The book, On the Muslim Question published in January 2020 is a fearless, original book. Anne Norton argues that rather than simply a “clash of civilizations” between the West and Islam, what is really in question, is the West’s commitment to its own ideals: to democracy and the Enlightenment trinity of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In the most fundamental sense, the Muslim question is about the values not of Islamic, but of Western, civilization. She persuasively pointed out that in disputes over Muslims, we can see “Western” nations struggling to decide what democracy means to them and how truly democratic they are. It also shows that, though democracy requires the courage to live with those with whom we are profoundly different, in many places people are managing to do so quite successfully every day.
Some people upset that this book either doesn’t treat the “Muslim question” as the kind of question they wish it were (e.g. how to get rid of Muslims), or upset that it challenges their narratives with differing opinions and critiques making use of inconvenient facts. The author informs us that this very same fear-fueled conversation was had about the Jews too before WWII, but history ever repeats itself. But then as now, it is a great insult to suggest that our institutions and history are all so weak that they will come tumbling down just because a single-digit percentile of our fellow citizens contribute by bringing in different experiences and thoughts. The West and its democracy and liberalism are not so small as to have no place for those who think differently from us.
With many citations, Anne Norton argued that Islam is not a powerless minority that we should want to change, but ourselves! The author asks the reader to consider if the reasons to hate and fear perhaps come from within rather than from without. The author talks about how Muslims have been victimized by the West EVEN AS the West victimizes itself. It is a book which presents the side of those we think ourselves superior to by virtue of them being other (and not being allowed to be otherwise), and which asks if our current state is how we want to be as a society. As the author points out, we cannot claim to uphold the values of freedom, equality, and fraternity if we do not extend those values to everyone who comes within our fold.
I would further argue that American’s anxiety came from its lost of value in meaning and purpose as compare to Islam’s life outlooks. Iran in the Bible describe surprisingly that the prophets and writers of the Hebrew Bible, like Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezra speaks of Persia as chosen by God, chosen for the good and for the blessing of all people. The Hebrew Bible chronicled prophecies, people and events related to Persian kings, epic battles and royal decrees that changed the world and how Jewish people became one of the favored people groups of the Persian empire. I would think that we can not deny there is a total crash of civilization between the West and the Muslim as well. Koch Brothers Exposed (American Billionaire Conspiracy Documentary) | Real Stories is a 2014 exposé on the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who helped finance the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity.
Koch brothers, like many Americans and Baby Boomers, had a philosophy that profits are above everything else. They are trying to buy America. Over the years, Koch brothers had spent over 80 million dollars to at least 85 organizations to serve their agenda, and to build an ever-growing right-wing presence. Through vast networks, scripts were written. For example, they funded Texas governor $76K. They take over the state legislature. They designed their grant agreement with universities in such a way, they will exercise maximum control and influence on campus. Many of these grants came with very significant strings attached. They have very clear stipulations that give the Koch brothers excessive control over various aspects of universities’ internal affairs. They set up a pattern that universities are expected to give up their values to exchange for money, and programs they start tend to be one point of view only. They now have financial agreements with 150 colleges and universities. They spent tens of millions of dollars to get their point of view instilled in classrooms, among faculty members. Koch brothers can buy the senate, what is next, the president?
Meanwhile, record-Breaking Two Million Migrants Encountered At U.S. Southern Border. U.S. immigration policy is pushing migrants to take more dangerous routes. There are huge disturbing deadly human smuggling cases occurred. We are a immigrant country, why not allow more people coming? We are short of low cost labor, which is part of the reason causing inflation! Ultimately America is in question: a nation made a moral battleground. Is America to be guided by reason or the revealed word of God? Has the reach of the mind in science, the reach of the hand in technology, gone beyond limits set by nature? With all the tools and the pleasures of modernity at hand, are we too complaisant and too comfortable?
This similar trend of keeping up with the Jones for money and power seem to also start to develop in the Middle East. In November 2022, Qatar hosts the most popular sporting event on the planet: the FIFA World Cup. According to some estimates, the World Cup will cost Qatar around £138 billion (US$220 billion). This is around 60 times what South Africa spent on the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which cost $3.5 billion. As a result of such a large-scale event, it is no surprise that Qatar could potentially reap numerous benefits that spread far beyond the realm of the sporting industry.
The Western mindset of civilization reminds people of the The Bible story of Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt . Jesus used event as an example of what not to do just before his Second Coming back to earth. According to Bible scholars, it should be noted Lot’s mate did not miraculously become a mineral for merely taking a quick glance behind her to see the destruction of her home in Sodom. The English word “look” used to describe her action in Genesis 19:17 and 26, comes from the Hebrew nabat (Strong’s Concordance #H5027), which means to look intently in a favorable manner.
In a similar notion, Book Daniel 10 raised an interesting question: who is Prince of Persia? Pastor David Guzik commented on the passage as a great illustration of the principle of non-duality – God has no counter part – Princess Persia is God’s way to test the strength of Daniel’s prayer, his faith and will. This is one of the most revealing passages in the Bible dealing with spiritual warfare, helping us to understand what it is and what it is not. Who are our friends? Who is the enemy? What is our work in the world? A conflict outside is only a reflection of conflict within. Who am I?
