Khatami: Islamic World Ready for Change

[Breukelen advocaat]

Here's a story that is considerably more optimistic than much of the news has been lately. I hope that things go the way of progress - but "progress" is often a dreaded concept when belief systems are involved, to various degrees, with the thinking process. Moslems could actually be a "hit" in America, due to the unusualness (to the West) and uniqueness of their customs - if a very active lunatic fringe, and the inertia of the majority, didn't present so many threats. You know, I really don't care how they dress, pray, or live - as long as they feel the same way towards me. I LIKE diversity; if I did not, I would not choose to live in a city with residents from over 150 nationalities, and representatives of almost every society and culture in the world. If all of these people can survive in America, I do not believe that we should have to see the world slowly destroyed to accommodate a few fanatics. The concept of "moderate" is, at the very least, a step in the right direction.

Good luck, Khatami!

Feb 10, 10:13 PM EST

Khatami: Islmic World Ready for Change
By VIJAY JOSHI
Associated Press Writer


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- The Islamic world is fed up with violence and extremism in the name of religion and is ready for an era of progressive, democratic Muslim governments, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Friday.

Khatami said current conflicts between the West and Islam have created a situation that "can only see ever-escalating violence, whether in the form of war and occupation and repression, or in the form of terror and destruction."

"After about two centuries of dispute between tradition and modernity in the world of Islam (there is) a high level of mental preparation for the acceptance of a major transformation in the mind and lives of Muslims," Khatami said in a speech at an international conference on Islam and the West.

Khatami is a noted Islamic scholar whose moderate policies in religion and politics, especially his view of the U.S., were opposed by hard-liners in Iran. He was Iran's leader from 1997 until June, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an ultraconservative, became president.

The conference in Kuala Lumpur comes at a time when the Muslim world and the West are polarized following the publication of caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad by mostly European newspapers.

Khatami did not refer to the controversy in his speech, focusing instead on reforms in Islam and conflicts with the West.

He said a transformation in the Muslim world could pave the way for setting up "democratic governments that pursue national interests and create the grounds for achieving greater science and technology."

He said he envisioned "a new world that wants to understand and utilize religion in a way that it is not incompatible with freedom and progress."

© 2006 The Associated Press.

[Psycho4Bud]

:thumbsup:
Here's a story that is considerably more optimistic than much of the news has been lately. I hope that things go the way of progress - but "progress" is often a dreaded concept when belief systems are involved, to various degrees, with the thinking process.

Parents always told me and my brother that skin color didn't matter at all, there are assholes in all groups. One day I had a friend from school, a black kid that was basically the first black family in my town, over to the house when the parents were at work. When they got home they went nuts!!! I didn't understand the problem till my buddy took off and they stated that they didn't want that "type" in thier house when they weren't home. So much for progress!
I now am a parent with a son and it don't bother me at all as far as his friends, or who he invites to my house...when he lived here. But if I were the father of a daughter and she brought home a black man....I don't think I'd trip out but I also believe that I would have problems with it. All we see on the tube is the black man is a gang banger or has 13 kids from 9 different women by the age of 25. I can see myself bitching about the player....I know I'd get over it but it would be in the back of my mind. Kind of like how my grandmother didn't want my dad, of German decent, marrying a damn Norwegian! Now when my kid has his own...hopefully he'll have a better attitude than me.
This is a story of one educated Moslum with a vision for his peoples future.

Moslems could actually be a "hit" in America, due to the unusualness (to the West) and uniqueness of their customs - if a very active lunatic fringe, and the inertia of the majority, didn't present so many threats. You know, I really don't care how they dress, pray, or live - as long as they feel the same way towards me.

Totally agree! Like Bill and Ted say, "Be excellant to each other"!

I LIKE diversity; if I did not, I would not choose to live in a city with residents from over 150 nationalities, and representatives of almost every society and culture in the world. If all of these people can survive in America, I do not believe that we should have to see the world slowly destroyed to accommodate a few fanatics. The concept of "moderate" is, at the very least, a step in the right direction.

N.Y. has the diversity and more of an open mind set like you state....now travel west! I don't know how my redneck little town of 60,000 folks, that are just getting used to blacks and Hmongs, would welcome the lady in the Burka.

This dude has a good vision but on the other hand, Palestinians just elected Hamas as it's ruling political party. It's going to take a few generations of moderates to really make an impact.

Have a good one!

[Breukelen advocaat]

:thumbsup: N.Y. has the diversity and more of an open mind set like you state....now travel west! I don't know how my redneck little town of 60,000 folks, that are just getting used to blacks and Hmongs, would welcome the lady in the Burka.This dude has a good vision but on the other hand, Palestinians just elected Hamas as it's ruling political party. It's going to take a few generations of moderates to really make an impact. Have a good one!For now, I'd side to a certain extent with the "rednecks" in a lot of instances. As long as the radical Palestinians and associated terrorists, as you point out, are considered sacrosanct by the immigrants, and terrorism is not condemned by more of them, it's very difficult to justify their being here. Europe is now beginning to get a very strong sense of this - and the population of Denmark, especially, are losing their naiveté. The Danish Queen, who is only a figurehead, has made statements verifying her agreement with this as well.

Iâ??d hate to see Christiana (outside Copenhagen) destroyed, but there were too many people that were physically and mentally diseased running around in the little anarchistic community: The more conservative government was, last year, moving in on reclaiming the land and evicting the dealers and other people living there. I was there about 8 or 9 years ago. Was able to score some nice stuff, at Christiana - and brought some back to the hotel room in Copenhagen.

I asked one Dane, in Copenhagen, for help in using the pay phone - and he took out change to pay for the call (which I refused, lol)! Even train conductors were extremely cordial - more than anywhere else Iâ??ve been to. The people of Ireland ran a close second for being tourist-friendly

If the Danes have â??had itâ?� with a certain group, and vice-versa, then there is something seriously wrong with this picture.


Have a good weekend!


statue below: The "Little Mermaid" - national symbol of Denmark, outside Copenhagen.

[Psycho4Bud]

The joys of a compassionate democracy....welcome with open arms and assume the best! Problem is that when the honest ones immigrate there is a sector of the "other ones" that follow and preach the shit. You know how it works. New immigrants are usually considered the bottom of the food chain and the radicals can feed on this to promote their cause.

I recall seeing a special on T.V. where a gathering of people from the Moslum faith were calling for Jihad in the U.S.....the meeting was Moslum immigrants, in the U.S....

Let the population grow and you'll read where the L.A. jail system had another lock down because of a Mexican, Black, Middle Eastern "menage a trois" gang fight!

Maybe that's the answer! Put all of the angry radical bastards into maximum confinement and let the kill fest begin. Wonder how they'd blame that one on the white man???:smokin:

[Breukelen advocaat]

...Let the population grow and you'll read where the L.A. jail system had another lock down because of a Mexican, Black, Middle Eastern "menage a trois" gang fight!Maybe that's the answer! Put all of the angry radical bastards into maximum confinement and let the kill fest begin. Wonder how they'd blame that one on the white man???:smokin:

You forgot the nazi white supremacists - you know, the guys with the swastika tattoos. That would really round out the diversity equation!

[Psycho4Bud]

You forgot the nazi white supremacists - you know, the guys with the swastika tattoos. That would really round out the diversity equation!

An endangered species that always relies on police protection.....big bad Nazis don't want an ass kickin'. They got embarassed enough just off Geraldo Rivera. Couldn't even beat his punk ass.....toooooo funny!

Wonder if the K.K.K. knows they actually are wearing white burkas?:thumbsup: