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I think the older brother would have been in the range of age to warrant further investigation. No one advocated a ban, just said that uneducated young men aren’t the most desirable of immigrants. I wouldn’t advocate a ban, but I would advocate some psychological investigation along the lines of what the Israelis do. But as a matter of course, I think favoring the immigration of educated people is better than the alternative.</p>
<p>@zooermom Ah. That’s interesting. 
Again, I’m tempted to go into thelogical discussion, but I won’t.</p>
<p>“I find it strange how many people feel that Islam has issues with women’s rights, when Muslim women got so many rights before Western women did, and when three quarters of Muslim converts (at least in the UK) are female.”</p>
<p>Ah yes, us Western women can only dream about having the rights and being treated with such respect as women in countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. to name a few. Those women just don’t know how lucky they are.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t matter what the book says. Islam, as practiced in Middle Eastern countries, is used as an excuse to be abusive and to marginalize women.</p>
<p>stressedouttt, you can always pm me if you would like a chat. You seem like an awfully nice person.</p>
<p>busdriver11, I am aware… If you read all my previous posts, I was simply pointing out that Islam does not oppress women, but I fully recognize that many Middle Eastern countries do. They’re two different things.</p>
<p>zoosermom, Perhaps I will sometime after I finish some exams :)</p>
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That’s OK–Christianity isn’t really compatible with many western values, either.</p>
<p>Good thing that Christianity, as commonly practiced in this country, is compatible.</p>
<p>
Well, it actually started out being a thread about the Boston bombings, but apparently if a Muslim does something despicable, the subject becomes Islam! </p>
<p>It may well be that the bombing was inspired by radical Islam, or maybe that’s just a useful excuse for people who want to feel important by blowing people up. We don’t know yet. The older brother didn’t leave a manifesto that we know of, and the younger one claimed to be unhappy with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars–which, this being Boston, probably applies to most of the victims as well. And these guys weren’t exactly living the pious Muslim lifestyle.</p>
<p>As for other Muslims condemning their actions, their uncle Ruslan was out in front on that one, and he’s an immigrant, a Chechen, and a Muslim.</p>
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<p>Oh, that is a subtle variation of " Islam does not oppress women, only Muslim men do." Although that is probably quite incorrect as the reality is that the oppressors are truly evil agents who masquerade as clerics and diffuse their own incendiary versions of the Qur’an.</p>
<p>But heck, if Muslim women see the obligation of wearing the jihab and burka (in violations of laws in countries such as France and Belgium) as a right. Power to them.</p>
<p>^…well when Muslim extremists continue to do despicable things to innocent Americans, more and more people will continue to question that religion…and rightly so.</p>
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I’m a bit confused on what you are trying to say, but my statement wasn’t incorrect- the abuse and mistreatment of Muslim women is contradictory to Islam. I pointed out that Muslim women received many rights in the Islamic and Ottoman Empires long before Western women did to prove my point. Islam doesn’t deprive women. Unfortunately, there are a few fanatic Muslims nowadays who have taken away those rights in “Islamic” countries.
Same religion, different civilizations and societies with different treatments of women.</p>
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Minor point, some Muslim women don’t see the hijab or burka as an obligation, but still choose to wear it, such as myself.</p>
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There is no group that doesn’t have fanatics.</p>
<p>The only thing that bugs me, and I think, at least in the United States, that this is ending, is that not enough Muslims speak up about the lunacy of the radical islamists. Whenever there is a group of “Christian” nutjobs doing unchristian things, there are a bunch of Christian moderates very loudly criticizing their idiocy. I wish there was more moderate muslim criticism of the radical islamists. Of course, I’m sure that there is more now than there was, but I am also certain that the moderate muslims are afraid of the radical islamists in a way which precludes the kind of ridicule we give our fundamentalist Christian sects.</p>
<p>Just an observation.</p>
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</p>
<p>So, just to be clear . . . if the only Muslims you’ve ever hear of are criminals, then all Muslims are criminals?</p>
<p>Maybe more should be asking what is it about that religion that creates so many jihadists.</p>
<p>Honestly, stressedout, if you think there are only a few fanatical Muslims who have taken away the rights of many millions of Muslim women, and hey, there are fanatics in every religion… I fear you are truly fooling yourself. Have you not read about how women are treated in Muslim countries? This is not an aberration, it is the norm.</p>
<p>Well, part of the “problem” with trying to figure out if it is Muslims or Royal families which create this environment in the middle east, at least for me, is looking at the way the Saudi family uses the Jihad as a way to focus the masses on something other than their imperial hogging of all the money and onto the US as the problem, or more to the point, Western Culture.</p>
<p>It’s difficult, at this point, to figure out if the cause is the Muslim religion or those in power. I mean, when the royal families of Europe had all the money, they certainly used Catholicism as a way to control the masses. Ironically, it was Henry’s leaving Catholicism which really brought this ability to question the “interpretation” of the Bible into being. If “I” am not a “Catholic” or if “I” can be made to renounce the “one true church,” then who am “I?” and what is Christianity?</p>
<p>this question essentially invented the US, if you look at who came here. </p>
<p>So, I’m not sure if it is Islam or the way the governments use Islam. Either way, it’s a complete mess and at odds with some of the basic structures of the US culture. Of course, there are those who would argue the same is true for the “Christian” fundamentalists controlling so much of the conservative political social agenda, as well.</p>
<p>But, one feels more violent and dangerous to far more people.</p>
<p>Poetgirl, I agree very strongly with both of your last posts. Thank you for stating it so well.</p>
<p>Boston Plot Said To Have Focused On July 4 Attack
<a href=“Boston Plot Said to Initially Target July 4 - The New York Times”>Boston Plot Said to Initially Target July 4 - The New York Times;
<p>they finished the bombs early so they changed their plan to bomb the Boston marathon instead.</p>
<p>July 4th would have certainly made a clear statement, as did Patriots’ Day</p>
<p>I have felt from the start that the two bombers were 9/11 wannabes, wanting to leave their mark as martyrs, even though according to bomber 1 they didn’t believe terrorists were responsible for 9/11. the plan to go from boston on to nyc echoed the repeat attacks in 9/11.</p>
<p>Poetgrl, I agree as well. But in my heart I just can’t judge Muslims who don’t disavow violence publicly. It is hard to be that brave when you have legitimate cause to be afraid. Also, if you are living as a good citizen and neighbor, why should you be responsible to speak to these lunatics who have nothing to do with you? I feel no connection to the Westboro nutcases even though I am and they claim to be Christians.</p>
<p>What I don’t get is, if these bombers hated America so much, why didn’t they just leave? Was there something preventing them from joining their parents wherever they are?</p>
<p>I feel the same way about people in general who hate “Western Culture.” Don’t come here, stop selling us oil and close your borders; problem solved.</p>