In The Splitting of Europe – Global Capitalism with Richard Wolff, Prof Wolff looks at the divisions of Europe: over immigration, Brexit and the Ukraine War, and why capitalism needs divisions like these especially during it’s time of crisis and inequality. “They’re so needy to accommodate the nationalism so that their working class doesn’t turn against them that that same nationalism that saves them condemns them to be unable to become a unified capitalist competitor in the world. And they know it, and they suffer from it.” – Richard Wolff
The US has demonstrated an undeniable neglect towards its citizenry, for the benefit of a relatively few. That phenomena is well-documented and numerically demonstrable. And yet, those same forces are expanding globally. In a world with an ever-expanding population and diminishing resources, it is understandable from a Malthusian perspective. But not from a Human one. The neoliberal disease has spread deep into western societies and are now experiencing terminal decline due to a higher cost of living thus pricing their labor out of the international market. RIP Europe.
The EU right now is in a deep structural crisis (Neoliberalism stands in the way), but it’s also in a moment of deep self-reflection and awareness of the need to re-invent itself. The road will be bumpy, but there’s enough political flexibility to pull it off. Richard Wolff is less optimistic about the US and the UK with their 19th century party system that allows for no political experimentation at all. Richard Wolff believe, Brexit was a measure aimed into the very future unfolding right now. Britain has a predesigned separate role in the war in Ukraine than the EU, which couldn’t be done as a member.
Richard Wolff lived in Denmark. Many there are still not aware of The last 30 years of neo-liberalisation and what it really means. Due to a very slow and “Down-played” transition to neo-liberalism here in DK , people have not Yet fully seen or understood what it means, actually many have not yet at all realized what is going on and when Richard Wolff tried to explain, many think Richard Wolff was nuts. But The case is: many working-class people and people are not aware of having been seduced by narratives “placed” in mainstream media in order to “re-Educate” the Danish population so that most people turn neo-liberalistic. Just as you say: immigrants, refugees are blamed for been the guilty ones. So are “Lazy Robert”, “Poor Carina” and other narratives that serves to pinpoint who are the guilty ones and also gives you official license to shame-blame and stigmatize. And also gives license to victim-blame people that are sick, not able to work permanently or temporarily and so on, blaming as many for Being lazy, not taking responsibility, for faking, for cheating in order to illegitimate the welfare state and any kind of social security, because these terrible people steal your money, steal your future.
This has happened parallel to huge reductions in social welfare and our public welfare institutions are soon to implode due to Extreme mismanagement. But more working-class people and other groups not well of . They are more and more deliberately distracted by neo-liberalistic parties trying to polarize and make people extremely angry and full of hatred. Nasty business with a national election coming up in a few month. We have a social-democratic government BUT for years their politics have been “social-democratic neo-liberalism” and also socialist parties have turned more and more neo-liberalistic in many ways. So I really Fear that our national parliament becomes even more neo-liberalistic after the referendum. Ukraine: to many Danes – if you tell Them that you do not agree with The Way it is tackled or you are not so sure of who are: The good gays and The bad ones and so on – you can almost be sure to be Called traitor, a Putin-lover …
The globalization of 20th century had turned into global crisis. China, acclaimed as number two economic power, is not without serious issues of its own. The huge disparity of wealth is so huge that China topples the inequality rankings. Its GINI COEFFICIENT FELL TO 0.466 IN 2021 FROM 0.474 A DECADE AGO. China’s Gini coefficient for income peaked at 0.49 in 2008 before falling to 0.47 in 2020. 秦晖教授认为，全球化在西方那里造成了社会不平等的加剧，在中国这里本来应该增加社会平等的一些功能，也没有真正能够落实。 这样，用二十世纪的资本主义和劳工来战胜十九世纪的资本主义，全球化在全球都造成了不平等加剧的现象。如果我们说，以前中国改革决定的是中国的命运的话，那么现在，中国改革在某种意义上还决定着世界的命运，决定着全球化到底趋向于一种良性的进步，还是趋向于劣币驱逐良币。秦晖：21世纪的全球化危机（上）， 危机（下）。从这个意义上说，不要迷恋中国的崛起。
近年来，中国农村出现了一个特殊群体——留守儿童。 所谓农村留守儿童，是指随着大量农村成年男女向城镇转移就业，而大多数人没有带孩子一起去，导致许多农村儿童远离父母或单亲，成为农村家庭的留守儿童，大多依靠祖父母或祖父母的监督。 随着中国农村剩余劳动力向城市转移，农村出现的留守儿童是一个特殊的社会群体，需要高度重视和关注。
While social problem accumulated in each country and region, war and regional tension escalated. Unlimited War became a popular concept in the army, with far reach consequence to ordinary people, and the future generations. Modern war is turning Humanity spiral down into black hole of self annihilation. Let us not forget the adage that “With great power comes great responsibility”! 《超限战》提出可以透过不流血手段达到传统战争可以、甚至不可能达到的效果，它是立足于现代暴力冲突的演变与现代经济、文化、科技领域的高速发展上的。它强调了技术在未来战争中的地位，但是同时也提出军事思想仍是现代军队的重要组成部分。《超限战》一书立足于美国在越战後的历次战争，特别是波斯灣戰爭与科索沃战争，并且与网路攻击、亚洲金融风暴、国际极端恐怖主义相结合，认为未来的战争将是无处不在的，包括金融、貿易、網路駭客、媒體與國際法等範圍，何时何地都将是战场。This type of thoughts is exactly what Buddha taught to us, the cause of our suffering and karma: ignorance, greed and hatred caused by illusion.