Friday, July 29, 2011

Dear white people.

We know you feel bad about all the colonialism, slavery, and general racism. The White Australia policy, the culling of indigenous populations, etc. We know.

But I'm here to tell you that you don't need to feel guilty anymore. It's in the past, we understand. That's not to say that you shouldn't still be aware of the sensitivities of black/brown/other non-white people with regards to racism.. but you don't need to 'make up for' the past anymore.



You need to shake off the white shame that you have been saddled with ever since the first history lesson which opened your eyes to the racism of your ancestors. Please, take the lesson, and leave the guilt behind.

Because you're going to the other extreme.

Case in point; Chris Hedges. Here is what he has to say about islamic terrorism in light of the recent bombing/shooting in Norway.

"The gravest threat we face from terrorism, as the killings in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik underscore, comes not from the Islamic world but the radical Christian right and the secular fundamentalists"
I mean, really.

I stand in awe at the kind of mental gymnastics one must perform to arrive at the conclusion that Christianity and secularism are a bigger threat to civilisation today, than Islam.

Now, I am no fan of any organised religion, but come on. This grand conclusion is hastily jumped to because of A SINGLE shooter in Norway? Really?

A single Norwegian who killed about 90 people

VS

 The 9/11 attacks, where a little under 3000 people were killed, multiple bombings in Mumbai, the most recent of which claimed at least 20 lives and injured 100 more, suicide bombings in London, which killed 52 and injured 770, the stabbing of Theo Van Gogh, for the heinous crime of producing a film that criticized the treatment of women in Islam, the killing of 8 UN workers in response to some pastor burning Qu'rans in the US, the bombing of and setting fire to Danish embassies in Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iran, as well as violent protests, in reaction to a Danish cartoonist depicting Muhammad, resulting in over 100 reported deaths. Then there's all the people who live under threat of being killed for speaking out against Islam, Salman Rushdie and Ayaan Hirsi Ali come to mind.


So, final scores?

Christian terrorism: 90 lives lost.
Islamic terrorism: 3181 lives lost.
Secular 'fundamentalists': 0 lives lost.

And that's just off the top of my head. Is there even a comparison? What complete lunatic feels more threatened by Christian and secular 'fundamentalism' in today's world than Islamic fundamentalism?



I pondered this apparent insanity for a long time, until I realised... some white people now, especially those identifying as liberals, are just too scared of being called racist or xenophobic to openly criticise Islam. It's simply not 'politically correct'! Much easier for them to criticise Christianity, or those evil secularists, and get away with it, because these are largely 'white' groups, and nobody can be 'racist' towards whites!
You're taking the whole 'acceptance of other cultures' thing a little too far.

Just what exactly must a non-white group adhering to an ideology DO in order to draw criticism from you? Making their intentions to spread Islam all over the world and institute Sharia Law everywhere known hasn't worked (Islamic Emirates in the UK). Suicide attacks haven't worked, rejection of western values *while residing in western countries* hasn't worked (40% of young british muslims saying they would like to see Sharia law implemented, and 36% saying that a Muslim who converted to another religion should be put to death). Murdering/calling for the murder of people who dare dissent (Theo Van Gogh, Salman Rushdie, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Kurt Westergaard) hasn't worked, subjugation of women (50% of the human population!) hasn't worked...

Just what MUST they do in order for you to see the threat here?

Anders Breivik, to my knowledge, did not say that he killed all those people because of his christianity, or neo-naziness. But most people acknowledge that his religious fundamentalism probably informed his actions (even though his religious conviction can be questioned upon reading the manifesto he posted online).

Yet, Islamic suicide bombers and terrorists explicitly tell us that they kill infidels in the name of Allah, that they behead people for insulting Muhammad, that they bomb hundreds for not following Islamic law... and yet people like Chris Hedges search for other reasons they might have done these things?



Why don't we simply believe what they are telling us?

It's okay to acknowledge that European/western culture today is the most progressive culture around. Really, it is. It's okay to acknowledge that democracy beats theocracy. It's okay to say that a religious ideology is wrong, even if the typical holders of this ideology aren't white. I promise you, it's okay.

