The title of this post may seem like a no-brainer. But consider this: No one has noted, objectively speaking, how peculiar the Mumbai hit list actually was: Two Five-Star Hotels, a movie theater, a popular restaurant, … a religious center run by Hasidic Jews?
It really sucks that reporters aren’t noting the attack on the Nariman House without a pause or a question.
I know I know, Jews, just like Americans, are the bogeymen for the terrorists. And Nariman catered to Israelis, so like, what did they expect?
Oy. The way we’ve come to “understand” the terrorists’ frame—as if it has some traceable political logic —is disappointing. It should not be a ho-hum statement when a religious outreach center for Jews is on a terrorist hit list.
Where are the editorials and public statements specifically pointing out and condemning the racist aspect of these attacks?
I completely agree. I was thinking this after the latest Al Queda video comparing Obama to a “house n*****.”
I think that our government and the media need to marginalize this group as much as possible. Nothing they do should warrant a response from our President, that’s giving them too much credit. We should let the Ambassador in the specific country make a statement or just let a State Department spokesman make a statement.
We need to ridicule them as being completely out of touch and ignorant. The media was effective in doing this to Palin. Why do we do this to one of our own, but not the crazies who kill based on skin color and religious affiliation? They’re nuts! Let’s stop paying attention to them!
And nobody asks the question, “Why do they hate the Jews?”
Oh wait… that’s because everybody hates the Jews. Never mind.
This is and always has been a Religous War.
However, how can these terrorists be racists when they hate EVERYONE who doesn’t believe the same as they do??
And Goldy, not
hates Jews. I’m a Christian and I certainly don’t. I have many Jewish friends who faithfully practice their Jewish faith. They are wonderful, Godly people.
Most of the Jews on this Blog are admitted Atheists. While I think you are Godless Heathens, I don’t hate you either. You seem to use Jewish as a Race out of convenience….not out of faith, which is sad. But I do appreciate Jon actually expressing some concern about the religous aspect of this.
More hits are likely to come in the coming months to test the courage of President Obama. This was just a small taste.
So while you KLOWNS worry about not torturing & reforming these assholes….I can only pray President Obama will seek them out, torture the shit of them to get valuable info and then kill them.
To be politically correct, Jews are not a “race”. “The terrorist frame” does have a political logic. It always has (cf. Alexander II, Archduke Ferdinand, Frank Steunenberg). As deplorable as the tactic is, history can be rather capricious in its judgement (cf. Dresden fire bombing, Stern Gang), and “state terror”, if done by our side, goes largely unremarked (cf. Noam Chomsky).
So, is terror in the eye of the beholder? Not as easy a question as framed by Josh.
“I can only pray President Obama will seek them out, torture the shit of them to get valuable info and then kill them.”
A fine example of religious extremism on ‘our’ side. You are just as much a nutter as the extremists you so despise.
I say we waterboard Cynical until he cops to being a Christo-fascist terrorist.
Proud–
Grow up…I clearly was talking about terrorists caught in the act. Nothing to do with religous extremism.
Let me ask you this–
If some group killed 1/2 of your family & promised to kill the other 1/2…. and they captured one of the perpetrators;
To what extent would you want officials to go to extract info out of the killer to capture/kill the perpetrators before they attacked the other 1/2 of your family??
You KLOWNS are soooooooo desensitized to these terrorist acts (like a video game, right?) that perhaps you will grow up when it becomes more personalized.
So Proud…what would you expect??
Steve-
You are a coward…and stupid.
@7 There’s just no end to your mindless blathering, is there?
“perhaps you will grow up when it becomes more personalized”
Oh, you mean like how OKC woke us up to the dangers of home-grown right-wing extremists committing terrorist acts right here in America? Yeah, your ilk blowing up day-care kids certainly personalized things for us, asswipe.
Steve–
Your lunacy is growing before our eyes!
Trying to equate OKC with this recent terrorist attack in India.
Trying to equate the acts of 3 lunatics with the average Conservative American??
Pathetic lamepack Steve.
Let me ask you this–
Oh, boy! A hypothetical question! Try this one: If George Bush shot 1/2 of your family and was holding the rest hostage (including you), then the state would be justified in seizing Barbara Bush, torturing her, and then executing her? Right? I mean, by all means, let’s personalize this!
@11: So. We can’t seize obvious “co-conspirators” of abortion clinic terrorist bombers, torture them, then kill them? Why not?
Proud–
Answering a question with a question?
We should also torure ELF, ALF, radical PETA and other leftist Terrorist groups.
You seem to hate America and be a terrorist sympathizer. Congratulations.
“Trying to equate OKC with this recent terrorist attack in India.”
Both were cold blooded murder. Both took about the same number of lives. What’s not to equate?
Answering a question with a question?
Pot? Meet kettle?
I think a lot of you far-left lunatics are suffering from denial about your chosen one, Obama. To early to judge Obama…but by some of his appointments, you can be assued he won’t do all the tax the rich, pacifist lunacy this Blog promotes. But wait…re-elect Obama anyway cuz he is certain to be stupid in his second term like you KLOWNS demand.
You are “OBAMA’s USEFUL IDIOT’S!”
@17: “I think………”
An unverifiable assertion at best.
The act of 3 individuals in OKC does not equate to a broad-based movement fueled by racial & religous hatred. The 3 OKC individuals were all brought to justice…quickly. Just as all those in anyway connected to these cowardly terrorist acts should be.
@11 “Trying to equate OKC with this recent terrorist attack in India.”
Trying to equate the acts of 3 lunatics with the average Conservative American??”
