[Vision2020] Three Letters to Argonaut Editor 021804
Art Deco
deco@moscow.com
Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:52:55 -0800
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Religious fundamentalism rears its ugly head
Dear editor,
There are some chilling parallels between Christian and Islamic
fundamentalists: Both divide the world between believers and unbelievers,
and they pre-emptively make God's decision for Him.
Both have also declared war on the secular culture of liberal democracy, the
most peaceful and prosperous means of social organization ever devised by
humankind.
A common scenario is a great war in the Middle East in which the armies of
God destroy the armies of Satan. Radical Muslims, of course, identify Israel
and the United States as the forces of evil, but Christian fundamentalists
see Islam as the ultimate enemy. The horrifying implication is that the
innocent people of the Middle East are the primary victims of this
holocaust.
Some Christian fundamentalists make yet another division: an ethnic one that
declares that one culture is superior to all others. Michael Hill, founder
of the League of the South, proposes that an independent neo-Confederacy of
15 states would have the duty to protect the values of Anglo-Celtic culture
from black Americans, who are "a compliant and deadly underclass."
Another parallel between Christian and Islamic fundamentalism is a
theocratic form of government in which religious laws become the laws of the
land. In his regular column in Doug Wilson's "Credenda Agenda," Greg
Dickison states that "if we could have it our way," then there would be
capital punishment for "kidnapping, sorcery, bestiality, adultery,
homosexuality and cursing one's parents." Dickison also defends the biblical
institution of slavery. Behold, the Moscow Taliban!
Both Doug Wilson and Steve Wilkins deny that they are racists or
neo-Confederates, but Wilkins was a founding director of the League of the
South, and both Wilson and Wilkins wrote a booklet defending Southern
slavery.
I have fought religious fundamentalism all of my adult life, primarily
because I believe that it is one of the most destructive forces in the world
today. These views do not deserve our respect or tolerance, but call for our
strongest condemnation.
Nick Gier
Emeritus professor of philosophy
Moscow
History gets twisted once again
Dear editor,
A friend passed me the link to the current Argonaut issue online as I sat at
my desk pondering my MA dissertation topic. I do offer some apologies as I
am now a postgraduate in a British school, so don't mind the British
spelling.
First, I am a trained historian and so I find the concept that this current
situation revolves around a history conference to be interesting. However,
much to my dismay, as I read further I realised that this was not a history
conference so much as demagoguery and the subversion of the word "history"
to justify the twisting and destruction of facts. History is about taking
facts and trying to understand the events as they happened, not to invent
things.
Inventing a story or twisting facts leads to things called novels, not
history. I'm sure that those familiar with David Irving should know of this
fallacy. If there is something to be gained from this controversy, it is
that it should encourage people to be more critical of the things they read
and hear, things that real history is supposed to encourage. So perhaps some
good can come of this, that people realize
writers/historians/pseudo-historians have an agenda and if you know the
agenda, then you know what is going on.
Michael Ng
UI alumnus, 2003
King's College London, London, UK
History gets twisted once again
Moscow residents finally agree
Dear editor,
Finally! At last there is an issue the entire Palouse region community can
agree upon.
A recent letter to the Argonaut editor by Wayne Fox described Christ Church
Pastor Douglas Wilson's views as "reptilian."
This is obviously an uncalled for, deliberate, outrageous, heretical and
vituperative libel. This time Fox has gone too far!
Let all members of the community join together firmly and loudly to protest
this blatant blasphemy by the spiritually bereft Fox.
All together: We demand that Fox issue an immediate, contrite and heartfelt
apology to all reptiles!
