So I’ve been asked several times if I’m going to write anything about the Nick Berg beheading. At the moment I have no plans to. I have a copy of the video sitting on my hard drive, but I currently have no intentions of viewing it. It’s sick and horrible, as if that even comes close to describing it, and I don’t know what good it would do. Maybe some day in the future, when I’m starting to feel complacent, I’ll pull it out as a little reminder of the kind of people we’re dealing with.
UPDATES:
- If you want a taste of what’s in the video, here are some images, progressing in disgustingness: 1, 2, 3.
- I’ve also hosted a zipped copy of the video here (note: removed at request of the University)
I will say this, though. Everyone wants to talk about how there’s such a huge difference between moderate Muslims and the kind in that video. Maybe there is, but judging by reactions, I’d say the moderates are in the minority. To wit, there was tremendous Muslim outrage over American’s doing markedly less terrible things to Iraqi prisoners, but many Muslims outraged by Abu Grahib have been noticeably silent on the Nick Berg issue. Notice, please, that there was significant outrage by Americans on both sides of the aisle over Abu Grahib.
I’m just sayin. (Kevin has more)
The point of this post, however, is to make those of you with spare cash aware of the blog-world’s latest fund raising drive.
Tonight, I finished watching the HBO documentary My Flesh And Blood, which tells the story of Susan Tom, a 53-year-old single mother in Fairfield, California. Susan is the mother of 13 children, 11 of whom she has adopted, many of whom suffer from handicaps and diseases. Teenagers Hannah and Xenia were born without legs. Anthony has a degenerative and usually fatal skin disease. Eight-year-old Faith has disfiguring scars and no hair from being badly burned as an infant. Joe, 15, recently passed away from cystic fibrosis. Margaret, 18, helps Susan raise the family.
Anyway… the Command Post is trying to raise $10,000 in three days. It’s for a great cause and it’s a great response to the shit going on over in Iraq. (Not as great as, say, summarily executing every Muslim extremist, but I think we have to work within ourselves on this one) I’ve contributed $10 that I don’t have because I wouldn’t ask you to do anything that I wouldn’t do.
So go ahead… read the full post and donate.
May 12th, 2004 at 11:41 am
Ecellent post!!
I think one of the differences between us and the Middle East is that despicable acts like the Berg beheading are commonplace there. Sort of like those of us in the U.S. being desensitized to gang killings.
May 12th, 2004 at 12:23 pm
There can be doubt of the degree of Muslim extremism. It is clearly rampant, fanatical, and actually, factually, EVIL.
That said, however, I would like to mention one thought about your statement of the degree of the population of Muslims who are ‘moderate’. First of all, I think your statement may ignore non-arabic muslims such as our aliies in Turkey (over 60 million muslims) or India (over 100 million muslims), in addition to others. I think you would likely find many more than 50% of these people to be moderate.
My other feeling, and this is more of a gut instinct than anything else, is that any moderates currently lving in the arab world may not be very quick to voice their moderate opinions for fear of extremists. In places like Iraq, Afghanistan, or Saudi Arabia there is probably legitimate fear of persecution by religious fanatics if one were to act and speak in a rational manner.
May 12th, 2004 at 1:07 pm
a.) I think your first statement counters your second nicely. If there are 160 Million non-arab muslims who are, as you say, mostly moderate, they’re being awfully quiet.
This is a time in the world when moderate Muslims need to be going out of their way to show that they’re not extremists.
b.) Is ignoring disgusting atrocities for one’s own benefit more or less morally corrupt than not recognizing the atrocity at all?
The free western world wasn’t built on men who avoided saying things that could result in harm, and the free Arab world won’t either.
May 12th, 2004 at 2:11 pm
a.) I agree that those 160 million should be vocal in their opposition to atrocities committed, but I honestly don’t know how vocal people in Turkey are about certain events. The media here is pretty skewed and tends to cover negative events much more than positive ones. I don’t think either of us know what kind of dinner table or water cooler discussions the recent atrocities generate in Turkey. However, when you look at actions within Iraq or Palestine compared to those within Tureky it would seem that Turkey is a world apart in terms of violence caused by religious extremism.
Also, I don’t think my first statement counters my second at all, because one referred exclusively to people within the arab world, while the other referred exclusively to those without it.
b)Ignoring atrocities is certainly not admirable in a moral sense. However, if one feared that his family may be tortured or killed if he spoke out against certain events I don’t think his not doing so would classify him as a religious extremist.
