MD
qualiaphile
A lot of us were shocked by Trumps latest ban, to stop Muslim immigration from 'trouble spots' in his first week. Some of these countries were Iran, Iraq (a country destroyed by American wars) and Yemen (another country destroyed by an American ally, Saudi Arabia).
To give you context on Iran, it has the most secular populace in the Muslim world. Although its leaders are theocrats, the populace is secularizing more and more each year. In fact it has become so secular that Zoroastrian religious festivals have become national holidays. Try to understand this, a religion which is seen as pagan, is becoming culturally significant. A religion which fuels the hatred of millions of jihadists, is becoming significant in an Islamic theocratic state, without much opposition.
Most people here would be hard pressed to name a very religious Iranian they have met in the West. Also, being a Shi'a state alienates them from most of the Sunni world and the colonial imposition of Islam is a part of the Iranian psych. Islam is a part of Iranian society, at the same time there is a sense of resentment at the loss of Iran's national identity after its arrival.
After the revolution many liberal Iranians had to flee because Khomeini was executing many people, and they came mostly to the U.S. and worked to promote secularism in the Iranian state. To ban Iranians, many whom are secretly ex Muslims or cultural Muslims, is nothing short of either incredible stupidity or part of some bigger plan with Saudi Arabia.
Trump did not ban immigration from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan. Saudi Arabia is a known promoter of terrorism in the world. Hundreds of Islamist factions have received funding from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The millions of jihadists who hate Iran and Zoroastrianism, are fueled by propaganda from Saudi Arabia. Trump has a lot of business with these states, which goes to show that his actions have been guided more so by money than any ideology. Actually Obama has also indirectly helped prop up many Islamist factions, which makes one think if Trump and Obama are really that different behind the scenes. Perhaps they maintain the same alliances and wars, while putting on a different public image.
In the end it is obvious that the American Right does not serve minorities or the LGBT community. But the Left is a mess, supporting Islamism, ignoring class struggles, ignoring capitalism and obsessed with obscure identity politics.
Many of us are stuck in between a rock and a hard place. I have to recognise that I cannot anymore identify with the Right, but take a centrist position. Any slight shift to the Left or Right, will be serving interests that work against me, my family and my community.
So any other centrists here?
To give you context on Iran, it has the most secular populace in the Muslim world. Although its leaders are theocrats, the populace is secularizing more and more each year. In fact it has become so secular that Zoroastrian religious festivals have become national holidays. Try to understand this, a religion which is seen as pagan, is becoming culturally significant. A religion which fuels the hatred of millions of jihadists, is becoming significant in an Islamic theocratic state, without much opposition.
Most people here would be hard pressed to name a very religious Iranian they have met in the West. Also, being a Shi'a state alienates them from most of the Sunni world and the colonial imposition of Islam is a part of the Iranian psych. Islam is a part of Iranian society, at the same time there is a sense of resentment at the loss of Iran's national identity after its arrival.
After the revolution many liberal Iranians had to flee because Khomeini was executing many people, and they came mostly to the U.S. and worked to promote secularism in the Iranian state. To ban Iranians, many whom are secretly ex Muslims or cultural Muslims, is nothing short of either incredible stupidity or part of some bigger plan with Saudi Arabia.
Trump did not ban immigration from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan. Saudi Arabia is a known promoter of terrorism in the world. Hundreds of Islamist factions have received funding from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The millions of jihadists who hate Iran and Zoroastrianism, are fueled by propaganda from Saudi Arabia. Trump has a lot of business with these states, which goes to show that his actions have been guided more so by money than any ideology. Actually Obama has also indirectly helped prop up many Islamist factions, which makes one think if Trump and Obama are really that different behind the scenes. Perhaps they maintain the same alliances and wars, while putting on a different public image.
In the end it is obvious that the American Right does not serve minorities or the LGBT community. But the Left is a mess, supporting Islamism, ignoring class struggles, ignoring capitalism and obsessed with obscure identity politics.
Many of us are stuck in between a rock and a hard place. I have to recognise that I cannot anymore identify with the Right, but take a centrist position. Any slight shift to the Left or Right, will be serving interests that work against me, my family and my community.
So any other centrists here?