Rosemary Huskey
Moscow
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<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG>Religious fundamentalism rears its =
ugly=20
head</STRONG><BR><BR>Dear editor,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><BR>There are some chilling parallels between =
Christian=20
and Islamic fundamentalists: Both divide the world between believers and =
unbelievers, and they pre-emptively make God=92s decision for =
Him.<BR><BR>Both=20
have also declared war on the secular culture of liberal democracy, the =
most=20
peaceful and prosperous means of social organization ever devised by=20
humankind.<BR><BR>A common scenario is a great war in the Middle East in =
which=20
the armies of God destroy the armies of Satan. Radical Muslims, of =
course,=20
identify Israel and the United States as the forces of evil, but =
Christian=20
fundamentalists see Islam as the ultimate enemy. The horrifying =
implication is=20
that the innocent people of the Middle East are the primary victims of =
this=20
holocaust.<BR><BR>Some Christian fundamentalists make yet another =
division: an=20
ethnic one that declares that one culture is superior to all others. =
Michael=20
Hill, founder of the League of the South, proposes that an independent=20
neo-Confederacy of 15 states would have the duty to protect the values =
of=20
Anglo-Celtic culture from black Americans, who are =93a compliant and =
deadly=20
underclass.=94<BR><BR>Another parallel between Christian and Islamic=20
fundamentalism is a theocratic form of government in which religious =
laws become=20
the laws of the land. In his regular column in Doug Wilson=92s =
=93Credenda Agenda,=94=20
Greg Dickison states that =93if we could have it our way,=94 then there =
would be=20
capital punishment for =93kidnapping, sorcery, bestiality, adultery, =
homosexuality=20
and cursing one=92s parents.=94 Dickison also defends the biblical =
institution of=20
slavery. Behold, the Moscow Taliban!<BR><BR>Both Doug Wilson and Steve =
Wilkins=20
deny that they are racists or neo-Confederates, but Wilkins was a =
founding=20
director of the League of the South, and both Wilson and Wilkins wrote a =
booklet=20
defending Southern slavery.<BR><BR>I have fought religious =
fundamentalism all of=20
my adult life, primarily because I believe that it is one of the most=20
destructive forces in the world today. These views do not deserve our =
respect or=20
tolerance, but call for our strongest condemnation.<BR><BR>Nick Gier=20
<BR>Emeritus professor of philosophy <BR>Moscow<BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG>History gets twisted once=20
again</STRONG><BR><BR>Dear editor,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><BR>A friend passed me the link to the current =
Argonaut=20
issue online as I sat at my desk pondering my MA dissertation topic. I =
do offer=20
some apologies as I am now a postgraduate in a British school, so =
don=92t mind the=20
British spelling.<BR><BR>First, I am a trained historian and so I find =
the=20
concept that this current situation revolves around a history conference =
to be=20
interesting. However, much to my dismay, as I read further I realised =
that this=20
was not a history conference so much as demagoguery and the subversion =
of the=20
word =93history=94 to justify the twisting and destruction of facts. =
History is=20
about taking facts and trying to understand the events as they happened, =
not to=20
invent things.<BR><BR><STRONG>Inventing a story or twisting facts leads =
to=20
things called novels, not history.</STRONG> I=92m sure that those =
familiar with=20
David Irving should know of this fallacy. If there is something to be =
gained=20
from this controversy, it is that it should encourage people to be more =
critical=20
of the things they read and hear, things that real history is supposed =
to=20
encourage. So perhaps some good can come of this, that people realize=20
writers/historians/pseudo-historians have an agenda and if you know the =
agenda,=20
then you know what is going on.<BR><BR>Michael Ng <BR>UI alumnus, =
2003<BR>King=92s=20
College London, London, UK<BR>History gets twisted once=20
again<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><STRONG>Moscow residents finally=20
agree</STRONG><BR><BR>Dear editor,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana><BR>Finally! At last there is an issue =
the entire=20
Palouse region community can agree upon.<BR><BR>A recent letter to the =
Argonaut=20
editor by Wayne Fox described Christ Church Pastor Douglas Wilson=92s =
views as=20
=93reptilian.=94<BR><BR>This is obviously an uncalled for, deliberate, =
outrageous,=20
heretical and vituperative libel. This time Fox has gone too=20
far!<BR><BR>Let all members of the community join together firmly and =
loudly to=20
protest this blatant blasphemy by the spiritually bereft Fox.<BR><BR>All =
together: We demand that Fox issue an immediate, contrite and =
heartfelt=20
apology to all reptiles!<BR><BR>Rosemary=20
Huskey<BR>Moscow</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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