From: Michael Lorrey (mike@datamann.com)
Date: Fri Mar 09 2001 - 10:18:04 MST
James Rogers wrote:
>
> >Not to be rude (since that's what started this, the idea of politeness),
> >but do you KNOW any muslims, or are you just getting this 2nd hand? I
> >happen to be learning Arabic from a muslim, and he is quite well educated,
> >liberal, and willing to discuss anything I ask. Is he an anomoly?
>
> This is consistent with my experience. I've known (and even dated on
> occasion) many muslims and they have always come across as a well-educated
> and thoughtful people. In many ways, the American media does not do them
> or their culture justice, choosing to show the more fringe and extreme
> individuals who profess to represent that religion. It would be akin to
> using the Hayden Lake crowd as the representatives of American
> Christianity. Or Hollywood to represent American society and culture.
Well, keep in mind that muslims who come here from arab/turkish/persian
nations are generally moving here either for economic opportunity or
else using such opportunity to live in a more free society, i.e. its a
filtration process. Sampling muslims in their native environment should
also be done. While I personally have no direct experience, I know
several female military vets who had been stationed in Saudi Arabia and
found themselves targets of highly offensive behavior, so much so that
none would or could leave base without a significant male escort. There
are also different muslim societies. Egypt, for example, is very
cosmopolitan in the cities, but many rural areas are highly
fundamentalist, and while Kuwaitis and citizens of the UAE are highly
liberal, their neighbors are not so. This is similar to the significant
differences in opinion between US and Israeli jews on issues like
mideast peace and firearms.
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