JenGiove: How can you discern emotion or intent through a written statement?
I've been alive long enough to have seen the first computers enter into the common home. Its a learned talent and a well read person can discern emotion and intent through a well written word. I read Shakespeare, Whitman, Longfellow, Whittier, Poe, Alighieri and a host of non-fiction books ranging from early American history, herbalism, Native American spirituality, biological science, Islamic education and a host of fiction. I also listen to various types of music from classical to Jazz to pop, to soul to even a tiny amount of rap. How can I discern emotion and intent? I pay attention and I wait and watch. The context and the words alone are often enough to discern emotion and intent. The word 'context' being the most important word in that sentence. In your case, your confrontational attitude towards the original poster, Sister Aapa, and to Brother Just A Guy after being here only long enough to have posted 4 posts suggests an attitude of hate, disrespect, and unwillingness to learn. You did not come here to get to know the, what was the word you used..."peoplehood"? Using
your own words, "
there is a difference between religion and peoplehood." How are you demonstrating your belief in your own statement?
Moreover, why would you find my words "disrespectful" while seeing nothing wrong with labeling all Israelis as "Nazis?" Perhaps you ought to evaluate your own motives before jumping to conclusions about people you do not know.
People I don't know? Hmm. May I suggest you take your own advice since I have been here longer than you and know Just A Guy's meaning and intent. *I* never labeled *all* Israelis Nazis. Specifically, I said:
"Israel IS doing things......
The actions that is being done to Muslims by Israel in the name of religion and hate are the same actions that the Nazi's did to the Jews."
The implication there is that the
government of Israel is performing
acts, in the name of religion that
mirrors the government of Germany during WW2. That is a huge distinction and I'm sorry that you can't discern that for yourself.
Now, let me address your salient points...I) "Damaging the theater." The Freedom Theater, meaning the building itself, was built on public property without permits and in most nations that would result in full demolition.
To my understanding, The Freedom Theater is built inside the Jenin Refuge Camp. How is that considered "public" property? You know what, never-mind, its a point that is irrelevant. Here in the United States, unsued buildings are not destroyed but reused for another purpose and the builder of an unlawfully built building would get heavy fines and possible jail time.
More to the point, especially since the murder this past spring it has served as a focal point for violence in Jenin Camp, endangering those living around it who apparently do not share in the founder's Communist outlook. An illegal structure endangering innocent camp residents , that doesn't produce an iota of work, is a benefit to noone.
The focal point of hate and crime is not the building but the reason for the hate and crime. Since it is "technically" a refugee camp, in what ways does the Israeli government provide for the nutritional/medical/emotional/spiritual/economical needs of the people residing there?
As defined by Wikipedia:
Communism is a sociopolitical movement that aims for a classless and stateless society structured upon common ownership of the means of production, free access to articles of consumption, and the end of wage labour and private property in the means of production and real estate.
Tell me, what is wrong with taking care of your neighbors, preventing poverty by making food available to those who need it, preventing homelessness by providing shelter? All of these tenets are part of Islam. Aren't they supposed to be a part of every human's moral code?
II) "HAMAS' humanitarian efforts should be supported.": There are no separate funding mechanisms. When one donates money to HAMAS' it goes to its Dept. of Zakat. From there it is distributed as HAMAS sees fit. Ergo, you may intend for your support to feed widows but HAMAS decides where the money will go, and most goes to support its genocidal programme against Jews (mind you, not just Israeli Jews and/or Zionists).
Who said anything about supporting through monetary means? Not I. To do so for me would be an illegal act. There are lots of other ways to support the humanitarian aide that HAMAS provides.
"Genocidal programme"..Tell me, how is that different from what Israel is doing to the people who live in Gaza? Prevention of medical aide even though 1) its clear that someone needs aide yet the hospital is 500 feet away from the gate 2) restrictions on food and medical supplies being transported INTO Gaza 3) transportation of children OUT OF Gaza to another country to receive medical aide 4) restriction on basic building supplies to repair homes and shops so that the people can support themselves. There comes a point when safety concerns turn into paranoia. Where is that line?
III) "What does Salfist mean?": I use it as. It is used by English speaking people, to denote Islamic Fundamentalists who seek to re-implement al Khalifa and who, in this instance, adviocate the use of terrorism in that Pursuit.
For someone who claims to know Islam better than most Muslims, you certainly seem to forget that the killing of innocent civilians is strictly forbidden.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allaah loves those who deal with equity”[al-Mumtahinah 60:8]
If the strict, literal meaning of "Salafis" means: to follow ONLY the Qu'ran and the Hadith, then these are included in those texts and they too must be literally followed, which means, no terrorism allowed.
