I know what you mean. I remember thinking similar thoughts shortly after the 11th of September 2001, when various leaders. Blair and I think even Bush among them, were making comments along the lines of, "Islam is not the enemy".
I didn't have a blog at the time, but I wrote this in my private journal:
See, even forty or fifty years ago, western politicians and media would have had no qualms about drumming up hatred and intolerance against any group that was seen as "The Enemy". But this time round, Bush, Blair and the rest of them have been at great pains to stress that Islam is not the enemy.
Frances thinks that's just a measure of how scared they are, and no doubt there's some truth in that; but I still like to think that it's partly just that that's how politicians have to be nowadays, to be accceptable; even if it's contrary to their instincts, they have to behave like it. And people pretending to be good, if you like, is better -- or is it? -- than them openly and actively being bad.
In any case, even if they don't believe the rhetoric,the fact that they repeatedly use it makes it the norm.
All of that is perhaps no longer entirely the case, but I stand by most of it. Indeed, just digging it up for this comment has raised my optimism levels somewhat. So thanks for that. ;-)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2003-02-17 13:45 (UTC)I didn't have a blog at the time, but I wrote this in my private journal:
See, even forty or fifty years ago, western politicians and media would have had no qualms about drumming up hatred and intolerance against any group that was seen as "The Enemy". But this time round, Bush, Blair and the rest of them have been at great pains to stress that Islam is not the enemy.
Frances thinks that's just a measure of how scared they are, and no doubt there's some truth in that; but I still like to think that it's partly just that that's how politicians have to be nowadays, to be accceptable; even if it's contrary to their instincts, they have to behave like it. And people pretending to be good, if you like, is better -- or is it? -- than them openly and actively being bad.
In any case, even if they don't believe the rhetoric,the fact that they repeatedly use it makes it the norm.
All of that is perhaps no longer entirely the case, but I stand by most of it. Indeed, just digging it up for this comment has raised my optimism levels somewhat. So thanks for that. ;-)