Israel did it. Did what? Everything!

If I hear that the "Israelis made me do it" one more time, I'm gonna scream. "#%&*##$%$#" me screaming. I just read Building bridges across civilizations written by Desmond Mpilo Tutu/Ali Alatas/Andre Azoulay. If you want to make your toes curl and get a renewed view of just how innocently "deer-in-the-headlights" folks can pretend to be, read the commentary. Everything blocked and in red is from the commentary with the exception of emphasis contributed by me. Mssers Desmond Mpilo Tutu/Ali Alatas/Andre Azoulay were asked about the "current relations between Muslim and Western societies." This is how the commentary began:

When asked about current relations between Muslim and Western societies, most people are likely to think about the "cartoon crisis," the controversial remarks of Pope Benedict XVI regarding the Prophet Muhammad, or the debates raging in many European countries over the wearing of veils by some Muslim women.

If one is to think of the events listed above, one is to demonstrate an unseemly lack of geopolitical events. One must rather think of the Kobalt Towers, the Twin Towers, the USS Cole, Bali, London, Madrid, Thailand, Muslim women regaining their honor by blowing themselves up, committing suicide in Israeli coffee shops. One must rather think of governments - federal, state, and local - all throughout the Western World capitulating to lawyers representing law suits brought by Muslim organizations designed to undermine Western Civilization, designed to establish moral equivalence between Western Civilization and Islamic Imperialism. If I have to list the differences, you haven't been paying attention to a damn thing - let's just mention Daniel Pearl.

In addition, most would recognize that terrorist attacks on the one hand and military interventions in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan on the other have increased the climate of suspicion that seems to be spreading across the world. Staggering economic inequalities and the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots also create new fault lines, dividing peoples and nations.

Now you are to believe that terrorists attacks and military defense operations are also morally equivalent. Making you sick yet? It should. Now we have it, "staggering economic inequalities...". What are the oil-rich, sinking in oil-dollars nations doing to help their poor? Oh, no, the West did it so now it is the redistribution of wealth scheme, once again. And by the way, just exactly what are the literacy rates in these Muslim nations with low economic opportunities? over 50% illiteracy for the women, naturally; and over 30% illiteracy for the men. Actually, I think the illiteracy rate given for women is too low a figure. To continue...

These tensions help fuel the damaging yet powerful myth of a "clash of civilizations" -- an ideological boon for all those who share an interest in shoring up hostility between Muslims and the West. A year ago, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan created the Alliance of Civilizations High Level Group to help challenge this myth and recommend concrete measures to build bridges among communities worldwide. Our Group's report, which we presented to Mr. Annan on Nov. 13, debunks a number of misconceptions and confronts some uncomfortable realities.

One group of folks who want to shore up the "ideological boon for all those who share an interest in shoring up hostility between Muslims and the West" are? Who, boys and girls? The Mullahs, the Aytollahs, the Islamists and the hate-America first crowd.

• First, there is no basis, in our opinion, for the claim "civilizations" are set on an inevitable collision course. Civilizations are not solid, monolithic blocs; rather, they are the result of complex mutual exchanges and constant cross-fertilization among cultural groups. Growing polarization between the West and the Muslim world is undeniable but not unavoidable. Fatalism denies individual freedom and mistakenly portrays human beings, communities and nations as mere pawns of history.

Repeat after me: Twin Towers, Twin Towers, Twin Towers... Well, I don't know about you but when imams and mullahs say they want to kill us and to turn the White House into the Black House with the flag of Islam flying over it, and they scream that they will turn England into an Islamic Republic, just to name one, I think that's a wee tiny tad of a reason for the claim that "civilizations" have been set on a very bad course. Let me digress here just for a moment. Again we are fed the preception that "civilizations" are morally equivalent. In this case, they simply are not. Western Civilization does not perform female mutilation, does not identify anyone who is non-Muslim as 'infidels' to be killed, does not demand poll taxes from folks of other religions who are left alive, and does not identify itself as a "religion which is part and parcel of the state." Further, Western Civilization does not perform "honor" killings of its young women accused of misconduct, does not require 5 men to testify to her honor, and failing that, stone her to death. Let's stop saying that Islam is a religion in isolation from its political ideology; and let's not say that the Muslim Civilization - cloaked in the robes of a religion - is today morally equivalent with Western Civilization. That is simply not the case. But one question? If Islam is a civilization, how can it be a religion? I would really like to know. A civilization involves more than the religions of that civilization. Religion or similar aspects form only a part or a trait of the much larger term "civilization." As to "cross-fertilization", let's just say invasion or Islamification. As I've posted before, I just don't see folks from Western nations flocking to "cross-pollenate" into Mexico for one or Islamic Republics for another. Now, next comes a mild gloss of a paragraph which I will edit for the sake of brevity; on second thought you may like it for its levity:

• Second, the history of relations between Muslim and Western societies is not primarily one of conflict. Despite periods of war, Islam, Christianity and Judaism all benefited from each other through trade and intellectual exchanges. Historically, under Muslim rule[emphasis added], Jews and Christians have largely been free to practice their faiths and many rose to high political positions in Islamic empires.....

Let's not forget the dhimmitude/slavery or taxation underwhich the Jews and Christians were allowed to live as a source of income for the Islamic state. Let's not forget that Jewish and Christian merchants had to have a sign in their store fronts so that unsuspecting Muslim women would not transact business with the "untouchable" infidels by accident. And let's not forget the Coptic Christian family who fled Egypt and were recently found murdered in their home in New Jersey, as I recall. Under Muslim rule, existence of the non-Muslim was fine as long as the taxes were paid and the understanding of second class stature was adhered to. I find myself having to agree with the writers in the first sentence of the next paragraph. The conflict is political ideology in my view hiding under the skirts of "religion". But now we get to those rascally Israelis and the refrain - "the Jews made me do it." Oh, no, I was wrong, reading further, the United States of America made me do it because those silly Americans thought they should defend their nation after attacks of war perpetrated against America's nation and its people. Repeat after me: Twin Towers, Flight 93, the Pentagon...

