Food for Thought

[JPR]

I was just reflecting on the big picture and contemplating the fact that millions of people in the mideast hate western civilization and have institutionalized that hatred in their schools so that their people are taught this starting at a very early age. The question is why? I have some ideas on that but I'd like to hear from other fellow citizens (and even non citizens.)

What puzzles me is this hatred exists despite all that we have done for them.
Western civilization spawned the Industrial Revolution which has resulted in the production of automobiles, airplanes, telephones, tvs, radios, air-conditioning, computers, medical equipment and and on and on and on.......As a result, we created a need for oil.....We then found oil located in their countries....We then drilled wells and installed all the equipment necessary for them to extract the oil from the ground. They now sell the oil to us and as a result have amassed huge wealth for themselves. They buy many if not most of the products developed and produced by Western civilization. In addition to that, we even give(or used to give I'm not sure if we still are) foreign aid to at least one of them that I know of (Palestine.) We have even let their people come to the USA and obtain an education in our colleges. And yet after all the above they hate us.

Also, what have they given back to Western civilization? Have they provided us with any great medical breakthroughs? Great technological advances? Great automobiles? Great aircraft? Great electronic devices? Great computer technology? Great firearms? Great wines? Great beer? Great artists? Great musicians? Great writers? Great athletes. Surely there must be something they contribute to the world other than oil........I'm hoping some of you can point out some examples.

[1042 Trooper]

Uh....well....maybe....uh.... Whew. That's a tough one...

I'll get back to ya.

[ProWriter]

It's only puzzling because you're not really looking at the big picture; the big picture includes their point of view, too. They don't value any of the things we've contributed to the world and they think all of our contributions are byproducts of a wasted and sinful society. That's why.

The hypocrites in their society worship and preach in public and simply enjoy all our contributions in secret, just like the hypocrites in our society whose professional reputations and family lives blow up with the words "I'm Chris Hanson and this is Dateline NBC."

The more philosophical ones probably profess to hate our values and consider themselves to just be using the things that our immoral system makes available, but only for the ultimate goal of destroying that immoral system.

The rest of them, (however many that may be), probably live in fear 24/7/365, wish they were here, and have to surf some of the same sites we do and watch our banned movies hidden under blankets in mud hut basements risking torture and death or re-education camps if they're caught.

[JPR]

.......... They don't value any of the things we've contributed to the world and they think all of our contributions are byproducts of a wasted and sinful society.

I'm a little confused by that statement. They come over for college educations. They drive automobiles and many of them are far more expensive than I have ever owned. They use and some even own jet aircraft.....They have television and computers and on and on and on.......Those Taliban in Afhganistan swear by their Toyota Tacomas........They communicate with sat phones ( which is great cause we intercepted a call, relayed it to Langley, found out it was a high ranking Al Queda idiot, got ground intel on his location, and finally annihiliated his UPS type van with a hell fire missile!) That'll teach him not to use western technology....
They use not only firearms but 20th century firearms (primarily Ak's)...
(I should have added firearms to my list, I think I will do so now.)
In summation, there is not much that they have or use that does not come from western civilization, therefore, I am a little confused by that statement.

[ProWriter]

Well, the hypocrites among them SAY they don't respect our society and anything it produces...while, as you say, they partake of more of it than many of us can afford over here.

The others hate all non-Muslims and if they didn't already just for not being Muslim, would like to see us all dead for backing Israel. They just "use" our products and education system as tools in their hopes to destroy us eventually. That's all I meant.

[JPR]

Well, the hypocrites among them SAY they don't respect our society and anything it produces...while, as you say, they partake of more of it than many of us can afford over here.

The others hate all non-Muslims and if they didn't already just for not being Muslim, would like to see us all dead for backing Israel. They just "use" our products and education system as tools in their hopes to destroy us eventually. That's all I meant.

Roger that !!!!!

They sure haven't thought things through .....If they wipe us out, who is going to take care of them since as far as I know, they import the vast majority of their material goods and rely on us to buy their oil. In essence, our demise would be their demise...

Their idiocy knows no bounds.............