TO: JOHN, PLATT, GERHARD, JEREMY, ED, SQUONK, and MOQ
FROM: ROG
Thank you for the explanation of the "religious" comment concerning Platt and
me. I apologize for my recent emotional outbursts. I think you know that I
haven't lowered myself to the last week's level -- at least on this forum --
for years.
In our defense, looking backward, you can probably understand that in light
of the attack of our country and the death of 6000 people at their place of
work that we would be a bit edgy when Jeremy blamed the destruction on
America's values, which he characterized as a "swamp of Karmic
dumping," while defending -- no, exalting -- terrorism as a "means of
direct communication with a society."
I guess to some extent Jeremy's point is correct -- it is a form of
communication -- but if you allow me an awkward attempt at putting the issue
into context, think how you would feel if the brutal rape of your sister was
excused as a situation where "the rapist was really just communicating his
frustration in his own way." This may be true enough, as far as sociological
explanations go, but you probably wouldn't want to hear this while you were
nervously pacing outside the emergency room to find out how your sister was
doing.
I was also a bit perturbed by Ed, who greatly agrees with much or all of
Jeremy's comments and can't avoid blaming the deaths -- at least to an extent
-- on "the intellectuals of current society." Granted, I overreacted, but in
keeping with the above metaphor, at the time it it felt a lot like he was
blaming the victim for the crime. You know, it seemed a lot like "Well,
John, your sister was, after all, looking to get raped... where does she get
the nerve wearing jeans like that?"
Again, though, I apologize.
However, I did not overeact, in my opinion, to Squonk. Fresh on the heals of
the biggest disaster in
American history, one that occurred at a place where my family and I have
eaten dinner at, I must admit to being shocked at someone who starts out on
the topic by writing
"I am growing a little tired of hearing the word, 'Tragedy' being used in
connection with NY/Washington."
Ouch!
>From there he just got more direct. In response to Marco's kind and caring
message Squonk mentioned that
"I am not American.
I don't like American values and there is very little culture in it. "
He continued,
"America has just about had it as a cultural entity; the last
great cultural phenomenon was modern jazz, and that is rooted in European and
African
traditions. To state that America is the greatest nation on Earth shows an
ignorance of history, culture, and values of an astonishingly arrogant
nature; a nature
which has helped lead us to where we are today."
Again, note who is REALLY to blame in Squonk's message.
He didn't end there though, he also commented that he "understand[s] why
the US was attacked" and even hinted that it is our moral obligation to
change, as we are
a country of oil-stealing "degenerate Christians" and a "pod of spoiled
brats."
Yes I reacted emotionally. I found Squonks comments to be cruel,
mean-spirited, and antagonistic, but rather than taking the high ground, I
responded with an absence of respect. For the record though, I really do
believe that Squonk is gloating over this event and relishing it as a chance
to justify his world views and to medicate his envy of the success of Liberal
Western Values. To totally overdo my dumb metphor, I think Squonk is "glad
the bitch got what she deserved."
But I could be wrong,
By the way, I am not a zealot. I disdain Nationalism. I am probably a
bordeline pacivist. However, I do happen to believe that America is the
leading example of the triumph of individualism, freedom, democracy and free
enterprise in the world. I also think that the terrorism, and the written
attacks of Squonk and company, are focused in on these very aspects of this
country. America and other successful democracies repudiate their beliefs.
I am convinced that history, logic, morality and human nature proves they are
wrong, and I will continue to present arguments to that affect. Again, ICBW.
Rog
PS -- My humblest apologies to Gerhard. I accidentally substituted his name
for Jeremy's in one of my mean comments. I feel even 'stupider'. Sorry!
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:01:31 BST