out of the worthless piece of land they were given, that they were further discriminated against. It's amazing how motivating jealousy can be as well as how it can quickly and unreasonably inspire masses of people to turn against a group of people. I realize that the majority of Muslim people are good people who are trying to understand and cope with what is happening. However, so many radical fundamentalists are running amuck throughout the region, threatening the safety of themselves, their people, and the world. My question is why now? Before the Iranian Revolution of the 1940's there was no such thing as Islamic Fundamentalists. But because the Islamic religion itself lacks an official authority, anyone can declare themselves a religious leader commanding people and sanctify their personal vindications as religious mandates. What I find ironic is that one of the main principles of the Quaran is to follow the word of Allah and to recognize when a leader goes against it. It goes on to state that if a leaders commands are not within the confines of what the Quaran says to be right, then the individual must recognize this and defy the leader at all costs. The Muslim religion is not inherently bad, in fact it embraces many of the same principles as Christianity and Judaism.

It seems as if the religion itself may be incompatible with Democracy, posing a problem not only with our most recent endeavors in Iraq, but perhaps even the future of our world. I don't really have any solutions to offer, only the hope that god willing peace will prevail. If this is really a war of religion then I don't understand it at all. What kind of religion promotes the blind destruction of non believers and the oppression of women. I believe it is one that needs to look back at its beginnings. It seems like too many people have lost sight of what is the most important.

If this stuff interests you, please check out Fareed Zakaria's, The Future of Freedom. His knowledge of the subject is much more vast than mine and his explanations infinitely more eloquent.