The free western world was built on a lot of courage and sacrifice, the arab world will require the same to achieve a peaceful and civilized society. However, lacking those attributes doesn’t make someone an extremist; they’re just not the heroes that have brought us to where we are.
—
keep in mind I’m only responding to your one statement
“…there’s such a huge difference between moderate Muslims and the kind in that video… I’d say the moderates are in the minority”
which I believe to be a grossly inaccurate.
May 12th, 2004 at 2:30 pm
Hmmm… feel free to substantiate if you really feel it to be “grossly inaccurate” — if we’re just bandying opinions, mine wins because it’s my house.
I find it curious that you just assume Muslims in other parts of the world to be moderate after criticizing my assumption that they’re not.
May 12th, 2004 at 3:01 pm
Well, I have to give you the ‘your house’ rule.
The reason I’m not talking a roll call on moderates (as far as substantiation goes) is because I simply refuse to believe that the amount of people who would be willing to behead someone on camera rises to the level of needing to be compared to the many millions of people who would simply like to go to work, raise their families, etc.
There are roughly 1.9 billion muslims in the world. If more than half of them were as utterly, utterly evil as those on that tape… I don’t know, I just can’t fathom that, I don’t believe it to be possible. (at a curent world popluation of about 6 billion that would mean that even if not a single non-Muslim were evil, then roughly 16% of all people on the face of this Earth are pure evil, that’s incomprehensable)
However, I did state that it was my ‘belief’ that your statement was grossly inaccurate. I can’t prove it with the resources at my disposal.
As far as why I would make one assumption while critizing another - the only defense I can offer is Occam’s Razor.
Again, I will concede to your house rule due to a lack of empirical evidence, but not in silence
May 12th, 2004 at 3:05 pm
Well, that may be the difference here.
I don’t think one has to cut someone’s head off in order to be extreme. It’s sufficient, but not necessary. Any muslim who looks at the beheading and says “Dirty Americans had it coming to them” is sufficiently extreme to no longer be “moderate”
It takes a gigantic pair of brass balls to behead an american on video and then send the video to America… it doesn’t take such big brass balls to smirk to yourself when you hear about it.
May 12th, 2004 at 3:18 pm
absolutely true…
I think perhaps the understanding of the phrase ‘the kind in that video’ in your statement:
“…there’s such a huge difference between moderate Muslims and THE KIND IN THAT VIDEO… I’d say the moderates are in the minority” (emphasis added)
is what the difference of opinion turns upon. I interpreted that phrase to refer to those who would carry out those types of actions, whereas you intended it in a much broader sense (as I understand from your last post). Perhaps I interpreted it too literally, perhaps you used it too loosely, as with most things the truth probably lies somewhere in between.
At least I got to do some research on Muslim demographics
May 13th, 2004 at 8:58 am
Here’s a follow up on part of our discussion. I saw an aricle on http://www.cnn.com this morning entitled “Three Arab states condemn American’s beheading”.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/.....index.html
Here are a few excerpts if you don’t feel like readin the whole thing:
United Arab Emirates:
“We are ashamed because these terrorists carried out this revolting and inhumane act in the name of our religion and culture,” UAE Information Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said in a written statement.
Jordan:
“Jordan strongly condemns the barbaric act committed against Mr. Nick Berg, a U.S. contractor in Iraq, by the terrorist group headed by Abu Al Zarqawi.
“Jordan has issued a death sentence against Al Zarqawi for his terrorist activities which threatened to kill thousands of Jordanian citizens and for plotting attacks against U.S. and foreign interests in Jordan.”
Saudi Arabia:
“There is no doubt that killing detainees and mutilating the remains of the dead are acts which are condemned by all religions and contrary to the morals of all nations and peoples,” Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan said in a statement released Wednesday.
Iraq:
“Those psychopaths who committed this immoral crime should be brought before justice very rapidly and get their deserved punishment,” Amin said
May 13th, 2004 at 9:16 am
Doubtless. The most telling comments, though, were the ones I saw yesterday in which the condemnation was quickly followed by the more sincere reason: because the video overshadowed (or had the potential to, but thanks to our media did not) the Abu Grhaib issue.
Iraq and the UAE I might buy, but I seriously question the motives of Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
May 13th, 2004 at 10:29 am
I would have to say I question the motives of the Saudi Government as well.