Who are these "they" you're talking about? No one has blamed Muslims as a whole. And if you aren't speaking of people on BGP, then who exactly are you trying to reach?

 

"They" are those (and there are many) that fall into the generalization trap. We've heard it. We've read it. We've had it on BGP.

Who are these "they" you're talking about? No one has blamed Muslims as a whole. And if you aren't speaking of people on BGP, then who exactly are you trying to reach?

 

Good questions. And if we get a response, I'm hoping it will be dumbed down for those of us "not as sharp" as others.

"They" are those (and there are many) that fall into the generalization trap. We've heard it. We've read it. We've had it on BGP.

 

When you say many...you mean those that lean to the right?

When you say many...you mean those that lean to the right?

 

No. I think the fear and generalizations is bipartisan.

No. I think the fear and generalizations is bipartisan.

 

Fair enough.

Good questions. And if we get a response, I'm hoping it will be dumbed down for those of us "not as sharp" as others.

 

Are you refuting the point that some people associate Muslims with terrorism...and terrorism with Muslims?

Are you refuting the point that some people associate Muslims with terrorism...and terrorism with Muslims?

 

Brian Kilmeade certainly thinks this is true.

Edited October 28, 201015 yr by acemona
i first typed "brain" instead of "brian" - lol

"Brain" and "Kilmeade" certainly don't belong in the same sentence ... :lol:

Have to ask whom?

 

I was wondering that myself. I'm hoping you get an answer.

I agree with Plato.

 

I get Clyde's point, but I think for the most part, people have distinguished between Muslims and Muslim extremists. Certainly, many connect Muslims and terrorists. Why wouldn't they? The majority of terrorist acts, or at least the terrorist acts that we hear about on the news, are committed by that group of people. It doesn't mean you view all Muslims as terrorists. I conncect Nazis with German, but I don't think all Germans were Nazis. Unfortunately, when giving someone the benefit of the doubt could result in death, we don't always have that luxury.

 

Similarly, upon hearing that an abortion doctor has been murdered, I think many people would fairly quickly wonder if the killer wasn't a fanatical Christian. Right wing Christian conservatives are closely associated with the anti-abortion cause, and sometimes it goes to the extreme. It is a natural response to make that connection.

 

One difference, for me at least, is that the abortion doctor example is a very specific...it's one (misguided) person (or Christian if you prefer) killing one person because of one specific issue. The terrorist acts and murders committed by Muslim extremists are on a larger scale and more general in nature. Why did they fly planes into the twin towers? Because they hate America? Christians? Non-muslims? Because they're trying to take over the world by force? They've carried out horrific attacks all across the globe that generally result in the deaths of multiple people. It's generally random, i.e., they're not targeting any specific person, but rather people in general. I assume they don't target their own, so about the only connection linking all the victims of Muslim terrorists is that they're not Muslim extremists/terrorists themselves.

 

How many stories are there of large groups of Christian extremists randomly murdering or injuring multiple people because they're not like them or because they're "sinners"? I can't just shrug away the differences and treat this like a black-and-white, apples-to-apples comparison. To me it isn't.

I agree with Plato.

 

I get Clyde's point, but I think for the most part, people have distinguished between Muslims and Muslim extremists. Certainly, many connect Muslims and terrorists. Why wouldn't they? The majority of terrorist acts, or at least the terrorist acts that we hear about on the news, are committed by that group of people. It doesn't mean you view all Muslims as terrorists. I conncect Nazis with German, but I don't think all Germans were Nazis. Unfortunately, when giving someone the benefit of the doubt could result in death, we don't always have that luxury.

 

Similarly, upon hearing that an abortion doctor has been murdered, I think many people would fairly quickly wonder if the killer wasn't a fanatical Christian. Right wing Christian conservatives are closely associated with the anti-abortion cause, and sometimes it goes to the extreme. It is a natural response to make that connection.

 

One difference, for me at least, is that the abortion doctor example is a very specific...it's one (misguided) person (or Christian if you prefer) killing one person because of one specific issue. The terrorist acts and murders committed by Muslim extremists are on a larger scale and more general in nature. Why did they fly planes into the twin towers? Because they hate America? Christians? Non-muslims? Because they're trying to take over the world by force? They've carried out horrific attacks all across the globe that generally result in the deaths of multiple people. It's generally random, i.e., they're not targeting any specific person, but rather people in general. I assume they don't target their own, so about the only connection linking all the victims of Muslim terrorists is that they're not Muslim extremists/terrorists themselves.

 

How many stories are there of large groups of Christian extremists randomly murdering or injuring multiple people because they're not like them or because they're "sinners"? I can't just shrug away the differences and treat this like a black-and-white, apples-to-apples comparison. To me it isn't.

 

Great post.

Are you telling me that a large number of people on here as well as out in the country do not equate terrorism with Muslims? You're not trying to convince me of that , are you?

 

If there were thousands of Christians who have committed the act of this guy, you would have a point. But you don't because there are thousands of Muslims out there who have committed such acts that you are comparing one Christian to.

 

That said, not all Muslims are terrorists.

If there were thousands of Christians who have committed the act of this guy, you would have a point. But you don't because there are thousands of Muslims out there who have committed such acts that you are comparing one Christian to.

 

That said, not all Muslims are terrorists.

 

First, it's not just one Christian who has murdered people and justified it through Christianity.

 

Secondly, the point which you missed is that we are guilty of generalizing about Muslims like I did in my generalization of Christians. The generalization is the point - not the math.

First, it's not just one Christian who has murdered people and justified it through Christianity.

 

Secondly, the point which you missed is that we are guilty of generalizing about Muslims like I did in my generalization of Christians. The generalization is the point - not the math.

 

 

And the point you and others have missed is your generalization that people are generalizing Muslims.

 

Let's see Democrats generalize about Republicans.

Republicans generalize about Democrats.

Liberals about Conservatives.

Conservatives about Liberals.

Races about other races.

Men about women.

Women about men.

And so on and so on and so on.

I agree with Plato.

 

I get Clyde's point, but I think for the most part, people have distinguished between Muslims and Muslim extremists. Certainly, many connect Muslims and terrorists. Why wouldn't they? The majority of terrorist acts, or at least the terrorist acts that we hear about on the news, are committed by that group of people. It doesn't mean you view all Muslims as terrorists. I conncect Nazis with German, but I don't think all Germans were Nazis. Unfortunately, when giving someone the benefit of the doubt could result in death, we don't always have that luxury.

 

Similarly, upon hearing that an abortion doctor has been murdered, I think many people would fairly quickly wonder if the killer wasn't a fanatical Christian. Right wing Christian conservatives are closely associated with the anti-abortion cause, and sometimes it goes to the extreme. It is a natural response to make that connection.

 

One difference, for me at least, is that the abortion doctor example is a very specific...it's one (misguided) person (or Christian if you prefer) killing one person because of one specific issue. The terrorist acts and murders committed by Muslim extremists are on a larger scale and more general in nature. Why did they fly planes into the twin towers? Because they hate America? Christians? Non-muslims? Because they're trying to take over the world by force? They've carried out horrific attacks all across the globe that generally result in the deaths of multiple people. It's generally random, i.e., they're not targeting any specific person, but rather people in general. I assume they don't target their own, so about the only connection linking all the victims of Muslim terrorists is that they're not Muslim extremists/terrorists themselves.

 

How many stories are there of large groups of Christian extremists randomly murdering or injuring multiple people because they're not like them or because they're "sinners"? I can't just shrug away the differences and treat this like a black-and-white, apples-to-apples comparison. To me it isn't.

 

:thumb: Well said...