Genuine fear...
For a long time, probably when all of this began and finally became mass public knowledge, I was not afraid of anything happening to me as a result of the culture clash of the West and Muslims around the world. But as of recently a knot in my stomache has been getting tighter and tighter the more I see what is happening (from what I am able to see from various sources).
To be more precise, if one can be in these cases, it started this summer. It initially began with the conflict in Lebanon. The further events would unfold in front of me on the television, in the newspapers and the internet, I would grow more and more concerned with the possible extreme outcomes that the war could lead to. At first, I hoped that it would last no longer than 2-3 weeks. But it lasted a little over a month. I have always known that many Muslims have had a deep rooted hatred for Jews and vice versa. But, never have I seen this hatred demonstrated on a mass scale as the conflict on Lebanon. Gathered from all the participants in this conflict (Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and Israel), I saw the recipe of a possible regional war. If I may be a little more bold, World War III. The war that I had envisioned would have been more terrible than any war that this green planet has ever seen. It wouldn't stop in the Middle East region, but spread to most parts of the world, including the U.S., fueld by an extreme rhetoric coming from the mouths of incensed clerics, indignant and misguided followers, and from the scorching and infectous fires of the homemade bomb.
The developing debate on what is to be done with Iran and their efforts to create a nuclear program, whether they have intentions to weaponize it or not, adds to my provoking fear of what might come. Are we already considering the option of armed enforcement against the same people that have called for the eradication of the Jewish state? Are we seriously entertaining the idea that we can take on another conflict and add it to our growing collection of managing hot zones, such as Afghanistan and Iraq? Why are we constantly provoking an angry bear imprisoned in a flimsy wicker basket? I feel, and am shocked that it hasn't happened already, that these people are going to send their suicide bombers to our cities.
I guess I feel that I have been antoginized into this despondent state because of what I read this morning. Along with many of the thoughtless comments on Islam that have been contributed to the international forum, of all people, the Pope himself has expanded this list.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/18/pope.islam.ap/index.html
One would think that a man with such leverage behind his words would take care of what he would say publicly, in a speech no less. For a long time, the Church has been vary cautious on what would be said about the teachings of Islam out of concern for the repercussions that could follow. But now, as a result of these poorly chosen words, extremists and Turkish government officials are calling for various forms of "justice", ranging from judicial to death. It has been reafirmed again that all Christians who associate themselves to the Church are "enemies" of Islam, even sympathetic ones. The anger has been spread further.
My only escape and feeling of hope that good can still be done in this world was my independent study over the summer. Talking to the struggling farmers made me feel that there is a genuine humanistic cause out there that I can address without the taste of major violence. The hope that I heard in their words was a therapeutic and comforting impression.
I have been trying to use this study as a diversion from what has been depressing the hell out of me lately. But today has been an exception. Reading that news article cited above pushed me back into a hopeless funk. I feel it already passing, a little, but I can't shake it off completely. I'm going home this weekend. My parents are the reason why. I need to be with them and have a long talk with my dad about how I have been feeling lately. As much as I love my friends, especially one very dear to my heart, my father has always been the one that has given me a peace of mind when it comes to these occasional lulls and my mother reminds me of who I am in their lives. This weekend, I need to be alone with my family. I need to touch base with them.
To be more precise, if one can be in these cases, it started this summer. It initially began with the conflict in Lebanon. The further events would unfold in front of me on the television, in the newspapers and the internet, I would grow more and more concerned with the possible extreme outcomes that the war could lead to. At first, I hoped that it would last no longer than 2-3 weeks. But it lasted a little over a month. I have always known that many Muslims have had a deep rooted hatred for Jews and vice versa. But, never have I seen this hatred demonstrated on a mass scale as the conflict on Lebanon. Gathered from all the participants in this conflict (Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and Israel), I saw the recipe of a possible regional war. If I may be a little more bold, World War III. The war that I had envisioned would have been more terrible than any war that this green planet has ever seen. It wouldn't stop in the Middle East region, but spread to most parts of the world, including the U.S., fueld by an extreme rhetoric coming from the mouths of incensed clerics, indignant and misguided followers, and from the scorching and infectous fires of the homemade bomb.
The developing debate on what is to be done with Iran and their efforts to create a nuclear program, whether they have intentions to weaponize it or not, adds to my provoking fear of what might come. Are we already considering the option of armed enforcement against the same people that have called for the eradication of the Jewish state? Are we seriously entertaining the idea that we can take on another conflict and add it to our growing collection of managing hot zones, such as Afghanistan and Iraq? Why are we constantly provoking an angry bear imprisoned in a flimsy wicker basket? I feel, and am shocked that it hasn't happened already, that these people are going to send their suicide bombers to our cities.
I guess I feel that I have been antoginized into this despondent state because of what I read this morning. Along with many of the thoughtless comments on Islam that have been contributed to the international forum, of all people, the Pope himself has expanded this list.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/18/pope.islam.ap/index.html
One would think that a man with such leverage behind his words would take care of what he would say publicly, in a speech no less. For a long time, the Church has been vary cautious on what would be said about the teachings of Islam out of concern for the repercussions that could follow. But now, as a result of these poorly chosen words, extremists and Turkish government officials are calling for various forms of "justice", ranging from judicial to death. It has been reafirmed again that all Christians who associate themselves to the Church are "enemies" of Islam, even sympathetic ones. The anger has been spread further.
My only escape and feeling of hope that good can still be done in this world was my independent study over the summer. Talking to the struggling farmers made me feel that there is a genuine humanistic cause out there that I can address without the taste of major violence. The hope that I heard in their words was a therapeutic and comforting impression.
I have been trying to use this study as a diversion from what has been depressing the hell out of me lately. But today has been an exception. Reading that news article cited above pushed me back into a hopeless funk. I feel it already passing, a little, but I can't shake it off completely. I'm going home this weekend. My parents are the reason why. I need to be with them and have a long talk with my dad about how I have been feeling lately. As much as I love my friends, especially one very dear to my heart, my father has always been the one that has given me a peace of mind when it comes to these occasional lulls and my mother reminds me of who I am in their lives. This weekend, I need to be alone with my family. I need to touch base with them.