BS: 'Jihad' devalued

Subject: 'Jihad' devalued
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 03:23 AM

With the fall of the Taliban, and the refutation of Osama bin Laden's televised claims (pre- war) that America was "too soft " to venture into Afghanistan (is HIS face red !) isn't it about time that the word "Jihad" was taken out of action for all time?

I mean, I can remember Saddam Hussein having a "Jihad" against the West iduring the Gulf War, promising us the "Mother of All Battles", and we all know what happened there. I can remember the Ayatollah Khomeini pronouncing "Jihad" against the US in the 80's, and if my guess is anywhere near correct, 20 years later Iran is on the verge of becoming a Westernized state once again. Fundamental Islam is on the run and not before time.

I believe that we in the West could do our bit to accelerate the process by adopting the word "Jihad" to mean any little tiff or spat which we might have with our partner, boss or whatever. Think Monty Python .
"Hallo Mrs Cutout, are you and your Bert having another one of your jihads, then?".

If the word enters the everyday vocabulary of the West, and we can devalue the term sufficiently, future zealots won't have anything to declare, will they?

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: GMT
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 03:52 AM

Is this another one of your crusades then Murray ? ;)

Gary

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 03:52 AM

Whatcha' doin' up at this hour Murray? I mean I'm a night owl (read:insomniac) but what's up with you? Those chops backin' up on you or what? Got a little jihad goin' on in your alimentary canal?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 03:55 AM

No Gary, I think we need to be caring in our language and not use crusade.......let's call it "Murray's Jihad" instead. Later, I expect him to put out one of them "Fartwads" or whatever you call them........

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: Amos
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 07:56 AM

The word means "struggle", and it was only much late that it implied ,ilitant or military struggle; originally it referred to the struggle to live up to one's spiritual obligations while dealing with mortal fart-wads.

A

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 08:18 AM

Why would anyone try and interpret propaganda--ours or theirs--literally, as if it were truth or fact?

Seems terribly simplistic. But then, so are the justifications of the American/British foray into Afghanistan.

Simple minds must find it easier to swallow and/or choke on simple lies.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 08:59 AM

Isn't it a hallowed American expression already? {pronounced as "Yee Ha!" ?

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: Marymac90
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 09:05 AM

I tend to agree with the Guest, above, though I wish he/she would identify theirself. We are still no closer to bringing Osama Bin Laden to justice. And have we come to any kind of terms with the fact that we cannot prevent or predict acts of terrorism?

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 09:16 AM

The answer to your question Marymac is no. Although we did manage to bomb Al Jazeera, AP, and BBC offices in Kabul yesterday. After the Taliban was gone.

Just a coincidence, another understandable act of war, I'm sure.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: DougR
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 04:08 PM

Time, Marymac, time. Just give them time. No one said this was going to be a brief encounter. And I, for one, am not prepared to say we will not be able to prevent or predict acts of terrorism. Perhaps not all of them, but I think "we" are going to get much better at it.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 05:52 PM

I don't know how it will all turn out either, but I do know we are getting very good at accidentally bombing embassies, the Red Cross, media offices.

And sure, won't that keep the terrorists at bay.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 06:22 PM

What will keep the trrorists at bay is a prolonged exposure to what western culture is all about.

The reason these people turn fundamentalist and follow the mad Mullahs is because they have bugger all else to do with their lives.

First off, as I said in my first post, we need to disempower the J-word.

Next, we need to make a concerted effort to get as many CD players as possible into the hands of the Afghans and saturate them with with as many recordings of Doc Watson as the factories can produce. Then, we export millions of cheap guitars along with Mel Bay books (translated into Pashtun).

Live concerts must be provided and western entertainers encouraged to go to Afghanistan and tour extensively. I can even envisage a Mudcat Band visiting there, led by kendall on guitar and vocals, Sorcha on fiddle and CarolC on accordion. Lordy, how the Afghans would love it.

On a fashion note, we need to start exporting turbans in red white and blue stripes, or perhaps plaid (each tartan representing a different tribe) in and ditto as regards burkhas.

Before the fall of Khabul, I would have been all for marketing designer knock-offs to these women, but, having seen pictures of them with their faces uncovered, today's fashion hint for Fatima is "Stick with the burkha, honey".

Military victories are all very well but it is only when we have won the hearts and minds of the people that we will truly know peace.

Murray, (TIC, for TWASOH)

Subject: RE: BS: 'Jihad' devalued
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Nov 01 - 06:55 PM

Murray - Some funny stuff ya got goin' there! Since "Jihad" means struggle, if Hitler had been a Muslim, then "Mein Kampf" would have been "My Jihad".

You said "The reason these people turn fundamentalist and follow the mad Mullahs is because they have bugger all else to do with their lives."

True enough. I would counter it, however, by saying that the reason many North Americans eat at McDonald's and Taco Bell and watch way too much inane TV shows, and spend way too much time on Internet forums like this one is...they have bugger all else to do with their lives! (apparently...)

Same problem, different cultural aspect! :-)

- LH