With Merkel's Foes in Disarray, Germany Defies the Trump Trend

[Dill]

(04-27-2017, 02:07 PM)masterpanthera_t Wrote:   However, to have this nuanced policy approach and discussion, we must be able to speak freely and fearlessly based on an understanding of facts, which doesn't occur when the "left" is defensive of the "minority" to the point that frank discussion of such policy implications and the basis upon which they're reached never even sees the light of day.  It's fully possible that such conversations can enlighten the understanding of these issues in a different way possibly swaying people to a different position than they would expect, which is the natural outcome of an open and honest discussion.  Who knows, maybe it could lead to an understanding of both the West in terms of their "ignorance" and possibly to the Muslim moderates of issues within which must be more urgently vocalized.  I feel that a reasonable criticism of certain behaviors and possibly values of Islam such as those made by a man of Sam Harris' intellect and rational thought, do not warrant a defensiveness as if it is the argument for another crusade. 
So, to summarize, I have been arguing against wrong facts being presented by xenophobic arguments, while simultaneously arguing for discussions of ideas in the Islamic world which should warrant concerns of every reasonable Westerner.  

In my support of SSF's argument, I'm questioning why "leftist" protesters seem to be blind to resisting certain values of Islam which are plain as day to see.  I appreciate the groups which have high esteem of freedoms that we espouse in the Western world, but why is it not even a consideration when questions are raised about other groups (read certain Muslims), who hold values so contrary so as to flip completely the foundation of the western nations? 

Masterp, if you look at the post above addressed to SSF, you will see links and references to a number of people and organizations "speaking freely and fearlessly" to those values you suggest they are blind to. Much of what you say reminds me of Sam Harris'--the assumption leftists ignore Islam, dissociate violence from religion, etc. He thinks that knowing Muslim "beliefs" which are unalterably anchored in unchanging, univocal religious texts, is a key to understanding suicide bombers, not "war and repression."  So there needs to be a "conversation" about these beliefs and Muslims need to understand what is wrong with their religion. In short, he does not know very much about the history of Islam or religion in general, nor about culture and cultural change in general. 

By the way, The link below should give you an idea of what produces leftist "defensiveness."

http://muslimgirl.com/17012/crisis-safety-manual/

Do you think there is any connection between people who treat Islam as a monolith, so that whatever you read in today's paper or hear in a Youtube presentation is what Islam "is", and the fear that so many Muslims feel while living in the US. Who are the people generating that fear? What are their beliefs about Islam? 

Why anyone suppose that defending Muslims from US bigotry means leftists are "blind" to "outrages" elsewhere.