atheling: Hmmm, at least I wake up in a good mood. You're still a LYING moral relativist and ugly racist.

Incisive rebuttals...piercing critiques.

I. True, there is an 80-year time span between the end of American slavery and the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich. However, I would not view it in terms of centuries, as this is misleading, considering that the former event occurred towards the end of the 19th century and the latter towards the middle of the 20th. Ultimately, it depends on one's conception of historical time.

II. Violence against Jews is on the rise in virtually every Western state. Indeed, radical Zionists are quick to allege that the United States is the next potential location for another attempt at genocide/ethnic cleansing due to the concentration and salience of anti-Semtic groups there, fueled mainly by American individual liberties e.g. freedom of speech and association.

III. The comment of mine in question was a crude analogy and intended as such. A rock could eloquently critique it. And you discuss parsing others' words?

IV. You have made the incorrect assumption that I am German or of German descent. Now that this mistake has been revealed to you, you can see how the rest of your comments founder on the rocks of your own idiocy. It appears that determining my nationality and ethnic origin is a hobby for some commentators on the Brussels Journal. Perhaps you can peruse my old posts and read between the lines and solve the mystery that had stumped marcfrans.

V. Please refrain from mentioning personal information such as your so-called father's so-called war service. In light of your vitriolic remarks, I have been quite reasonable towards you. However, if these continue, I will turn up the heat on you. Indeed, the only one that has sunk to "mudslinging" has been yourself. And you know it. You will only have yourself and your emotional and thoughtless outbursts to blame if I do get personal with you.

"I  like to recall the conclusion of the paper".

Of course you do,kappert,of course you do.And so do I.However,you stubbornly refuse to face the dilemma ALL men of goodwill have had to grapple with from time to time.Namely,the problem of what to do when talk fails to achieve the desired outcome.Now,I believe that I have a practical solution to that question,the question remains,do you?

I like to recall the conclusion of the paper:

Despite gloomy appraisals of the current state of the relationship between Muslim and Western societies, the data suggest that most respondents, Muslim and non-Muslim alike,
do not accept the idea of an inevitable clash between the two civilizations. Majorities in all countries believe that violent conflict can be avoided. The exception is Pakistan, where the
majority said they did not know. This sentiment was strongest in Italy, Belgium and Spain, where roughly three-quarters believed conflict was avoidable, and weakest in the United
States, Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories, where just over half held this view.

Currently, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Europe reflect a different dynamic, one that is more focused on domestic rather than foreign policy. If ongoing anti-immigration sentiment among European populations continues to dominate the way they feel about interactions with Muslims, it may lead to a new European isolationism. In contrast, Americans are far more likely to view interactions with the Muslim world as opportunities for diplomacy, which many believe will lead to less anti-American sentiment, and thus greater national security.

However, while Americans mainly characterize the conflict as a public relations problem, Muslim-world residents are more likely to see it as a policy problem. Perceptions of current US policies towards the Middle East leave them feeling misunderstood and looked down upon. Many believe that greater interaction between the two sides would facilitate a greater understanding of Islam in the West, and thereby lay the foundation for a policy environment mutually beneficial to both sides.

.

Rob: Any American who's spent any time in Europe can tell you that European society is far more racist than American society.

None of your comments indicate that you have spent any time in Europe. Far from it.

Combining the Holocaust and skinhead vandalism is no different than combining slavery in the United States and the controversial remarks made by Don Imus.

In fact, like the commentator from the Gates of Vienna whose posting is the basis of this thread, I believe that you also are Jewish or of Jewish ancestry for the following reasons:

1. Europe seems to consist only of Germany (save for a small mention of France)

2. Europeans are inherently racist and anti-Semitic

3. Jews seem to be the only Holocaust victims

4. Europeans have conspired and continue to conspire to exterminate non-Whites in general, and Jews in particular (who strangely constitute a race according to you)

5. Europeans are "using" Islam to destroy Jews yet are simultaneously bent on exterminating it also

Perhaps you are not Jewish nor of Jewish descent, but unfortunately, this song and dance is familiar to me, as well as Paul Belien, who was told that Europe should have been nuked in order to stop the Holocaust by an American Jew.

