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Academia is so Open-Minded, Its Brains Fell Out! From: YYYY Dear former colleagues, As to the Breaking boundaries, building bridges vs. Life post 9/11 debate, there is a fairly obvious solution for Purchase in 2006-07: a program of studies in Arabic language and Islamic culture. It must now be clear that ignorance is our problem. YYYY Emeritus Professor of Philosophy Venice (where Arabic language and Islamic culture are intensively studied) -----Original Message----- From: Lewinter, Marty YYYY writes that "It must now be clear that ignorance is our problem." I partially agree. Our students are ignorant of the accomplishments of the greatest culture on the planet: western culture. They are ignorant of the strengths of the free market and capitalism. They are ignorant of the enemy we face in Islamic culture. The real ignorance, however, is in the major part of the Muslim world. There you will find ignorance: 1. of separation of church and state, 2. of individual rights, 3. of peaceful coexistence with Jews and westerners, 4. of the need to reject Jihad and to enter the modern age, 4. of the need to fight fundamentalists and terrorists in their societies, 5. of the need to break with tradition steeped in irrational values involving murdering a daughter because she had pre-marital sex, etc. etc. There are some signs of progress but much ignorance abounds. Too many intellectuals need a wake-up call. It's time to stop the PC appeasement of our enemies. How many more cases of Islamic terror will this require? How many nuclear bombs in the hands of Iranian lunatics will this require? Marty Lewinter -----Original Message----- From: XXXX Marty, We all know you love to be provocative, but your apparent ignorance of both history and the enormous variations in the so-called "Muslim world" today almost takes my breath away. Shame on you! XXXX -----Original Message----- From: Lewinter, Marty You have no class, XXXX, and if I were "provocative" as "we all know," I'd call you a horse's ass. Instead of an ad hominem attack, you could've sited various organizations in the world of Islam working for peace and democracy (of which I am well aware, as you could've implied from my email): http://www.hanania.com/palestinianpeacenow.htm http://www.muslimsforbush.com http://reformsyria.org http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401431.html http://www.panoramacenter.org You could've discussed the positive developments in Turkey after WWI, or the shopping malls in various Arab countries, or, digging deeper into the past, you could've cited the brilliant mathematics, astronomy, medicine, etc. that emerged from the "House of Wisdom" in the 9th century, or the Arabic musical instruments from which some European instruments were derived, or the forces trying to establish a pro-science philosophy before the Mongol invasion of the middle east. Tsk-tsk. Before WWII, effete intellectual snobs studied German culture and sought an understanding of the Nazis instead of developing strategies to fight Hitler. Perhaps certain things don't change. More to come from the only voice willing to tell it like it is: Islam is the largest threat that the West faces. Knowledge is fun to acquire but it is also a tool of survival. Too many intellectuals seem to be playing a game in a deadly serious battle. PhD's contributed to Nazism and communism. Irrational philosophers such as Hegel eroded our ability to fight evil doctrines and left us vulnerable to frightening and inimical doctrines. Marty PS: Shame on you, sir.
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