An Echo, A Stain

Interesting analysis on the recent high profile assassination from Winter Patriot. Following his line of thought, it is curious to compare the US and Pakistan. I mean, one's a nuclear power with poverty, powerful political dynasties, corruption, questionable elections and an economically uncertain future... And other has only been around for 60 years or so.

Ok, that's a little cynical. But if I'm falling into the fashionable trend of complaining about the US, its only because on some level it still feels necessary, as a kind of counter balance to the seemingly prevalent US outlook on the world. For a long time, down under at least, we looked at the insular nature of parts of the American populace with a kind of detached smirk, even though we're probably not much better. In the post 9/11 world, misunderstandings in the US of the outside world seem somehow threatening, worrying.

So, by making comparisons between US history and recent or historical effects in the world at large, perhaps what we're really trying to do is to appeal to the American people to be empathetic, compassionate, caring. To try to understand wider issues, and particularly the other side of the argument.

This is what I think, at least, when I see comparisons between US christian extremism and Islamic extremism. By drawing lines between the two, and recognising the existence of christian extremism, not only do we understand US Christianity better, but we also understand Islam better (and perhaps we'll even gain some insight on the third Abrahamic religion).

When I say that we can compare the two, I don't necessarily mean that the two are the same--clearly, in many ways, they are quite different. Really, we can learn as much be identifying the differences as we can the similarities. And in time, perhaps we'll all learn to see more clearly the good side; and the bad side; and the side that gives us cause for concern for the future.