This video was taken from MEMRI (the Middle East Media Research Institute) and shared on YouTube.
This woman is perhaps the bravest I've seen at describing why fundamentalist Islam is not compatible with reason.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Is now really the time for optimism?
I believe we have reached an impasse. Our current democratic system has proved itself impotent to the needs of the 21st century. The Democratic theory described by the first Greek scribes, by the French revolutionaries, by the Founding Fathers, the Democratic ideals that we liberals strive to protect are a far cry from the actual state of our nations.
It seemed that Communism was a beautiful idea. An ideology of humans in harmony, of sharing and of mutual gain based on mutual needs. However, it failed in its theoretical form. Why? Because it was based on philosophical theory that did not account for some basic truths of human nature. Human greed, pride and power-hunger prevailed and stratified all Communist societies, destroying any essence of selflessness that the theory required.
Now, it seems that Democracy faces a similar crisis of implementation. We are unable to implement a form of Democracy that works in practice as it does in theory. Elections are won on slander and fundraising. A leaders' policies are dictated by those that voted for him rather than the needs of the nation as a whole. Honesty and morality were lost long ago.
So, we are still unable to implement the type of Democracy that we hoped for centuries ago, and the form of bastardised Democracy that we practice is not compatible with the aggressors we face.
We debate the rights to free speech, whilst waging an ideological war with nations that have no free speech except for those clerics who spout anti-West propaganda. We play by our rules, whilst they play by another set. Our democracy has too many holes and too many inconsistencies to wage war with Ideological Dictatorships. No matter how many weapons we accumulate we cannot win a war against an ideology when we are not allowed to reject it from our own country.
I've had enough of free speech. As a liberal, I am willing to give up some of my rights to free speech, some of my freedoms that I hold so dear so that future generations don't have to ask why we procrastinated and indulged in inaction. No cleric, no mufti, no religious leader of any kind should be allowed to preach hatred in my country. For this, I'm willing to sacrifice that which I hold so dear - my right to say what I please.
It seemed that Communism was a beautiful idea. An ideology of humans in harmony, of sharing and of mutual gain based on mutual needs. However, it failed in its theoretical form. Why? Because it was based on philosophical theory that did not account for some basic truths of human nature. Human greed, pride and power-hunger prevailed and stratified all Communist societies, destroying any essence of selflessness that the theory required.
Now, it seems that Democracy faces a similar crisis of implementation. We are unable to implement a form of Democracy that works in practice as it does in theory. Elections are won on slander and fundraising. A leaders' policies are dictated by those that voted for him rather than the needs of the nation as a whole. Honesty and morality were lost long ago.
So, we are still unable to implement the type of Democracy that we hoped for centuries ago, and the form of bastardised Democracy that we practice is not compatible with the aggressors we face.
We debate the rights to free speech, whilst waging an ideological war with nations that have no free speech except for those clerics who spout anti-West propaganda. We play by our rules, whilst they play by another set. Our democracy has too many holes and too many inconsistencies to wage war with Ideological Dictatorships. No matter how many weapons we accumulate we cannot win a war against an ideology when we are not allowed to reject it from our own country.
I've had enough of free speech. As a liberal, I am willing to give up some of my rights to free speech, some of my freedoms that I hold so dear so that future generations don't have to ask why we procrastinated and indulged in inaction. No cleric, no mufti, no religious leader of any kind should be allowed to preach hatred in my country. For this, I'm willing to sacrifice that which I hold so dear - my right to say what I please.
