General Discussion

earthside

(6,960 posts)

31. American Culture of Violence.

Fri Dec 4, 2015, 11:21 AM

Dec 2015

Farook is as American as something even more American than apple pie: glorification of violence.

And the other big American value: always avoid the truth if possible.

We love our pioneer spirit and the violence of taming the frontier; we love our military might that brings freedom and democracy violently to the oppressed peoples of the world; we love our free-wheeling, unrestrained culture of violent entertainment; and we love our freedom of religion even if it encourages violence.

I'm believing that gun control is a path that leads to nowhere; but, of course, the other sides notion that a gun on every hip will bring peace and harmony to our land is a retreat to barbarity.

We need a concerted effort to change the culture and lessen our love of the violent hero, but that will require everyone to stop being dogmatic about their favorite form of violence ... including video games, movies, songs, the shooting range, motorcycle culture, glorification of the military, etc.; it permeates almost everything we do.

It also means finally being honest with ourselves -- like saying out loud that radical Islamist jihadism is real and threatens us.

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Syed Farook as American as apple pie [View all] ellenrr Dec 2015 OP

i think it stems from islamic fundamentalism JI7 Dec 2015 #1

Wrong. Fundamentalism. The actual schism of monotheism is irrelevant. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #9

Not really. Islam is culturally different than other monothemisms. AngryAmish Dec 2015 #12

And christians don't care to spread the faith? Get off it. It's Fundamentalism. Jews too. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #19

You are referring to history to prove your point TexasMommaWithAHat Dec 2015 #27

Tim McVeigh. "Nuke Mecca". And as far as teaching that Islam is diverse: That's my point! nt Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #34

But, but, but... TexasMommaWithAHat Dec 2015 #35

Now you know of bible foundations and christian authorities teaching killing and violence: Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #40

Islam does not "compel multiple wives". Rid yourself of ignorant myths. nt Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #20

Compel, maybe not. Allow,yes. AngryAmish Dec 2015 #23

You assume too much when you assume I have only lived in the West & I'm uneducated Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #32

"universalism cultural meme common in the West"? You are overlooking the obvious in this case. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2015 #33

Excellent read - two things malaise Dec 2015 #2

You just described American society LiberalElite Dec 2015 #7

well, well-said. Sadly, very accurate. sometimes I am surprised we do not have more ellenrr Dec 2015 #11

Farooq had prepared IEDs, so it's not a case of a fit of anger Yorktown Dec 2015 #18

Emotional intelligence is often very lacking in our society. Funding for it would likely be dished RKP5637 Dec 2015 #26

So the US is "a very sick society"? Yorktown Dec 2015 #17

Listen well - there are two sides to America malaise Dec 2015 #21

But "Right wing racist goons" are a tiny minority. Yorktown Dec 2015 #22

One of the problems I see in the US is "Right wing racist goons" often have a spotlight RKP5637 Dec 2015 #29

True. Plus the fact the loudmouths cover the ambient noise. Yorktown Dec 2015 #30

Syed Farook is as American as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney 951-Riverside Dec 2015 #3

Speaking of whom . . . ucrdem Dec 2015 #4

+1 FailureToCommunicate Dec 2015 #14

Actually the horrors they committed are very much American. Lochloosa Dec 2015 #15

Oh Please! RobinA Dec 2015 #16

Ted Bundy too was as American as apple pie. And? Yorktown Dec 2015 #5

Be afraid IronLionZion Dec 2015 #6

Yet his wife came here on a foreign visa Travis_0004 Dec 2015 #8

That's really unfortunate as LittleGirl Dec 2015 #10

The fiance vise is oddly, a much quicker process metalbot Dec 2015 #24

interesting. eom LittleGirl Dec 2015 #25

Well yes, even Jihadists are US citizens if they happen to born in the United States. Nye Bevan Dec 2015 #13

The problem here imo is religious fundamentalism. Rex Dec 2015 #28

American Culture of Violence. earthside Dec 2015 #31

he killed based on radical islam. his wife pledged her support to isis publicly. rejecting facts patsimp Dec 2015 #36

Why take a look at ourselves? It isn't us, it's radical Islam LittleBlue Dec 2015 #37

When in doubt, blame America, Bush, or Obama Democat Dec 2015 #39

Apple pie isn't particularly American. Chan790 Dec 2015 #38

I agree people's motivations are complex and clearly there is too much violence in our society Fast Walker 52 Dec 2015 #41