Any American who's spent any time in Europe can tell you that European society is far more racist than American society. I mean, these are the same people that thought it rational to stuff millions of Jews into ovens. In France and Germany, Jewish graves are still regularly defaced. Are we just supposed to consider it an accident that Germany is providing the key technology to build the Iranian atomic bomb, promised to be used on Israel?

The Europeans for decades now have campaigned to kill Africans, even as the Europeans preach peace and love, shovel aid money into the bank accounts of African businessmen and politicians, threaten sanctions against countries that use DDT to save lives, and click their tongues over the Darfur.

Anybody who has studied the rise of National Socialism recognizes the symptoms, above all the dehumanization of the Jews, accompanied by the big lies about Jewish control of this and that, from the banks to the newspapers. In retrospect, we can see that Europe set on this course at the turn of the twentieth century, then indulged their antisemitic fantasies until they were defeated in war. We then had a happy interlude, when antisemitism was so discredited by Hitler and rendered taboo as a result of defeat. That interlude is now over, and the Europeans are reverting to form. The surrender of citizens’ freedoms to the state is, after all, the essence of totalitarianism, and it is no less ominous today—wrapped in the sweet words of the nanny state—than it was in the 1930s, when it was accompanied by the racist chest-pounding of the leaders of the Third Reich. Islamic antisemitism has been folded into this tradition, and European governments are all too happy to make room for their evil. Because European governments know the age-old European fear of the 'other' is the easiest way to control people while they take away their rights, whether the other is the Jew, the Muslim, or anyone else.

Islam and the West (2008): Clear majorities in all European countries surveyed see greater interaction between the West and Muslim worlds as a threat. This is true of 79% of the population in Denmark, 67% in Italy, 67% in the Netherlands, 68% in Spain, 65% in Sweden and 59% in Belgium. This corresponds to a growing fear among Europeans of a perceived “Islamic threat” to their cultural identities, driven in part by rising immigration from predominantly Muslim regions. [...]

Nothing surprising there, except that these concerns seem to have little impact on political decision-making.

Islam and the West (2008): Although some might expect the United States, Israel and the Middle East to be more likely than Europe to feel threatened by the “other,” the opposite is the case. In the United States (70%), Canada (72%) and Israel (56%) majorities say that greater interaction is a benefit.

The Muslim minorities in Canada and the United States are not seen as a threat because of their relatively small numbers in comparison to Europe, and it will take more bomb plots before citizens of each realise that their melting pots are superior to those of Europe. Moreover, Canada and the United States are far less likely (understatement of 2008) to accept Muslim refugees than Europe and focus mainly on the wealthy and skilled ones, which by rights, Europe should have done.

As far as Israel is concerned, peaceful co-existence with its Muslim neighbors is an existential priority as the IDF cannot be invincible forever. These countries are Israel's natural economic partners and successful cooperation with them may alleviate Tel Aviv's need for American economic and military aid. Where else is Israel going to turn?

There is a big difference between recognizing a problem and fearing it.

The misleading '-ophobe' terminology can be dropped any time now. Is there a similar Greek or Latin suffix for anger and/or outrage?

The "poll" here says that 70% of Americans think "more interaction" is beneficial? Wonder who they were polling? College students? (Note that this forum is linked to Georgetown University).

There was a Zogby poll in the last 6 months (20,000 registered American voters) which revealed that 70% of Americans believe that Islam has "little or nothing" in common with their own religion and beliefs.

Furthermore Newsweek posted an "alarming" article about the rise of Islamophobia in America:

"A new "Newsweek" poll on American attitudes toward Muslims and Islam has found that 46% of Americans believe that the United States is taking in too many Muslim immigrants. 32% think that Muslims in America are less loyal to the United States than they are to Islam. 28% believe that the Qur’an condones violence, and 41% hold that Islamic culture “glorifies suicide.” 54% are either “somewhat worried” or “very worried” about Islamic jihadists in this country, and 52% support FBI surveillance of mosques, with the same percentage rejecting the claim of American Muslim advocacy groups that Muslims are being singled out by investigators and police."

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21662

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” – Thomas Paine