[MD] sq social - sq intellectual

[Platt Holden]

Gene:

[Platt previously]
> > Thanks for the examples, Gene. Would you say radical Islamists are
> > counter- cultural and an example of "DQ a' knocking on society's
> > door?"
> > In other words, do you consider all challenges to the status quo to be
> > desirable? If not, how would you suggest we tell the difference.
> > Thanks.

[Gene]
> Radical Islam is not something I can comment on well, being outside my
> culture and personal experience. However. It seems likely it is a
> counter culture, but not one of ours. The thing to remember is that
> Islam has it's Own culture, and maybe this particular counter-culture
> will be a driving force that causes Islam to expunge all apsects of
> itself related to extremism.

So far there is little evidence that the majority of Muslims will 
"expunge" the extremists among them, especially in the Arab world  
where terrorist groups such as al Qaeda, Hamas  and Hezbollah appear to 
be gaining in popularity. 

> Unless we as a culture re-inforce in them
> the Need for such a behaviour, in which case it risks being absorbed and
> assimilated by the Culture. If we want terrorists to go away, we need to
> convince everyone else that they're on the wrong track. Opposing them
> with force only strengthens their local support all over the world.

This sounds disheartenedly like the position held by 60's intellectuals 
who believed "It was police repression that created the crime." (Lila, 
Chp. 24)  

> Force vs. Force leads us nowhere at all. Force must be absorbed and
> re-directed, channeled. Only then is victory likely. If we showed the
> world how wrong the terrorists were, and how Good we are, then they
> would likely push extremism aside.

How do we go about getting the force used by terrorists "absorbed, re-
directed, channelled?" How do we convince them how wrong they are
and how good we are?

> Bombing civilians and imposing our imperialistic will around the world
> is Not a good way to show how Good we are and unnecesarry they are,
> sadly.

Would you fight terrorists under any circumstances?

Platt