Re: comment "A pox on both houses."
Reader comment on item: [Hamid Dabashi:] Columbia University's Hysterical Professor

Submitted by John (United States), Dec 6, 2004 at 14:10

Mr. Khawaja said, "This is one of those controversies in which the only proper response is: a pox on both houses."

...A major reason that terrorism flourishes in this day and age is because of misguided arguments like this. The basic assumption of people like this is that the victims of terrorism are as much to blame for terrorism as the terrorists themselves. This is exactly parallel of the philosophy which exists in cultures that oppress women who are victims of rape. That philosophy is that the victim of rape has brought dishonor and bad luck to the family.

This is how people feel about Israel and now the United States. Terrorists are responsible for their own actions and should be held accountable.

Mr. Luria has condemned a message of hatred. This is an important contribution to all of society because the culture of hatred is strong and must be condemned for what it is...hatred. Terrorism feeds off of weak minded people. When Martin Luther King and Gandhi spoke out against hatred they did so with the same dignity and sense of public service that Mr. Luria feels.

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