Bag's Rants

Islam-West rift widens.

Well well. I love polls and I have ever since I watch the famous Yes Minister one about national service.

So when I seen this report on a poll regarding Islam I thought I would have a quick look. Although I do question the word rift. Makes it sound like someone passed wind in front of granny where as it is certainly a lot more than that.

First of all I was confused about the religion vs location title. I can understand it though as it is probably the only real way to describe it but it made me think. Is it really that simple?

The next thing was that people on both sides thought that we were not getting along but although muslims believed they respected the west the west did not respect them and the west thought muslims did not respect them and agreed they did not respect muslims. That part I can believe. You see perception of respect must also be cultural. I don't respect muslims because many of the things they do are barbaric. Yet they say they respect us but at the same time don't see an issue with killing us. It might be respect but I'm sure it misses the point of the poll. It's all about the meanings. I respect your choice to break into my house. (Readers in the UK) Please don't hurt me. (Readers in free countries only) BLAM.

Then there is the result of Europeans fearing interaction and the others thinking they want more. That puzzled me the americans I know only want to feel recoil any time the word muslim is mentioned. They see a war coming and, unlike us in the UK, are actually prepared for it. So why the disparity? Then it hit me. Like everything else the US has not really had a big influx of muslims all with their hands out for free houses and creating no go areas with the population gagged under threat of jail for saying anything. So of course they don't see any problems whereas europe now overrun with useless politicians and immigrants does have a problem but one it is gagged from talking about.

So where the report said 'Although some might expect the United States, Israel and the Middle East to be more likely than Europe to be threatened by the 'other', the opposite is the case' and just left it I think we have a reason.

I was puzzled by the statement that most respondents said the quality of the relationship between the west and the muslim world was important to them personally. WTF? What actually does that mean? I don't know anyone that thinks it is important compared to the million and one other things our government is screwing up. We just want them to integrate and then forget about them. We are not that interested otherwise.

Therefore when we get down to the real interesting bit 'Most respondents said they did not believe violent conflict was inevitable. ' Well, yet again it's all in the wording. Muslims don't think it is inevitable because they know we will capitulate. In the UK we don't think it is inevitable because well we are disarmed and they are not. So it's a bit of self preservation and the rest of the west, not europe, thinks that they are likely to be reasonable and negotiate and that is just because they don't really know them.

I personally think violence is now inevitable sadly. It just depends on how many of them want to be martyrs and how many just want to live. To many martyrs and we may as well just nuke them. After all look how many US lives that strategy saved last time.

posted by Bag @ 8:33 pm