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March 24, 2008
A Letter From My Mailbox
I like to get lengthy emails about my blog posts from ignoramuses like Adam below, so I decided to respond to each paragraph. Sorry if my points are not very convincing, but I didn't want to give him more than 15 minutes of my time.
On Mar 18, 2008, Adam wrote re: "A response":
Michael -
With due respect to your opinions and your religion, do you suppose it's fair to cast all Muslims, and the faith as a whole, off to the dogs because of the insane and obnoxious behavior of a few? The Koran is really no worse than the Bible or Torah in its condemnation of homosexuality.
Firstly, who told you that I am a religious person? Are you calling the terrorist attacks the "insane and obnoxious behavior of a few?" The word obnoxious can only be applied to your letter, not to millions and millions of Koran-crazed lunatics, who are happy to give their lives in order to kill Westerners, in order to be able to rape virgins in the Garden of Eden. It's not just a few that terrorize humanity for the past thirty years, with their "martyrs," or I'd rather call them today's fucked up kamikazes. We're talking about millions and millions of terrorists, that are breeding and multiplying gloriously (much faster than any other religious group). We're talking about those who are dreaming to conquer the world and turn everyone to their fucked up religion, or become a slave to it, who instead of improving civilization, are doing nothing but squawking prayers five times a day with their asses up in the air. This is what I think of your "obnoxious behavior of a few."
That many Muslims would see Israel wiped off the map does not ingratiate me to Islam. But that Israel would behave the way it does in Palestine does not really ingratiate me to Israel, either.
Before saying the word Israel, you better cross yourself, as Israel is the only country in the world that is being terrorized on a daily basis, and answers with tolerance to intolerance (which is suicidal) which is surrounded by only enemies, and not on single friend as Israel is the only democracy in the region. And for this matter alone, Israel is hated by its neighbors. Islam cannot exist in democracy, as it does not tolerate a second opinion or free thinking, as it tortures and kills anyone who speaks against it. And I'm not talking about the past thirty years, I'm talking about 1400 years. Isn't that the reason why Islam never gave the world anything close to what the Western world gave to humanity in the fields of thought, science, literature, music, art, etc. For 1,600 years, Islam succeeded in only one art: the art of terror, the art of war, the art of Islamization.
I fail to see how any of these religions can claim moral superiority over any of the others. The Abrahamic religions - all three - have participated in harmful and violent wars for at least the last 2000 years in the name of God and at the expense of each other.
As a non-religious person, I don't have particular admiration for any religion. Yes, I am very well aware of the Crusades, which were often defensive actions against the Muslim colonization of Europe (which they continue today by means of legal and illegal immigration, and by high breeding). Yes, I do know about the ugliness of the Inquisition. But if you're talking about the Christian Church, then let me break you the news that in the last several hundred years, it changed and evolved, just like the West changed and evolved, while Islam is stuck in the medieval centuries for 1,600 years. It never evolved. It never changed. It never moved.
To me - an agnostic American, and a gay guy to boot - it all seems so silly. Two thousand years of war and strife, hundreds of millions dead, millions more set to die over what amounts to some acreage and bragging rights with God? Come now - you can't honestly believe that it's worth all the trouble.
Mr. Agnostic American, I went much further than you -- I'm not agnostic. I'm 100% atheist. I don't believe in any higher power. But I absolutely believe that you are "gay to boot." It seems to me that all you've read is The Devil Wears Prada and all you've watched only Will & Grace and Sex in the City. I'm sorry that you've never heard of Plato. Over 2,500 years ago, he said that war would always be a part of human life, since it always comes from human passions. In other words, this is something that has always existed and will always exist.
Yes, Muslims have done some horrible things in the past, and will likely continue to do so. And, yes, Islam doesn't always stand for the things you or I might stand for - but so too have Christians and Jews done terrible things, and so too do both of those religions stand for things which are not necessarily agreeable to everyone. That doesn't mean that all Muslims are bad any more than it means that all Christians or all Jews are bad.
What is it that Jews did bad for this world, except surviving genocides, programs, and Holocaust? Besides being deprived of their rights and freedoms in every country throughout history? What bad did they do except giving the world the best scientists, thinkers, philosophers, artists, writers, etc. Are you really comparing Christians and Jews to some mullahs and medieval wackos, who if not for their oil which they enslaved us with, will be back in the desert living in tents with their livestock, where they belong?
Does rhetoric like yours carry any more moral high ground than the rhetoric of those like Iran's Ahmadinijad? I'd ask you to ask yourself what you're contributing to the dialogue. Wouldn't a more germain cause be to bring people together with the understanding that we don't always have to agree in order that we may always get along? Peaceful coexistance would seem to me to be the more morally virtuous cause versus the continuation of war and pain because no one wants to give an inch - not even by simply taming the rhetoric.
