| magicalfreddiemercury 23.09.2013 09:14 |
The boards are so quiet regarding this attack. Have we grown so used to terrorist attacks that we no longer deem them worthy of conversation, or has everything we can say about them already been said? It saddens and sickens me to think my child – as well as her generation – has grown in the shadow of 9/11, and that terror attacks in the US and around the world have become standard segments on the evening news. They’ve become so common that the other news stories here in the States, which are given nearly equal time, are about the Emmy Awards, Mariano Rivera’s retirement from major league baseball, potential 2016 US presidential candidates, and the like. As disturbing as that is, maybe it's not all bad. The group responsible for this latest attack was actually tweeting events as they were occurring. Clearly, they want publicity. I'm curious whether you think horrific attacks like these would be less likely to happen if the media refused to cover them at all, or if you think these monsters are determined to kill and maim regardless who the audience might or might not be. I'm also curious how this is being covered by media around the world, so if you'd care to share that too… |
| The Real Wizard 23.09.2013 09:50 |
magicalfreddiemercury wrote: Have we grown so used to terrorist attacks that we no longer deem them worthy of conversation, or has everything we can say about them already been said?Yup. It's 2013 and we are completely desensitized to anything that's going on around the world. Shhhh, Jersey Shore is on. |
| The Real Wizard 23.09.2013 09:51 |
magicalfreddiemercury wrote: The group responsible for this latest attack was actually tweeting events as they were occurring. Clearly, they want publicity. I'm curious whether you think horrific attacks like these would be less likely to happen if the media refused to cover them at all, or if you think these monsters are determined to kill and maim regardless who the audience might or might not be.It's a good thought, but I hardly think these nutjobs are keeping tabs on what US media is saying about them. |
| thomasquinn 32989 23.09.2013 12:21 |
I hold a minority opinion on the subject, but based on historical comparisons, what I see in the rise of Islamic terrorism/extremism is that secularization is starting to take place in the middle east as well, and those elements that can't cope with it are fighting a losing battle. Religious terrorism is not a sign of the strength of a religious group, but of its weakness. The fact that they are mostly murdering their own brothers/sisters in faith shows how marginalized Islamic fanatics are already. I think the surge in Islamic extremism is a temporary one, that comes before the collapse. |
| magicalfreddiemercury 23.09.2013 16:10 |
The Real Wizard wrote: Yup. It's 2013 and we are completely desensitized to anything that's going on around the world. Shhhh, Jersey Shore is on.Ha! Sadly you are spot on. The Real Wizard wrote:Well, in this part of my comment, I actually meant world media not just US media, but since you mention it, I do think these maniacs are keeping tabs on how they're portrayed by US media, as well as how US citizens and politicians respond to them and react to their actions. It's not all about US reaction, but US reaction matters. Everything they do is for impact. Response from the West, whether immediate or over time (in the form of new security measures that put additional strain on the economy, for example) shows how well their methods are working. At least that's how I see it.magicalfreddiemercury wrote: The group responsible for this latest attack was actually tweeting events as they were occurring. Clearly, they want publicity. I'm curious whether you think horrific attacks like these would be less likely to happen if the media refused to cover them at all, or if you think these monsters are determined to kill and maim regardless who the audience might or might not be.It's a good thought, but I hardly think these nutjobs are keeping tabs on what US media is saying about them. |
| brENsKi 23.09.2013 16:19 |
and - Islam is a (relatively) new religion (in world terms) and by consequence is still evolving/developing. there are many "mistakes" and "wrong doings" that were carried out in the name of Christianity. as late as the middle-ages. ...like the Spanish Inquisition, Crusades and much more besides so it;'s hypocritical of Christianity to denounce the extremist Islam |
| magicalfreddiemercury 23.09.2013 16:29 |
thomasquinn 32989 wrote: I hold a minority opinion on the subject, but based on historical comparisons, what I see in the rise of Islamic terrorism/extremism is that secularization is starting to take place in the middle east as well, and those elements that can't cope with it are fighting a losing battle. Religious terrorism is not a sign of the strength of a religious group, but of its weakness. The fact that they are mostly murdering their own brothers/sisters in faith shows how marginalized Islamic fanatics are already. I think the surge in Islamic extremism is a temporary one, that comes before the collapse.Wouldn't it be nice if this were the case? I'm not convinced, though. While it's true that secularization is starting to take place in the Middle East, more and more terrorist groups have managed to bring Westerners into the fold. CNN reported that 40 Americans have been recruited by Al-Shabaab over the past few years. And now they're saying that among those responsible for this attack were men from the US, Canada, Finland and the UK. I know anyone can be radicalized at anytime, but it seems we're hearing more and more about the guy next door, one of "us", suddenly becoming one of "them". I'm afraid that's not leading to a collapse. At least not one that'll be here soon. Though I hope you're right and I'm wrong. |
| magicalfreddiemercury 23.09.2013 16:37 |
Sorry. Meant to edit and quoted myself instead. |
| john bodega 24.09.2013 05:22 |
Well it rates highly enough to be on Australian TV - right before an important update on what One Direction got up to before their first gigs in Australia. (A few rounds of golf, if you must know). I'm not really ok with terrorism, but if we have to accept it as a fact of modern life then I think instead of shopping centres they ought to knock on a few TV stations or something. |
| Donna13 24.09.2013 07:57 |
I suppose TQ is correct. The radical Islamists are seeing change around them (such as the idea that girls should be educated) and it feels threatening and they assume they are falling into a weaker position now or that they have a lot to lose in terms of personal power or dignity, comfortable traditions, or their standing in society. They are able to convince others to join them to fight for Islam (with the threat that it will be taken away from them). It is a strange but real phenomenon of some sort of brain washing, I think, maybe similar to how cults lure people in, by confusing the otherwise sensible thinking of a vulnerable person. But what any rational person or group should do about it when observing it from the outside ... who knows. Education is the only thing that seems logical to me. Maybe teaching young people how to avoid being brainwashed (with teaching of brainwashing techniques so a young person might have defenses against it). I don't know. Anyway, from the perspective of maybe a few hundred years in the future, what we are experiencing now might look like a period of adjustment from some traditional or religious ideas to ideas that make more sense in terms of acceptable human rights: the growing pains of a human population that is becoming culturally more integrated. |
| ParisNair 25.09.2013 07:51 |
Not sure if anyone noticed how too many Indians became causalties at the Nairobi mall. They are mostly descendents of Indian merchants/laborers/teachers who migrated to Africa while India was still a british colony. Like our Freddie's family.... |
| ParisNair 25.09.2013 08:03 |
I don't share the opinion that islamic terrorism that we see today is an upheaval/struggle within Islam - sort of an evolution as seen in Europe/christianity centuries ago. islam has already has a secular face in the past but has been stifled by orthodoxy and intolerant forces. Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran and even Afghanistan are examples of this. We have not seen Islamic terrorism defeated anywhere- they keep winning everytime. if the middle est was becoming secular, we would not have seen the Muslim brotherhood gain so much support instead of some other, secular oriented group. |