2 ms·

There are many points in this article with which I disagree. To treat an enemy as though it is not an enemy is folly. To suggest that violent ideology, dogma,

There are many points in this article with which I disagree. To treat an enemy as though it is not an enemy is folly. To suggest that violent ideology, dogma, and history have no bearing on the actions of individuals that adhere to that ideology/dogma, and then claim that somehow we (assuming the Western world) have more control over the responses of the Islamic world is foolishness. Ayaan Hirsi Ali has a much more informed perspective. https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/09/islam-is-a-religion-of-violence-ayaan-hirsi-ali-debate-islamic-state/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/09/islam-is-a-religion-of-...

sbuttgereit 11y ago
An off-topic aside: It's interesting watching the up/down votes on my post. As much as Hacker News likes to think of itself as self monitoring the substantiveness of comments, often times it degrades itself to simply trying to silence opposing opinions. How cheap. How little. My comments might not bear much currency, but the contrarian article that I link is substantive even if you disagree with it. While I don't think you are obliged to upvote my comments if you disagree with them, to down vote them because you oppose me is to merely to attempt to silence discussion rather than ensure that it is a quality discussion.
rorykoehler 11y ago
First we must ask who is our enemy? My enemy is anyone who uses violence as a tool to gain power. I am not represented by the military actions of Western governments. When I see the Muslim hashtag #notinmyname I feel it applies to me too but in relation to all that has gone on in North Africa and the Middle East in recent times. When I see my cousin join the Marines to go fight in Afghanistan I see the same thing as what I see when I see young angry Islamic men shooting up a concert in Paris, that is misguided, brainwashed and exploited young men doing the bidding of power hungry assholes.

sbuttgereit 11y ago

An off-topic aside: It's interesting watching the up/down votes on my post. As much as Hacker News likes to think of itself as self monitoring the substantiveness of comments, often times it degrades itself to simply trying to silence opposing opinions. How cheap. How little. My comments might not bear much currency, but the contrarian article that I link is substantive even if you disagree with it. While I don't think you are obliged to upvote my comments if you disagree with them, to down vote them because you oppose me is to merely to attempt to silence discussion rather than ensure that it is a quality discussion.

rorykoehler 11y ago

First we must ask who is our enemy? My enemy is anyone who uses violence as a tool to gain power. I am not represented by the military actions of Western governments. When I see the Muslim hashtag #notinmyname I feel it applies to me too but in relation to all that has gone on in North Africa and the Middle East in recent times. When I see my cousin join the Marines to go fight in Afghanistan I see the same thing as what I see when I see young angry Islamic men shooting up a concert in Paris, that is misguided, brainwashed and exploited young men doing the bidding of power hungry assholes.