Why Do They Hate Us?

[xelizer]

I was watching Wolf Blitzer on CNN yesterday shortly after the Paul Johnson decapitation. Footage was showing a typical terrorist - black hood over his head, dark/camo clothing, and an AK-47 - talking to the camera. My mom was horrified at the sight of something that looked like that, a cold-blooded being that did not even seem human. I was used to the sight, playing video games and such. But this was different than video games, this was real.

Seeing this [lots of foul language here] made me think - what made them hate us so much? What did the "world" (the countries fighting terrorism) do to these people? Did we widow their wives and orphan their children? Did we destroy their homes and cause dispair? Did we constantly keep reminding them that they were in danger, did we keep them up at night weeping for their dead family members?

Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and hundreds of other militant/terrorist leaders and groups all hate us, but WHY!? I am frustrated and angry beyond belief, but I am trying to bottle it up. My safety is being compromised because of people I do not even know, because of reasons I do not understand. American businesses, industries, and education are also being compromised in addition to Americans' safety. (The airline industry, American Airlines and United Airlines are hurting due to 9/11 and terror threats. Money supposed to go into education and other things goes to homeland security, defenses, and the military)

I understand that even more safety is being compromised because of the war in Iraq, but even before this there was still tons of hatred towards the U.S. and other countries. There has to be a reason why 9/11 occured. It cannot just be because they do not approve of our lifestyle and society...how would they even know? Are they affected by our lifestyle so greatly that they need to come over to our land and murder innocent people. Is our lifestyle taking away so much from them that they need to do this?

And one more thing, though I do not know if it has anything to do. I am taking World History right now during summer, and we are learning about Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent. Even during the B.C. era, this area of the Middle East was fighting one another. They kept attacking each other and conquering each other. Could their roots so far back in time have anything to do with their current actions? Will they even change their brutal and inhumane ways?

Thanks for reading....thoughts? views? answers?

[argonak]

I'm not qualified to really answer your questions, but as far as your comments about conflict, no matter which of the more preffered "true" histories you ascribe to, most of it was spent killing folks. Judging by pure time span, barbarism and cruelity are the "normal" way to spend a human life. This is not something unique to the fertile crescent. No matter which culture you study, you'll find war and death.

In my opinion, there's a lot of reasons why they "hate us so much." But the primary one is fanaticisim. When you're a fanatic, reason and logic aren't important anymore. Fanatics aren't restricted to religion. For an example, watch any news channel when they bring in speakers from any political party. Won't take long to see a fanatic. He's(or she's) the one spitting his hatred and illogic and trying to talk over the interviewer. They're easy to spot, and they come in all colors shapes and sizes. When you let your emotion rule your mind that way, its really easy to forget compassion and mercy. And eventually, you don't even remember what they felt like.

When you're so loyal to your ideology, political or religous, that you won't even stop to think about it, you can do anything. To anyone. And it doesn't matter. Because you were right, and they were wrong. Theoretically, there should be fanatics who aren't fed by hate and cruelity, but we don't see them very often these days. They don't get TV time.

[Comrade]

NO!
This has been the demand of unstated Europe and the left for some time now. Ask yourselves why they hate you! Because 9/11 was your fault. If you had been more culturally sensitive, you would not have been attacked. This attitude is not only incorrect, but its a little racist.
Arabs are children who are not responsible for their own actions?
I don't think so.

[giuliano]

arabs are upset at the US for perceived interference in their lives, their nations and their politics.

the US is perceived as humiliating them, by supporting israel's military conquests above its arab neighbours, by quashing symbols of arab strength (eg. saddam - he at least portrayed himself that way) when they stick their head up.

"good" arab leaders allow themselves to be bought off by the US, sell them oil and keep their citizens dumb and poor, like the saudis.

arabs are well aware of US interference in their region and culture, even if their perception of it is often severely distorted, and they rail against it.

if i was an arab, i'd also be angry at the US. it's got nothing to do with "taking responsibility for their own actions", Comrade.

none of this excuses terrorism. it just explains the philosophy behind their grievances.

[tusaki]

Originally posted by Comrade, NO! This has been the demand of unstated Europe and the left for some time now. Ask yourselves why they hate you! Because 9/11 was your fault. If you had been more culturally sensitive, you would not have been attacked. This attitude is not only incorrect, but its a little racist. Arabs are children who are not responsible for their own actions? I don't think so.

In a way, no one is responsible for their own actions, since they are the product of their environment. If you were born in the middle east and raised there, you would probably hate the same things everyone there hates, and love the same things everyone there loves.

It is always wise to know why. It takes a very large ego, a short memory, and a very large plate in front of your head to squarely lay the blame at the opposition. America isn't reightious, nor always correct. Neither is the arab world, but it seems neither want to recognize this fact.

[Gorgo]

Maureen Dowd has a good column in the New York Times. She says that Bill Clinton had sex with "that woman" because "he could." George Bush attacked Iraq because "he could." Osama bin Laden attacked the people that he attacked because "he could."

All three are criminals who attacked other countries. Just because the attacks of 9/11 are not "our fault" does not mean that it's a good idea to be an example of the opposite of the ideals we preach.

[sixmillman]

tusaki

In a way, no one is responsible for their own actions, since they are the product of their environment.

