Pippa,
I agree with your sentiments exactly! To offer my opinion, I feel that these Tribal wars are going to continue as long as there is greed at the top of the food chain with an unwillingness to accommodate the barest of needs to those whom are hated or despised. Since we in the west have the largest consumption needs of these poorer countries commodities, i.e. diamonds, oil, etc.; we need to look at ourselves and the results of our own needs and see that it's not equitable nor humane to satisfy our own overindulgence at the expense of another's humanity, dignity or even their life. Also, looking at the regime or dictator in which our consumptive excess' enrichen, without just compensation to those who toil for our desires. Just how this would happen is an unknown to me. It's just a sense of what I feel to be a matter of right vs wrong.
On the extreme Islamic fundamentalism issue. Here in the west, I think the case can be made that extreme Christian fundamentalism is also on the rise. So, we have not just one, but two competing religious extreme doctrines attempting to gain positions of power and control. By the results of each one gaining strongholds the actions perpetrated (as in the article) will be even more shocking and sickening. As is evident by the examples which you've provided. When and if the extreme fundamental radicals have enough power and control here at home and their repressive nature is utilized and exposed, we then might wake up to how insidious this problem really is. Perhaps then, some people of reason will be brave enough to work toward real legislative solutions aimed at equality for all.
I'd like to think that we're seeing some of that light come forth as a result of the bullying and rampant suicide travesties and the awareness campaigns which have sprouted forth. Even some of our politicians are starting to take these issues seriously, finally! However, talk and making video's is not enough! Before we let our own society go down the drain of extremism involving whichever bent, there need to be safeguards emplaced legislatively. There need to be politicians with backbone elected who have no beholdings to radical religious theocratic principles, or the perpetual desire for re-election. Politicians who are in it for the same principles that originated with our founders of this country. And this really drives most fundies nuts! They think our country was founded as Christian nation. True, they borrowed from good basic Christian values. Tenants that are not only Christian, they are a basic of most all religions. But, only that; they borrowed. They were just as skeptical and wary of any establishment of religious authority within our governmental structure as is the more moderate electorate which is in our country today. This is a tough challenge. I'm not certain that even Thomas Jefferson could get elected today because of his more secular views of government function.
Dawn
