Winds Changing...Light Breezes Expected

The average Middle East rhetoric is "We don't want the West to change our values."

However in recent days, I have been hearing, and reading, more and more articles and letters describing how the West should be telling the Middle East: "Every other major religion is in-touch with the 21st century, get over it. Step out of your mud huts, and smell the world."

It's interesting to see the ideals that form the foundation for Muslim extremists are now turning against them. With the ongoing cartoon incident still making media headlines, it only prompts western citizens to think along the lines of the second quote I mention above.

Furthermore, it will be interesting to see if this makes any headway. Since time can tell it has been Muslim "extremists," if we were to call them that, who have been making the headway in the idea wars. I think if we were to embrace our own ideals, that freedom from all types of oppression leads to a better life for all (in the basic sense), then we may be able to change what has been deemed the "mind, impossible to change."

Now some might argue that the life most who choose not to embrace Western ideals, is the life they think worth living, but the sad fact is all you have to do is compare a picture of a suburban Riyadh to suburban America, Britain, France, or any other western country and see the difference. Life for "us" is much better, many of us still pray to God, we still go to temple/church, we still get an education, and we still find our place in society.

Get over it I say...read you Koran in a shopping mall I say, wear clothes that are comfortable I say, go out to dinner I say, watch a movie in the theater I say, go to work in a car or by other transportation (minus the camel) I say, build houses that can stand up to time I say, build factories that are worth the dime put into them I say, throw out your princes and kings I say, share your wealth through government projects I say, stop building palaces and start building infastructure I say, build sewers and lamp posts I say, connect villages in far of remote places I say, create hospitals I say, educate your young I say, create universities with labs and scientists and engineers I say, really what do you terrorists say?

Terrorists Say:
"Bomb the infidels and you can do it with 40 virgins."
"Protests over cartoons you have never seen."
"Bomb each others holy places, so we can throw out the infidels from the Muslim lands."
"Umm oh yeah if you work for us, most likely you will die, but hey you can die knowing you did something good for the cause."

Bomber Say:
"So on that last saying, if I am dead how will I know I have done good for the cause?"
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