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Post by AztecWilliam on Dec 14, 2011 11:36:08 GMT -8
The Arab Spring, so wildly hailed by some on the Left, seems to be getting a bit chilly. Will Egypt become another Saudi Arabia or Iran in terms of Muslim intolerance toward free speech, religious freedom, the rights of women, etc.? Hard to say, but the signs are very disturbing. This piece reports conversations had with recently elected Muslim Brotherhood politicians. They do not seem to have much in common with the traditions of Thomas Jefferson, to say the least. (Also, notice how one liberal who cheered the fall of Mubarak is taken to task for his naivete.) www.tnr.com/article/world/98471/kristof-egypt-muslim-brotherhoodAzWm |
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Post by AlwaysAnAztec on Dec 14, 2011 14:10:51 GMT -8
"Arab Spring" was also hailed by many on the right who favor democratic rule over autocratic rule. Their form of "democracy" will be different than ours since their culture is different than ours.
William, are you saying that you only favor democracy when it suits your purposes and favor despotic rule also when it suits you?
BTW, I'm also concerned with Egypt but believe that, at least in the short term, the army will keep a tight grip.
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Post by AztecWilliam on Dec 15, 2011 22:17:54 GMT -8
"Arab Spring" was also hailed by many on the right who favor democratic rule over autocratic rule. Their form of "democracy" will be different than ours since their culture is different than ours. William, are you saying that you only favor democracy when it suits your purposes and favor despotic rule also when it suits you? BTW, I'm also concerned with Egypt but believe that, at least in the short term, the army will keep a tight grip. We will have to see what happens in Egypt. I'm no expert, but I have read reports indicating that the Egyptian army may be swinging toward the Muslim Brotherhood's position. It doesn't look good. I am in favor of governments that respect the rule of law and individual human rights. Unfortunately, there are plenty of regimes that see things differently. Perhaps we could have somehow pressured Mubarak to step aside in favor of a more reasonable leader who might have guided the country toward a moderate form of democracy, but that is by no means certain. I think that one lesson is very clear. America really is exceptional in that, unlike so much of the rest of the world, we really do believe in a secular government that respects the rights of women, minorities, etc. There certainly are plenty of people around the world who think our type of government is all wrong. In fact, what we have here (and what a few other countries have also) actually goes against most regimes throughout all of history. For ages, the norm has been an autocratic type of government in which the rulers do not respect the average citizen. To those rulers, the very thought that the average citizen has rights is a bizarre concept not to be taken seriously. AzWm |
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Post by AlwaysAnAztec on Dec 16, 2011 9:01:20 GMT -8
I think that one lesson is very clear. America really is exceptional in that, unlike so much of the rest of the world, we really do believe in a secular government that respects the rights of women, minorities, etc. There certainly are plenty of people around the world who think our type of government is all wrong. In fact, what we have here (and what a few other countries have also) actually goes against most regimes throughout all of history. For ages, the norm has been an autocratic type of government in which the rulers do not respect the average citizen. To those rulers, the very thought that the average citizen has rights is a bizarre concept not to be taken seriously. AzWm I agree 100% |
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