Total nonsense. At somepoint everyone must grow up and take responsibility for their actions

Gorgo

Maureen Dowd has a good column in the New York Times. She says that Bill Clinton had sex with "that woman" because "he could."

Maureen Dowd did not say that. Bill Clinton said it in his new book. That is how he takes responsibility for his actions.

Perhaps someone who "believes" that women should be stoned to death for failing to be completly coverd in public, or that choping a hand off for thievery, or that infedels require jihad need to be humiliated

hu·mil·i·ate Pronunciation Key (hy-ml-t)
To lower the pride, dignity, or self-respect of.

[castille]

Cuz you're American. Or European. Or Russian. Or Chinese. Or Serb. Or Albanian.

Hate doesn't make distinctions. If you're white, you're an infidel American who needs to be killed. Did you wonder why so many white people died in Iraq, but many blacks and Asians (those who are not white) were released or killed without hate? Because American is white, and white is evil.

[Sonart]

What I'm going to say is NOT because I sympathize with them or agree with their methods. I absolutely do not. It comes under the heading of...

KNOW
YOUR
ENEMY

I seem to hear comments like xelizer's all the time. Why oh why do they hate us? It's incomprehensible to them. They list off America's wonderful qualities and ask what's not to like, and conclude it's simply not possible to hate the United States and therefore these poeple must be savage barbarians just barely clinging to the human species.

Well, the fact remains, they do hate us, which is really counter productive to everything we're trying to do in Iraq and troughout the Mideast and therefore it might be helpful to actually make a serious effort to understand why that is. EVEN IF [Gasp!!] it's unflattering of the U.S.

I happen to agree completely with Giuliano. It's because we're there, because underneath everything that happens in the Mideast there's the hand of America, trying to run things in order to protect our vital interests. Not only have we invaded and installed regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, we're in Kuwait, the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and now Pakistan, pulling strings, "corrupting" their governments against Islam.

They're embarrassed and humiliated, certainly about their powerlessness against Israel, whom we made, they're tired of us running their lives and their politics and they want us out. (Now remember what I said. I do NOT agree or symapathize with them. I just need to understand them if I'm going to defeat them.)

This is the lesson Dear Leader and the NeoCons forgot. It's not about liberation, it's about Nationalism, just like it was in Vietnam and for the Soviets in Afghanistan. Taking a place is easy. Keeping has been shown to be a bit tougher, as we ourselves taught the British.

[shrike]

Here is interesting article about this issue.
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles...on40214%20.htm

[Liberty Landing]

Because it's politically expedient to demonize a great someone?

Who knows. I maintain that this would never have happened if America kept to itself, but that doesn't justify anything they do. The presence of soldiers in the Middle East was usually the result of the necessity to protect them from someone else -- Lord knows they REALLY can't do it on their own. Comrade calls it racist (I'm sure he calls everything he doesn't like "racist"), but for Christ's sake, it's the truth. The Kosovars couldn't protect themselves, and the UN couldn't do it for them.

IMO, I say, screw 'em all. They don't deserve to be protected. Let them burn in the meaningless, self-inflicted solar fires of martyrdom.

[dotcoma]

IMO, I say, screw 'em all. They don't deserve to be protected. Let them burn in the meaningless, self-inflicted solar fires of martyrdom.

Good ole wholesome "American" attitude....

[Liberty Landing]

It's isolationist. Isn't that what you are?

[dotcoma]

No, i'm a libertarian. That doesn't mean I'm indifferent to genocide.

[Liberty Landing]

I'm a libertarian, too. I also supported the war against Iraq, or at least initially.

I formulated my current position after seeing the world reaction to Iraq. They don't want our help -- it doesn't matter if they need it or not. Why help a bunch of ungracious lugs who only spit on us?

[Mia]

To answer the original question, read for yourselves why many Arabs feel the way they do:

www.souria.com

Click on "discussion" and the main discussions happen in the "social room".

This forum has been an eye-opener for me. It's better insight than media to listen to real people.

[dotcoma]

Originally posted by Liberty Landing, I'm a libertarian, too. I also supported the war against Iraq, or at least initially. I formulated my current position after seeing the world reaction to Iraq. They don't want our help -- it doesn't matter if they need it or not. Why help a bunch of ungracious lugs who only spit on us?

I've lived abroad. They people I connected with were smart enough to know that the American people are great. The reptiles that run it's government are the problem. You say you're a libertarian.

For you....
http://hearliberty.com/highq.htm
http://www.eaglecomtv.com/wbig/degrandepre.mp3
http://www.hearliberty.com/

[Liberty Landing]

What do you propose be done, then?

(I'm asking this literally, not rhetorically/sarcastically.) Do we topple every government that doesn't conform to American standards of libertarianism?

This would include Europe, remember, where our ideals are simply not welcome.

[dotcoma]

Firsts thing first. Stop creating dictators and covertly overthrowing governments via the CIA.

[Osborn F Enready]

Rox, I agree, but first things first is reigning in our out of control system in this country. Before we can attempt to fix ANY foreign policy problems that have been created by the corruption, we must first remove the corruption. I know how you feel Rox, at least I think I do after reading so many of your posts, I really think though the most important issue this year is righting OUR system.