Let’s see, um, what’s wrong with equating two terrorist attacks? Doesn’t it count when your lunatics do it? Should we just sweep that one under the rug and forget about it? Or maybe we should start torturing you shits to see if you’ve got anything else up your sleeves?
Does the average conservative American post mindless, insipid drivel while endlessly trolling liberal political blogs? I’d say you average American conservatives really need to get a yourselves a life.
@19 “The act of 3 individuals in OKC does not equate to a broad-based movement fueled by racial & religous hatred.”
You are either delusional or a baldfaced liar. Well, OK, perhaps both.
Yeah, like there’s no right-wing extremists around these parts to deal with.
Yeah, let’s waterboard Cynical. If not for national security, then just for kicks.
Mr Cynical,
As a self described Christian, you said that you want the government to “seek them out, torture the shit of them to get valuable info and then kill them.”
I wonder if you have ever read this interesting thought:
How, as a Christian, can you countenance torture? I say that you are NOT a Christian at all.
@23 “I say that you are NOT a Christian at all.”
Hell, I bet a little waterboarding would bring out the compassionate Christian in him. If not, we’d still get a few kicks out of trying.
Racism among terrorists is just a slightly irrelevant topic, isn’t it? To me, that’s like bitching about a death row inmate’s perjury that he committed on the stand in order to try and avoid a guilty verdict. Or some other similar character flaw on display in the midst of something far more horrific.
Back on topic, I have three points to make:
1. Cynical. You have NO right to differentiate amongst Jews based on YOUR ideas about who is and is not “godly.” Even the MOST observant Jew will you we are a people. Ziporah, wife of Moses, and Ruth, mother of David both became Jews under our law. Their descendents inherit peoplehood .. but must choose Judaism as areligion. Goldy and I are as Jewish as your Jesus!
2 Antisemitism IS different from other parts of the spectrum of el Qaeda,s hate because we and onle we have come to the brink of extermination as a people by Islamic and Xtian religous bigotry. When folks talk about exterminating us, we need to take that seriously.
I am sure other peoples who have experienced genocide … Indigenous Peoples esp, wouls share our beliefs that THEIR fate was something all people should want.
3. All to often I read that “I am not an antisemite, I am antizionist!” This might make sense IF the speaker weny on to support welcoming us into their countries. History says this is not true. Sure, criticizing Israel, must be done but somhow the criticsm came from someone with other ideas about how to solve the last two milenia of dhimmitude, slavery, forced conversion, and genocide under BOTH christians and Muslims.
Back on topic. The deliberate targeting of the Jewish center, as deplorable as it was, was probably just an added bonus to the group’s main plot, which is to destabilize India.
According to the BBC, the group that carried out the attacks was part of a proxy organization formed and trained by the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence Agency for the purpose of engaging Indian forces in Kashmir. The current Pakistani gov’t is screaming that they had nothing to do with it, and considering that they’ve only been in power for a few months, I have a tendency to believe them. Pakistan’s previous regimes have been heavily invested in destabilizing their neighbors to both sides, and it appears that somebody’s creation has gone rogue. Hopefully, international pressure will force the Pakistani gov’t to reign in the ISI and give the world answers as to who ordered what.
@27 While this group is obviously of Paki origin they do identify themselves strongly with Hamas. Downplaying the Muslim bigotry side of this is a politically correct mistake.
That said, I would not put all that much fiath in the word of the Paki govt. Large parts of Pakistani society, not just geographic regions but elements of the government, are apparently under very poor central control.
To me the best spin in this would be if the lederly outgoing President were to ask BHO, aka That One, to come to DC for a joint statement of determination to support Indian AND Pali democracy and propose a joint effort with both of these a-bomb armed societies to set up a standard for peace. I also suspect China might join us ,,, the threat of Islamofascism on their border can not be too nice and they could see this as a way of avoiding terrorism in Tibet.
The terrorists are racist. The Pope is Catholic. Bears shit in the woods.
To frame this heinous crap a hate crime seems a bit limp. It’s not surprising or enlightening to say Muslim fanatics are anti-semitic, is it?
I wouldn’t think to downplay their bigotry, SJ. I’m just saying that attacking the Jewish center was likely (to them) an added bonus to go along with the attacks throughout Mumbai’s tourist centers.
I also agree that the Pakistani gov’t has very little control over their own country, let alone certain agencies of said government. But international pressure will either force them to bring the ISI to heel themselves, or perhaps will a few well-placed cruise missiles do the job for them?
But I don’t see China getting involved. They’d enjoy seeing India and Pakistan immolate themselves over Kashmir, where China has been involved in an off-and-on shooting war with India for decades now. They could just stand back and wit for the opportunity to pick up the pieces.
@30
Good comments.
I think, with no data, that China is going through the transition from resurgent colonical nation to a major power. This could go two ways. One, they could behave like a 19th century state abd try to accumulate hehemony. They will do some of this … Taiwan, Korea, and Japan will be in their sphere. BUT, the 20th century shows that hegemonies, ours too, have serious limits. So, the second opening for the PRC is a global parteneship with other well intentioned states. This seems to me t fit with Obama’s comments on foreign policy and seems to me t eb an approach of joint benefit.
NMy undersranding is that the current foreign policy of China is still dictated by Mao’s ideas of loacal focus and a non judgmental effort ot exapnaf in fluence outside China. Ax China changes, solidifies its local hegemeony, tghat policy seem antique.
What exact race were the jews that the Nariman house served ? Indian / Middle Eastern / European ?
It makes no sense to call attacks on Jews racist. No more than the last attack of Lashkar – an attack on a large Hindu temple in Gujarat.
Lashkar terrorists are religious bigots. Thats it.