PS: If you want to read Sam Harris's rebuttal of Hedges, it can be found here.

30 comments:

  1. I don't know what that guy is on. Secularism never killed anyone. If religion acted in a secular manner, we wouldn't have as many problems as we do.

    His whole point is that human history has remained stagnant, that we are in fact still barbarous and destined to fulfil this destiny until the end of time. It is a self fulfilling prophecy that will prove true if idiots like him continue to convince other idiots that everything is our fault, nothing but nihilistic bullshit that helps no one.

    You hit the nail on head as always.

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  2. It's not as if every white person in the times of slavery (I don't remember the date and I'm too lazy to go google it) owned slaves... Not everyone's white ancestors owned slaves. From what I remember from reading about it, it was actually a very small percentage of whites.

    Not that it makes it really any better, but... Just saying. It wasn't EVERY white person...

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  3. Semi-Pro; Precisely. I don't know what purpose such a defeatist attitude is meant to serve.

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  4. Wow.

    Okay, firstly, the actual physical NUMBER of white people owning slaves is largely irrelevant, the fact is, slave-owning was socially (and legally) sanctioned by most, if not all white people, before the start of the Civil Rights Movement.

    Secondly, you're right, not ALL white people owned slaves... just the ones who could afford to. The elite. People like certain US presidents. Having slaves was an enviable luxury, which really doesn't make it any better at all. I'm not sure why you felt the point needed to be made.

    I never suggested that white people feel guilty because their direct ancestors owned slaves.

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  5. I think we need to start condemning radical forms of anything as the problem instead of lumping in whole groups. It isn't Islam that is the problem, it is radical Islam. Just like radical Christianity and radical everything else that people attach themselves to. When we go radical we get stupid.

    Great points about racism and white people. Good luck being able to say any of that as a white person though. Other races can defend whites - whites can not. It is kind of like men defending themselves against radical feminist... never works. But overall - great thoughts through out the artical.

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  6. Why is it that people sometimes feel this urge to go to completely insane extremes. It happens with racism, with global warming (where everyone went from denial to desparation and nihilism), with the choice of government. Some people can't seem to handle the concept of balance. Well, if it's not this, then it must be the polar and equally insane opposite. This is partly the fault of organized religion, that teaches people to see things in black and white.
    On another note: I wonder if Hedges even tried to define the phrase "secular fundamentalism" for himself, before spewing it out into cyberspace. How can you have fundamentalism if there's no FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE? Things like this piss me off sometimes.

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  7. Chia; I think that putting the blanket of 'fundamentalism' over Islam just heavily dilutes the problem. The fact is, we DON'T have an extremist problem with most other religions in the world today. No other religion goes around calling for the murder of infidels. Islam IS the problem. The only reason Christianity is not the problem, as it once was, is that it went through an enlightenment. Virtually no christians today stone a bride for not being a virgin on her wedding night, no christians today isolate women while they're menstruation, no christian today has a problem with wearing polyester, even though these things are explicitly forbidden in their religious texts. Christianity has learnt, even if unbeknownst to itself, that you apply morality to your religious text, not the morality of the religious text to your life. Islam, on the other hand.. women are still stoned, people are still beheaded, and the religion has, in recent years, become even more radicalised than before. Today, the problem is Islam, as Christianity was a problem in the past. If you just say "oh fundamentalism is a problem", you obscure the issue.

    Vic; I know, I was planning to do a post about the entire concept of 'secular fundamentalism' and also "rational fundamentalism" (!!!), which are terms I have actually heard used in all seriousness. I mean, what the actual fuck?

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  8. Hang on, did you just equate race to religion? So, in your world, white Muslims can't exist? Or brown Christians? I wonder what colour atheists have in your universe.

    Even though I agree that there are some people who are over-doing the whole apology thing (i see the Na'vis winning the war in Avatar as just a way to apologise to the indigenous people for the past crimes of the colonialists), your logic is rather flawed. As is your knowledge of history and geopolitics.

