ERRONEOUS PERCEPTION OF THE WEST VS JIHADIST CLASH- IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO ISRAEL
Reader comment on item: The Democrats and Israel

Submitted by JKF (Canada), Jan 28, 2009 at 23:52

All too many people are attributing the clash between the West and Islamist extremist to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. My view is that the conflict serves the puposes of many in the ME and beyond. The main-stream, behind the amplification of the conflict, are extremist Islamists that have used their mosques to preach hatred of the West. Why? because a democracy is not the system of government that is a good fit with the rule by the mullahs = a theocracy.

The extreme interpretation of Islam requires the rule by a theocracy, or some person that represents the interests of the theocracy. In such theocracies, no separation of church and state can exist. This fundamental requirement, can not co-exist within a democratic form of government.

The other very critical issue, is the equal status of women and men in a democratic society. This is one of the most fundamental precepts, that is contrary to the fundamental beliefs and values of the Islamists. A democratic system of government does not allow for the unequal status of women; men and women are equal in total status. Poligamy is not legal for men nor women. This fundamental issue, is already under attack in Western societies, by growing muslim populations, to the point that some Western countries, already recognize poligamy, as long as the poligamous relationship was started and legalized outside of the Western country. Essentially the separation of church and state has already crumbled in many Western countries with respect to muslim poligamy.

The other very fundamental issue, is the subjugation of the family to absolute patriarchial rule. The issue of constraining all the family members to the the father's absolute rule is also something that Western societies do not condone.

Lastly, a theocracy, as required by the islamists, can not allow for any other religeous beliefs to be accepted in the theocratic state but Islam. Consequently, a democratic system is not compatible with the theocratic rule. We see that in all the extreme Islamic jurisdictions, the islamists persecute through prohibitive laws, and in many cases through outright terror, through proxy-militias, members of other faiths. All the infrastructure of the other faiths is usually either not allowed, or where it exists, it is outright destroyed. Just look at Afghanistan and the destruction of ancestral Hindu sites; or look at Iraq, and the destruction of christian churches and communities, and even the destruction of Shia and Sunni mosques by extremists of each form of Islam.

The other big stream of anti Western sentiment, is generated by those leaders that do not have popular support; for them the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a diversionary source of focus, of their disenfranchised populations, to keep themselves in power. Saddam was masterful at it; Assad, and the current Iranian leadership use this as a justification for their failed economic and political programs.

If the Israeli-Palestinian conflict did not exist, not one of the above issues, would go away. I do not see a day or a way, that could bring a resolution of these fundamental issues that differrentiate a democracy from an islamist theocracy. Just look at Europe, freedom of speech and the protection of native cultures is crumbling under the onslaught of the cultural clash taking place.

It is unfortunate that some, those on the liberal left, fail to understand the depth and width of the schiasam, between what the islamists want, and that which a democracy represents. Those are the people that somehow equate the terrorist demands as justifyiable, while the needs to defend a democracy, as Israel, as not justifyable. Their lack of historical knowledge, ignorance, of the Jewish people, also results in amplified negativism towards the plight of Israel and its people which are facing issues of survival.

Lastly, anti-semitism is always simmering below the surface of many of the cultural elites; especially in Europe. It is very hard to roll back 2000 years of anti-semitic indoctrination, through outright progroms, stereotyping, church edicts, paintings, caricatures, films, etc.

The fact that many in the democratic party in the US are turning their back on Israel is not only wrong, but it is not justified, and needs to be addressed positively.

BOTTOM LINE- ISRAEL, THE JEWISH STATE, AND ITS PEOPLE ARE IN A VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD OF THEIR HISTORY.

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