Understand and Condone, Hate and Condescend

"But you have to understand... "

I'm so tired of those words. For one thing they assume that the person they are directed at doesn't know anything about history or Islam. I'm not going to write eight hundred words on the history of Islam and it's conflicts with Judaism (which started while Mohammed was alive) and Christianity (which started right after his death.) It's not because I couldn't, it's because I don't care.

You see, I understand the Middle East conflicts, how the Jews are considered Johnny-Come-Latelies in the region and how they seem "imposed" by the West, harkening back to the Crusades in the minds of many Muslims. I understand why virtually every school child in the Middle East is taught to hate Churchill. I understand how most of the Muslims of the Middle East are both envious and hateful towards the successfulness of the Western World; we have rocketed away from them economically and culturally and they know it. That really sticks in their craw, especially since the last time they were significantly "ahead" of the west was in the 14th Century (when they had the Western World flat licked.)

But that doesn't mean I think they have a logical leg to stand on. Nor do I condone their response (international terrorism) nor do I hate them. I feel sorry for them. I have the opposite reaction of envy; I look down upon them condescendingly (which really gets up their nose.)

I mention this because I keep hearing those words. I hear them from Islamic spokespeople. I hear them from our own news media. And what they are saying, in effect, is that if we just try to understand them, we can all "get along." They are saying, in effect, that the Islamic terrorists are just being naughty little boys and we should accept their actions until they get over it.

Aaaaaaah! Wrong answer. This is the "understanding the attacker" approach, which has never worked particularly well but is such a liberal mantra they can't even get over it in the middle of a war. It's okay that the mugger mugged you, because he had a bad childhood. It's okay that your house was broken into, because the addict needed the money for his smack.

It was stupid (as has been proven by the success of "shall have" and "three strikes" laws throughout the country) when dealing with the crack wave. But using that approach with Islamic fundamentalists is just insane. The analogy has been used over and over but that's because it's bang on; saying "you have to understand (meaning condone)" the fundamentalists is like saying "you have to understand the reason for WWII." Well I understand that one too; the Versailles Treaty, war-reparations, the condition of the German nationals in Sudetenland , the insult of Rhineland . And my Dad lost most of his hearing blowing up bridges in the Ardennes to end the Holocaust. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a Jew, Gypsy or Russian alive in Europe .

If we "understand" our way into accepting the arguments of Islamic Fundamentalists, then we will "understand" our way into giving in to their demands. And whatever they say now, they will never be satisfied until the entire world is nothing but Islamic Fundamentalists. Osama Bin Laden referred to the fact that Christians took Spain away from the Muslims, indicating that part of his program is to reclaim Spain for Allah. And he wasn't joking.

If all the Jews in Israel were dead and all the American soldiers were out of Saudi and Spain had been retaken for the Dar Al Islam Osama Yo Mama would simply turn his sights on Europe and the US . He wouldn't stop until we were all in full submission to Allah, with our women in veils and our men in beards (and I ain't talking a sporty little goatee.) I wish somebody would explain to Katie Couric. Maybe then she would understand.

You see, unlike the majority of the news media, I understand Islamic Fundamentalists. I've lived among them. I've watched the growth of the movement like a scientist studies an amoebae. I know their stresses and their hates. I know their hot-buttons and where most of them come from. And I understand the history and religious ideology that drives their masters, an ideology that says that there are only two groups: the House of Submission (to Allah) and the House of War (against Allah). That is why I understand that the only choice we have as a civilization is to put a stake in the heart of this new vampire, whatever it takes.

So, to everyone in the news media, "you just have to understand... "