Muslim Rage re: THAT video...

[Sandwich]

So I'm sure you guys have all seen or heard the news reports that a load of Americans made a very crappy amateur video (which I have not seen) that apparently mocks Islam as a religion. They made it months ago, but somehow it came to prominence lately and the consequence has been a sort-of mass hysteria of protests, violence and murders. Despite the US government condemning it and to be honest almost everybody condemning it.

I suppose the thing which has shocked me most is the sheer lack of proportion of the trigger and the reaction. Basically it's a load of idiots making a rubbish video which very clearly basically nobody at all endorses. So why the hell is the response suddenly killing random strangers, destroying random things?? Even murdering people who have in fact had a very positive and helpful impact on a lot of these places, for instance the US ambassador to Libya who was by all accounts doing a really good job, sympathetic to the population and culturally very engaged.

The reaction suggests (to me) a complete lack of reasonable thought. It's almost as if people are too stupid and dense to think through any of the facts of it and instead they resort to some kind of default penchant for violence and trying to ruin things for everybody else or just flat out kill people. The fact that this IS somehow an acceptable default reaction of not just a few but a massive load of people (civilians!) is frankly what has shocked me the most. In my opinion it is a sad indictment and reflection on a big chunk of the muslim world that the behaviour is so animal AND based on utter rubbish. It seems to be a sad, pathetic reason for somebody to be killed by an ignorant rabble.

All of the coverage is mostly apologists - people from both sides generally condemning what's going on. American people saying "We respect your peaceful religion" and so on, but to be perfectly honest given that the outcome has been nothing at ALL related to 'peaceful' anything, it seems to me like a massive pile of BS. I find the irony too overwhelming, myself. I even feel that if anybody should be apologising, it's the people who've killed everybody and committed all of the violence, not random americans. Why in hell should one person apologise for another "I'm sorry that these people I didn't know and are clearly extremist bigots may or may not offended you, and mostly I apologise that you decided that the logical thing to do was to indiscriminately murder people and destroy property". Erm, no, why is one person who did nothing apologising for another person going mental and killing people? Why should a random person apologise for another person they know nothing about and have no control over and who made an offensive video? Because none of this apologising, although I appreciate that it's to try and placate people and calm the situation down, takes away from the fact that a LOT of people (considering how ridiculous this is) have committed appalling atrocities for the most retarded reasons. It just makes me wonder what on earth gets people this way - is it a cultural thing to murder first, ask questions never? To not stop and think? I have no idea, but I'm very interested to know what other people think of this whole thing and what exactly it does or doesn't tell us about other people. I find it hard to respect people who apply literally NO intellect to anything or perhaps (and actually more worryingly), if they do that it doesn't stop them murdering innocents.

[Guest amentalaim]

As silly as this may sound, this was actually what was going through my own mind a lot today when I was writing some notes on the process of collectivisation in the USSR pre-WW2. One quote that really struck me was from a Russian exile who participated in the starvation of the peasant class at the time (destroying hidden grain caches and such). The reason he said that he did not go insane with guilt or commit suicide was because at the time, he wanted to believe that the deaths of those people he took away grain from would make the USSR a better place. His desire to believe that blinded him to what was the reality: the he and the government and the brutal methods they employed were the reason for the deaths of millions. I think that applies to this situation too.

People on both sides want to believe that the other side is bigoted and fundamentally wrong in every manner because that makes life far more simple and clear cut. When it's just 'them versus us', there's no need for active thought or even realization that murder is just plain wrong. That the person they're killing isn't some symbol or mascot for a dreaded foe, but a human being. Then of course, there is the perpetual fear in the US (at least among the ill-informed portion) that all muslims are terrorists waiting to kill anyone who doesn't conform to their extremist views.

Both of these perspectives are completely skewed but are accepted because it's the easy way out. Sure, both of these views are sometimes true, but more often than not, it is just a mass produced opinion that is packaged and sold by the mass media because it's catchy and doesn't take any brain power to buy into. In other words, people often prefer organizations or other people to do their thinking for them.

I don't think it's a cultural thing since it transcends both cultures and time periods, but I don't think it's a human thing either because that would suggest that the natural state of human conscience lies in passively agreeing and conforming to all the beliefs you have been taught. How could that be if one of the fundamental rules of humanity is not to kill or deliberately cause pain in others?

Call me picky, but I think it's more an example of the human condition than an example of cultural imperative or instinctive violence. The world is full of people who believe that death and pain is the only way to truly express themselves. It's a place full of idiots and horrible people (but we sometimes forget that it's also a place full of amazing people who are the miracles of humanity that we ignore in favour of being able to shake our heads oh so cynically and go on endlessly about the darkness in the world).

But then we must consider if this was indeed an orchestrated assassination done with the riot as a cover as the Obama administration suggests, then we delve into different territory on that note as well. Did the person/group who killed Chris Stevens know the repercussions of their actions would result in such global uproar? If they did, how would they benefit? Who are 'they' anyways?

(Sorry if this isn't structured very well and went off at a tangent, but I wanted to post this before I fell asleep because it's been nagging at me for a while too)

[Award Winning Boss]

1) it's a **** movie

2) It's a very **** movie

3) the response is ****ing ridiculous. I watched the movie and I was honestly surprised that it caused this response. I was expecting the video to be much much worse.

People are dying because of a 14 minute movie? Seriously?

[Mehiella Satchi]

How come they get too make such a big fuss? There are videos that offend jews, africans and even white people. If everyone reacted like them the world would like blow up or something. I don't blame islam and i never discriminate but I don't see how or why other people should stop discriminating against muslims if this is what they see. They are giving their own religion a bad name. The video sucked anyways...wasn't even funny or witty just stupid.

[workhardplayhard]

Let's be frank here. The insolent criticism of another person's religion or belief is unacceptable, however the reactions taken by the Muslim people were not any better. Killing innocent people in reaction to the actions of a few ignorant people is never okay. The violence which manifested as a result of this video only further reinforced the growing negative stereotype of Muslims. I believe that reactions to such matters should be done in a more diplomatic way, killing people did not prove a point or change anything. Instead, educate people, let them now about the true beauty of your religion, don't reinforce their opinions by reacting so foolishly.

[misshaha]

I was horrified by that which happened as a reaction to these videos and I condemn any violent action. Generally I think as many of you already said that this video is completely ridiculous and should not even be talken about (it is so bad and primitive it hurts...)

One thing I can say to maybe explain the anger (not the violence) about the video, is that generally there is another relationship to press and religion in the Middle East. This is especially true in places such as Egypt or Lebanon, where there are Christians and Muslims, which live together and generally want to avoid all conflicts and offending others (this is not so in Lybia, where everyone are Sunni Muslim). In the press noone would offend or make fun of any other religion or ethnic minority.

It was also used by some groups as an excuse to show their power in their country and the US government entity, which is still not seen in a very bright light ( which I personally find justified). I believe this was the case in Lybia where the new government is facing opposition by certain groups, as it is retrying to secure the country.

Also generally many people, I believe, don't know how freespeech works in the U.S. and would like the video banned (this is kind of paradox as its on youtube), this might also be non-violent protesters, some of which talked in the news.

This does not justify violence or this huge anger,but it shows some reasons behind it. Also crowds in general find it helpful to throw their anger and frustration at a far away enemy, as we have seen in history. And let us not forget that it was a small percentage of the population on the streets and an even smaller one committing violence acts