"Hating oneself" is not the same as being self-critical. I ascribe to certain tenets of justice which I don't see the West as upholding. I'm not self-loathing; I just have values. Am I supposed to love everything the West has done? This is a thread about politics, not about advances the West has brought about. If so, I'd be praising it rather than condemning it but the issue is is that we are rat bastards politically.
I don't discount Soviet involvement. The fall of the Ottoman Empire and rise of Wahhabi have definite influences on the situation in these countries. But I don't see how these two sources lead to the radical terror sects which have arisen. Maybe you just know more about the historical facts of the Ottomans or more about Wahhabi imams preach but people don't just jump at the chance of strapping bombs to themselves. Islam isn't naturally this bloodthirsty religion despite what it has been used for by opportune political leaders.
I don't see how Islam's expansionary practices are any different than anything done by Western countries during the 16th and 17th century. Are you saying America, England and France weren't colonial powers? Their expansion isn't alright but I fail to see how it is distinguished from the West's.
Oh, you don't want to know what I'm promoting. I don't know foresee why cultural differences couldn't be ironed out. If anything, we should be appalled by the objectification inherent in Baywatch as much as Muslims are appalled by the revealing one pieces. We could have common goals and use those as bridges to foster debate. They are intelligent, cultured people. They've internalized our values and critique themselves according to them, the beauty of cultural imperialism one might say, why should we not do the same? We have no reason to feel superior to them because we don't mind tits on the tube. Where you complain about honor killings, you should complain about hate crimes against immigrants (the Muslim ones especially) or homosexuals, if the Western ideals of liberalism are truly superior than the barbarous East.