Since you are concerned with semantics I will add that I am using the UN's Definition by Academic Consensus which defines "terrorism" as the deliberate use of violence against non-combatants in the pursuit of ideological objectives.
From the UN-A/RES/49/6084th plenary meeting 9 December 1994 :
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/49/a49r060.htm
1. The States Members of the United Nations solemnly reaffirm their unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, as criminal and unjustifiable, wherever and by whomever committed, including those which jeopardize the friendly relations among States and peoples and threaten the territorial integrity and security of States; 2. Acts, methods and practices of terrorism constitute a grave violation of the purposes and principles of the United Nations, which may pose a threat to international peace and security, jeopardize friendly relations among States, hinder international cooperation and aim at the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and the democratic bases of society; 3. Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them;
Just for the record, non-combatants does not appear in the definition. If you find it elsewhere in the document, please, share it.
IV) "Don't insult Brother Guy.": A non-Muslim calling another non-Muslim "Brother"? Perhaps you ought to study Islam a bit more because you are misusing the term "Brother," it denotes a "Brother" in faith anf belief in the context of Islam. However, the actual issue is you accusing me of insulting a person who just collectively labeled 8 million Israelis as "Nazis." Hubris is never pretty.
First off, Brother Just A Guy is a Muslim, newly reverted. While he can not call me "sister" as in a "sister in faith", I can call him Brother all I want since 1) he is a brother member of the Islamic faith and using that term for me is like addressing him formally 2) since he is a brother to me in the brotherhood of humanity and we have no quarrels between us, I use it as a term of respect.
Hubris is a very interesting word. " extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance...a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power."..."In ancient Greece,
hubris (ancient Greek ὕβρις) referred to actions that shamed and humiliated the victim for the pleasure or gratification of the abuser."
He took no pleasure in his statement and he is certainly in no position of power. What shame and humiliation did the Israeli government suffer? None, since I can be pretty sure that they have never even heard of a person by the name of "Just A Guy". Yet, as I said before, you came in here with an attitude of combativeness. You seek to shame the members here by siting various instances of injustice and hate perpetrated by Muslims against the populous of Israel. You came in her with enmity and that can not be tolerated here. Technically, you are the one being "hubristic".
V) "Israelis oppress non-Jews.": Are you aware that a fully 20% of Israeli citizens are Muslim? Israel is not a theocracy. It is a secular, liberally democratic nation that not only offers full and equal rights to non-Jewish citizens, it offers those non-Jews EXTRA rights. Israel has offered the PA 100% of Gaza and land equal to 100% of the so called "West Bank." This offer has been on the table for nearly a decade but the PA refuses to form a state. You are at best, quite ill informed.
I never said "Israelis oppress non-Jews". Please, when addressing me, do so accurately. As for Israel being a 'Democratic' nation. That is incorrect. It is a Parliamentary republic meaning "a system with no clear-cut separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches." It is my personal opinion only that a parliementary system is "Democracy-lite".
Forgive me if I don't pay too much attention to your blanket condemnation of Israel and its people.
I never did. I judged the government of Israel, not the individual people themselves.
The very fact that you imagine Israel to be acting in the name of religion plainly shows that you are completely ignorant about the country. Lest you once again misread intent and emotion, the word "ignorant" is NOT an insult. It simply means you lack even basic knowledge on the subject. Judaism is a religion, Zionism is a political ideology based on liberal and Socialist thought. Likewise, there is a difference between religion and peoplehood. You will obviously be suprised but the IDF has Muslim soldiers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel
"Israel is the world's only Jewish-majority state,[8] and is defined as a Jewish and democratic state in its Basic Laws."
If anyone wants to place blame on anyone for starting the conflicts over there, blame David Ben-Gurion.
Following the 1947 United Nations decision to partition Palestine, on 14 May 1948 David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared Israel a nation independent from the British Mandate of Palestine. Neighboring Arab states invaded the next day in support of the Palestinians. Since then, Israel has fought a series of wars with neighboring Arab states, and has occupied territories, including the West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights, beyond those delineated in the 1949 Armistice Agreements.
A last thought for you: As someone who says they had a Jewish grandfather victimised by the Holocaust, least of all you should be ashamed for defending that poster's comparison. Irony personified.
Why should I be ashamed? My grandfather stood up for justice and morality. He had empathy for people who were different from himself. He taught that all people had the right to live and believe as they so wished so long as those beliefs did not infringe upon the rights of other people to live and believe. My grandfather was not afraid to look into the mirror of self examination and cut out the offending eye from within himself. My grandfather would have been proud of me for standing up for justice and accuracy.
Seek a fight elsewhere.