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  9. ...Yes. Yes, that is exactly what I said. White muslims do not exist, and neither do brown christians, despite the fact that my grandparents are christian.

    No, you're absolutely right.

    *headdesk*

    Obviously, I am speaking in general terms. Islam did not originate in Europe among white-folk, and in the context of this argument (ie; the western world's perception of Islam), white people are largely christian.

    It's amazing that I must spell out the most obvious of concepts.

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  11. Please, give examples of these killings. What do you define "secular fundamentalism" as?

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  13. If you're not interesting in expounding on your views, it would be wise to not comment at all.

    Condescension aside, you have made no points, and until you clarify your position, I feel completely comfortable disregarding your statements.

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  15. Er, no, not the various views you have stated which have no relevance to what we were discussing. I asked for your specific views on a couple of things;

    1. Examples of all the killings performed because of 'secular fundamentalism'

    and

    2. What exactly you mean by 'secular fundamentalism'. Your definition of 'secular fundamentalism'.

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  17. World War I; motivated by secular fundamentalism, how?!

    World War II; If you say Hitler was a 'secular fundamentalist', I will laugh at you until I asphyxiate and die.

    Any more? Btw, I am not Australian, but whatever.

    Actually, a google search for 'secular fundamentalism' yields contradictory results. I would very much like to know how many lives you believe "militant atheism" has taken.

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  19. You included two wars in your last post. WWI, I admit, I don't know too much about, and I will read your blog as well as scour the internet for more information. WWII, I am aware that religious people LOVE to make the claim that Hitler was some kind of rampaging atheist, when nothing could be further from the truth. The entire hatred of jews comes from christian rhetoric.

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  21. World War II was about the Nazis. World War II was about Hitler and genocide.

    Either specify what you are talking about, if you are indeed talking about SPECIFIC parts of WWII, or gtfo. There is no use in being utterly vague about your argument, and then flying off the handle when people respond in an equally broad fashion. Ffs.

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  22. Emperor Hirohito was considered by many in Japan during WW2 as a descendent of the gods. One can say their participation in WW2 was driven by religious fervour, mixed with self preservation.

    Hitler was brought up Catholic, and during his reign signed an agreement with the Catholic Church to leave them alone, if they abstained from politics. I doubt a militant atheist would do this.

    One just has to look at Mein Kampft to see he was religious, he said: "I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.."

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  23. Haha. No, you don't need to do anything with concepts because, after all, like Alan Jones, you have the right to air your opinions. Logic and facts be damned.

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  24. I don't necessarily think white guilt is a bad thing. I think it's a healthy dose of reality.

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  25. Abhinav; No, that's alright, don't defend your statements with a rational argument or anything, just resort to generic insults, that's fine.

    Sassy Pants; It's a bad thing when it leads people to the other extreme.

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  27. @joshua
    Hitler was not an atheist, he believed in an god, a god that would give him world domination. He believed that he was the chosen one.
    He also stated that in his book.

    But you would know that, if you would have looked it up.

    And it seems to me that you do not really know what an atheist is.

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  28. Nice post! Really I wonder why all this happens... ultimately who said that White is the superior colour? I guess the heart is what it matters...
    Check my post, where I share similar kind of feeling.(We differentiate, They Don't)
    http://thingsblacknwhite.blogspot.com/2011/08/we-differentiate-they-dont.html

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  29. Interesting. I know I'm a lil late. Found this blog recently (today). I liked the way you combined 2 topics that are generally not spoken of together and made it work. Bravo.

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  30. By reading the comments I admit that I'm on Chia's side. Blaming the Islam for the guilt of some extremist Muslims it's not fair (especially because I have Muslim friends that are awesome, look for fouseyTUBE, he's an arab/us Muslim). Besides the 9/11 event still is a case that has speculations about who really did it; US government or terrorist attacks (for further info. look for 9/11 conspiracy), but that's another thing. I admit that there are a lot of murders committed in the name of Allah, such as murders committed by the US in the name of God.

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