"Peaceful coexistance?" You crazed pacifist, when will the likes of you finally understand that there is no way to peacefully coexist with those that want to kill you, and thus successfully killing, thanks to the masochism of idiots like you? Maybe when you finally get some knowledge?
A proposal: the Muslims stop saying that the Holocaust never happened and that Israel doesn't deserve to exist (points upon which they are wrong to a degree that disgusts me), and the Israelis start letting the Palestinians receive food, medicine, and other essential services without fear of air strikes (points upon which Israel is wrong to a degree that disgusts me). What do you say? Respectfully,
Adam
I would say that you are just another reason for homophobia of the Right, that you are an embarrassment to the gay community, that you are a victim of the extreme Left, and that you should shove your proposal up your ass (which will be easy, as this is the part of your body that you use much more than your head).
Posted by Michael at March 24, 2008 10:26 AM
Comments
I guess I just figuered out who voted for Bush... I cannot believe that people really believe that there are millions of terrorists... That is just stupid, sorry, there is no other word for this but stupid.
The attacs on the Western Nations have not been committed by millions, no, they have been committed by a couple of hundred people. Individiums that have been manipulated and have interpreted the koran wrong.
Do you not see that there are millions of muslems, christians, jews and so on that live together peacefully? That the terrorists are not accepted within the general muslim population of most nations?
Posted by: German01 at March 25, 2008 11:54 AM
Amen! it's all I can say
Posted by: hthierry at March 25, 2008 05:20 PM
This style of response should be beneath you.
The writer is obviously idealistic, pollyanaish, uninformed, not versed in the give and take of debate, not that you even opened it to that.
The letter, perhaps, was not worth publishing and certainly not worth using as a device to show what a bad ass you are.
You just waste yourself.
You can be very disappointing at times. Childish even. I admire you. I have hopes for you perhaps beyond the porn business. This catty side of you will do you in.
Posted by: Richard at March 26, 2008 04:57 PM
Mr. German01:
Actually, one doesn't have to be a Bush supporter to figure out that terrorists are not noly those who succeeded with their plans. There are millions of those who are dreaming to become terrorists, who worship and admire terrorists. In short, those who I like to call candidates to terrorists. You see, the world is paying billions of dollars for security so such dumbbells as yourself will live with an illusion that terrorists are only those who attacked the Twin Towers, the Pentagon. and the subways in London and trains in Madrid, and of course, those few which you, Mr. Meathead, do not count, who blow themselves up in Israeli buses and shopping malls, sometimes on a daily basis. As for accepting terrorists, the Muslim world has a special name for terrorists. It's "MARTYRS." Do you know what the English substitute for this word is? A role model.
Dear Richard:
I sometimes enjoy being childish. But on a more serious note, you see, the Internet provided the opportunity for those who normally would just scrub the bathroom floor, with little platforms to publish their stupidities, and I feel a tremendous importance to point on this stupidity because there are a lot of simple-minded people out there who actually would not be able to see the ridiculousness of those comments unless you point it out to them. Occasionally, I choose to point.
Posted by: Michael Lucas at March 27, 2008 06:07 PM
They may be only a few thousands to actually carry out terror plots, but how many of the muslim Ummah silently or openly applaud their actions? To assume that there is only a tiny minority of muslims engaging in terror and/or approving of fanatism is very naive and downright dangerous. All surveys carried out in Europe (especially in Britain) clearly show that the margin of approval of terror attacks among Europe's muslims (especially muslim youth) is frightingly high. A survey in 2007 that was conducted by a "right-wing" Think Tank in Britain, brought to light that hatred (especially for homosexuals, apostates and jews) and extremism are being preached in almost a third of british mosques. Even in mosques that were previously labelled "moderate" and prone to dialogue hate-filled flyers and jihad-literature could be found.
Don't get me wrong: i do not approve of Michael's harsh tone in his response to Adam either, but in his in-depth analysis he is totally right!ROM
Posted by: rom at March 30, 2008 11:50 AM
Adam:
Ding Dong. Why should Israel send medicine and food to Gaza when they are firing thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians? The problem is that Israel is sending them food, electricity and medication, so that they can continue to terrorise the Jewish population.
And the rockets with help of Iran can travel further and further into Israel.
Posted by: Semsem at March 30, 2008 07:27 PM
Outstanding commentary Michael. It's your character that makes you a winner in life and the envy of the untraveled and inexperienced.
Posted by: Lee at May 3, 2008 01:40 AM