Free speech or incitement? French mag runs cartoons of Prophet Mohammed – CNN.com

Clearly the entire Middle East has zero concept of freedom of speech and clearly they don’t give a shit about the right to self expression.

So fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke.

Maybe they will burn their own societies down.

Shame really, there’s a lot of interesting stuff weaved into the cultures. Vestiges of the sparks of promise that gleamed through the dark ages. Intense emphasis on family. The place has just been bombed to shit by powers that lived there and the ridiculous back and forth bullshit Western Nations engaged in during Colonial and the Cold War but there is still an amazing treasure trove of intact relics of all of humanities shared history. You pile violent religious extremists on top and the region isn’t a cesspool, it is the proverbial powder keg.

The age of the population in the Middle East is skewed unbelievably towards younger people. We haven’t even begun to see the impact of that. It is my complete belief that the wars and conflicts in the Middle East are not about West vs. Islam or anything that can be as simply explained as that. It truly is a war for hearts and minds. what kinds of people will these young people grow up to be? Will they violently oppose foreign cultures? Will they violently suppress each other?

Apart from well intentioned individual organizations that work separately from the government it would seem that the US has only stoked the fires of violence. The way out isn’t to wage demonstrations back, or to continue these ridiculous armed conflicts. We cannot win with our military might. To continue to use our military forces against people in the region we merely continue our culpability in shaping the next generation into an angry, violent and aggressive with nothing to lose fighting force, a fighting force bent on our destruction. It’s really not the smart play.

The smart play would be to build schools and hospitals and more schools and hospitals. Maybe some that serve everyone regardless of race, color or creed. Maybe some more that concentrate on different populations in a given area. …All done in a way which can be said is respectful of the separation of gender. The same facilities, in different areas and/or different times with different staffs should be the goal. This would have the added benefit of gently exposing the idea of women professionals. And finally, ALL of these facilities should be guarded by a combined local & international security force. No getting involved in local fights over power or territory, just offering secure safe places to come for institutional services and perhaps even food & shelter. Hearts and minds. To paraphrase Carville, it’s safety and security, stupid!

Sigh…