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Hearings on Islamic Radicals

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silver2195 Since: Jan, 2001
#51: Mar 11th 2011 at 4:12:48 PM

Savage Heathen does point out a legitimate problem. The obvious answer is "but you can convict them in the court of public opinion", but there's a thin line between trying a person or group in "the court of public opinion" and just generalized mudslinging to create a climate of paranoia.

Currently taking a break from the site. See my user page for more information.
SavageHeathen Pro-Freedom Fanatic from Somewhere Since: Feb, 2011
Pro-Freedom Fanatic
#52: Mar 11th 2011 at 4:27:41 PM

[sarc]Great. So we're gonna get them blacklisted and fired from their jobs. That surely will make them stop being radicals and stop hating us.[/sarc]

You can't persecute a guy just because he's an Islamist, in the same way we don't persecute the fundies or the commies or the fascists. It's not The '50s anymore. The SCOTUS probably would consider Mc Carthyism: The Sequel unfunny. Why all the farce?

Because the folks at DC want to look like they're doing something about "the muzzie problem". That's what irks me. The whole thing is deliberately absurd. Fascistoid demagoguery at its finest. We're going to have high-profile hearings just because them idiots at DC want to appear relevant.

"We'll pretend we're considering a witch hunt so that people are can rest assured that we're doing something about radical muslims", that's what the hearings are about. They won't do anything of the sort. They can't do anything of the sort.

If they really wanted to do something about radical islam, instead of invading random muslim countries we would covertly destabilize Islamist regimes and make them a miserable failure. We'd also stop propping up annoying, brutal tinpot dictators in muzzie-majority countries, and stop occupying random Arab countries, all the while selectively targeting high profile Islamist leaders for elimination.

Most of the young Arabs and Muslims who join Islamism do it because they think the Western world is screwing them over, and that the Islamists are the only ones doing something. If you can make normal muslims stop feeling like they're being screwed over, Islamism fails. It's that simple.

edited 11th Mar '11 4:38:53 PM by SavageHeathen

You exist because we allow it and you will end because we demand it.
OurGLORIOUSLeader Since: Dec, 1969
#53: Mar 11th 2011 at 8:40:59 PM

If they really wanted to do something about radical islam, instead of invading random muslim countries we would covertly destabilize Islamist regimes and make them a miserable failure. We'd also stop propping up annoying, brutal tinpot dictators in muzzie-majority countries, and stop occupying random Arab countries, all the while selectively targeting high profile Islamist leaders for elimination

For pete's sakes.

We've tried that. Many times. It doesn't work.

Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#54: Mar 11th 2011 at 9:51:08 PM

Realistically, the government isn't going to go all Mc Carthy on them. Yes, what y'all are seeing is pathetic grandstanding from the Republicans regarding radical Islam.

But realistically? For the people in government who actually work? They'll be conducting studies that help them find out the root causes of radical Islam, searching for intel on different groups that are considered radical as they always have, and then monitoring those people to try and catch them in an act. Yeah, it involves spying and an invasion of privacy, but that's if the fine folks at the FBI have enough information to decide you're a radical islamist. They'll then unabashedly spy on you, but probably not interfere with your life, because they don't want these people to know you're spying on them, the FBI wants to catch these guys in a way that lets them find out who more radical islamists are when they try to communicate with eachother. Then they can make attempts at infiltrating these groups if they are seen to be dangerous, and catching a whole lot of them, instead of harassing just one.

Some people might see that as horrible, but if I was working for the FBI and was certain that a person was a borderline radical or worse, then hell yeah I'd add them to a watchlist.

edited 11th Mar '11 9:51:24 PM by Barkey

Cojuanco Since: Oct, 2009
#55: Mar 15th 2011 at 1:43:05 PM

[up] This. I'm cautiously skeptical of this investigation, personally. I actually don't think King is going to go Mc Carthy - he may want to in his heart of hearts, but I don't think he's stupid. From what I hear of it, it's mostly just been taking testimony from moderate Muslims like Ellison and Muslim-American community activists. It could turn into a witch-hunt, but so far it hasn't. The reason I'm skeptical is that I'm not convinced it will yield any more information than what academia have known for years. In other words, this seems to be largely a media-fueled tempest in a teapot (no pun intended), furthered by the usual suspects on left and right.

I'm of the opinion that the only thing we'll get out of it is a thousand-page report stating obvious* things we already know. And some bad blood between left and right, but that's present already.

  • By "obvious", I mean things you can find in a Funk and Wagnalls.

edited 15th Mar '11 1:45:09 PM by Cojuanco

Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#56: Mar 15th 2011 at 1:47:08 PM

Yeah, and stuff the Intelligence Agencies have known since immediately after 9/11. This is just going to be politicians parroting that same info.

Cojuanco Since: Oct, 2009
#57: Mar 15th 2011 at 1:50:41 PM

[up]Thing is, reporting that yet another congressional subcommittee was wasting time would not be an exciting thing for the press to report or for activists to tell people at dinner parties. So they rant about how King is the second coming of Mc Carthy, or about how he's a hero for exposing teh Ev0l Muslim Conspirasee!!!1111!!! I'll bet that if I were sitting in on the hearings, most Americans would be bored to death (exceptions include IR grad students, and anyone who thinks anyone in the room is sexually attractive).

Tl;dr: People love trainwrecks, even if it's largely created by the media. And a lot of people are getting suckered into it. Madison Avenue is laughing their ass to the bank.

edited 15th Mar '11 2:01:31 PM by Cojuanco

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#58: Aug 12th 2015 at 2:39:34 PM

Taliban tells Islamic State to get the hell out of Afghanistan.

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
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