People's escape into Ignorance

Submitted by Taimour Chaudhri (United States), Apr 11, 2005 at 21:58

Post September 11th is an era filled with shock, pain, confusion and hatred. The attacks on the towers and pentagon that day have changed the western world. They have ripped away the security blanket that had been placed around each westerner.
The saying Ignorance is bliss is one of the most accurate statements based off the observation of many people. Pre-9/11 was an era in which many americans lived in blissful ignorance, they heard about things happening in the world and payed little attention, why would they? It didn't DIRECTLY concern them. But when the crisis, which had engulfed a good size of the world, hit close to home, they were shaken from their dream, and were forced to take off their shroud of long and blissful ignorance.
Now many americans demand an answer, and they have recieved many answers. They know who the culprit was and his origin and They have selectively blamed his religious affiliation, Islam. unfortunately because they were living in ignorance for so long they decided that the Islam was the perfect reason as to why Bin Laden did what he did. Although this was and still is a very superficial concept, they refuse to spend more time into understanding the reason these things happened.
Many of the violent actions attributed to Islam are based on seperate reasons, but due to Americans lack of tolerance or patience in understanding the actual reason, Islam gets blamed. ... People in Afghansitan or the middle-eastern countries suffer oppressive regimes and western punishments, such as sanctions. Many of these people lived impoverished lives, and yearn for some solace and peace. Their actions are incited by hatred and an urge to change in any way the situation many are placed in. People in these countries turn towards religion as their solace and, this is very important, some turn to violence because of desperation.
It is unfortunate that a concept which is common for many people outside of america is looked at with an ignorant mind, and it is unfortunate that these ignorant ideas breed a misconception about a peaceful and equally caring religion.
Many people can attribute the spanish inquisition and the crusades to christian violence, but we understand that it wasn't the religion that inspired these acts; instead it was the evil leaders who abused their seat of power, one given in the name of relgion.

Taimour Chaudhri

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