October 26, 2005
Political Idiocy X 2
The definitive example of political idiocy is wearing white socks with a suit. Just kidding! It actually is making comments like this.
I wrote and spoke in support of both Israeli's and Palestinian's right to self govern and political existence long before it was fashionable, but am still wondering what does Israel being "wiped off the map" mean anyways? Is he talking about a political entity or a physical geography being "wiped off"? Will everyone he considers to be Israeli just pack and leave? Where to? The kid that was born there to parents who were born there moves to where his grandparents were born? Don't be ridiculous. Maybe they'll just stay and be ruled under the Palestinian authority now. You think that would end the ongoing conflict? Hardly. Hope it isn't advocating a genocide. I doubt that, even coming from most of the extremists. So where is Ahmadinejad getting off with opinions that go nowhere and have no practical reality?
This kind of idiotic rhetoric only plays up the emotions of a very limited circle of similar-minded airheads, plus fuels the flames of hate within the ranks of your foes. Just take a look at how his "World without Zionism" observations is already translated by the extremists on the opposite side:
News by Us, translated Ahmadinejad's ludicrous comments as "Kill All Jews"! According to them and only them, " (Ahmadinejad) said what his generation has always believed, ... that Jews must be killed." Their accurate reporting -not confirmed by any credible news organization- continues this way: "He stated that the state of Israel, founded on May 14, 1948, must be "wiped off the map." In other words, all Jews must be slain."
The same source then condemns a whole generation of Iranians (not just the extremists in Ahmadinejad camp) when it concludes that "Khomeini, then Ahmadinejad, and now the next generation of Iranians are to continue with the project of eliminating Jews and those friends of Jews."
Reporting "without bias" apparently also means misquoting others along with Ahmadinejad. Just read the following paragraph:
"No wonder that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has referred to Islam as "an evil ideology." US President George W. Bush has referred to it as an "ideology of hate." Finally these two democracy leaders realize that Islam is not a "religion of peace."
Hmmm. Did they say that? That is not how I remember it.
The point is, by opening your mouth irresponsibly, you can easily play into the hands of your enemy. Then again, in my view there isn't much difference between the extremists on either sides of this particular political ping-pong or so-called "enemies". Those attending the "wipe-off conference" and the ones interpreting what has been said to justify their own intentions, have both used each other as the big bad wolf to allow them to rule on a foundation of fear. The imaginary enemy that once in a while threatens your entire existence is a powerful tool to help in crushing any opposing point of view under the guise of national security or similar nonsense (hey just ask the defenders of "patriot act".)
For that, the extremists in Iran and their ideological brothers in Israel have done much over the years in helping one another and very little in creating any real harm.
Posted by Pedram at October 26, 2005 04:21 PM