• Third, we firmly reject the claim that the roots of the widening rift between Muslim and Western societies lie in religion or culture. Rather, they are to be found in politics. In our view, there are two key factors feeding the current climate of suspicion and fear that mars relations across communities. In the first instance, the Israeli-Palestinian issue has become a key symbol of the rift between Western and Muslim societies and remains one of the biggest threats to international stability. We passionately believe the international community should turn its attention to this festering conflict with a renewed sense of urgency. In addition, military operations in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan contribute to a growing climate of fear and animosity. The spiraling death toll and violence in both those countries help swell the ranks of terrorist groups.

Yes, the Israelis and the nasty Americans made us do it. And mercy, the Israelis and the Americans are making terrorists mad, the same terrorists who say they want to kill us all and eradicate - as in wipe out - a sovereign nation, Israel, a member of the embarrassment called the UN. What a crock of crap the UN is, but you know that. But wait, maybe we are getting to something from the writers after all.

The other factor is the oppression of nonviolent political actors in the Muslim world, which strengthens the hand of extremists. Denying peaceful opposition movements the freedom to express their views and jailing their supporters generate anger and resentment, encouraging some, especially among the young, to join violent groups. And when Western governments lend their support -- tacitly or overtly -- to authoritarian regimes, they become part of the problem, stoking the fire of extremism. These issues are compounded by resistance to reform and limitations placed on intellectual enquiry which deprive many Muslim countries of the impetus and energy needed to achieve social progress.

So far so good with the first sentence. But wait, are non-violent Muslims being suppressed in the Middle East, in the civilization on moral equivalence with Western Civilization? But in the West even in the streets of New York City and in London, the hatred of the Islamists is allowed and they are allowed to burn our flags in our streets, chant Death to Britian, and threaten the overthrow of legitimate governments. Can it be? No, I was wrong, the West is making the terrorists and unhappy youth join extremist groups. You know, the West is simply damned if it does and damned if it doesn't in the Middle East and in Muslim communities (extensions of the Islamic nation) throughout the Western world. But now the most racist cut of all: the development of a White Paper. I'm offended. Why not a blue paper, a pink paper, a black paper? No, it has to be a "white" paper and you know how the very word raises hatred in the hearts of non-white folks. Poor white paper. The next cannot be done. It is more time-wasting and foot-dragging so that Iran can go nuclear; Hezbollah can be more completely re-armed; and Mad Jad can move closer to his promise of pushing Israel into the sea.

To help address the Middle East conflict, we propose development of a White Paper analyzing the Israeli-Palestinian landscape dispassionately and objectively, giving voice to the competing narratives on both sides, and establishing clearly the conditions that must be met to find a way out of this crisis.

Some suggestions: give the Palestinian Authority its dhimmi payments; engage in self-censorship; don't have open dialogue; and to non-Muslims, "Shut up" and this includes the Pope:

Among the issues feeding tensions between Muslim and Western societies is the potentially destructive impact of inflammatory language sometimes used by political and religious leaders...... We also request the U.N. secretary-general to appoint a high representative to assist in defusing cross cultural tensions [as in Darfur no doubt - added], build bridges of understanding and create pathways toward reconciliation... In addition to these critical steps aimed at addressing political conflicts [there's that word political again - not religious], we believe initiatives in the areas of education, media, youth and migration are necessary to build bridges and promote a culture of respect and understanding among Western and Muslim communities.

Translation: indoctrination of adults, more MSM propaganda for the nice jihadists, youth indocrination camps, and OPEN borders into Western nations - in reverse, the borders are closed, closed, closed. But in the last paragraph, one finds the most sickening suggestion of all, the March of Multiculturalism - have you noticed, it is you of Western Civilization who must subordinate your "culture" to the diversity of others. You are to welcome with open arms the destruction of your civilization sacrificed on the remaining altar of your churches - then all will be well. All will be well then; all will be well when you denounce your culture, your heritage, and the future of your children. All will be well when dhimmitude settles across the globe.

We will achieve progress not by attempting to ignore or deny our differences, but by acknowledging them openly and by celebrating our diversity. We must also recognize that these differences are not primarily religious or cultural, but political. In other words, they.... can be overcome through determined leadership and sustained negotiations.

Here the writers are wrong. The differences are primarily religious - if Islam is a religion - and cultural. Unless of course Islam is a political ideology. One must wonder how Islam is allowed to have it both ways - a religion and a political ideology. Hmmmm..... Why must we negotiate with those who state in every way that they can that they want to kill us and they want Islamic domination of the world? And, when did you last see anyone "celebrating the culture" of Western Civilization? We quip and laugh and say the greatest trick Satan pulled was to convince us he does not exist. But maybe the greatest trick that Satan pulled was to convince us he is a humble member of a religion of peace. And no threat at all, at all, at all. Hmm... Let me put this as plainly as I can - if Western Civilization folks of European ancestry - Italians, Spaniards, the English, the French, those of Eastern Europe, the Australians, the Germans, the Austrians, the Swiss, the Danes, the New Zealanders, the Swedes, the folks from Finland, and the many others who follow the tenets of Judeo-Christian beliefs who visit this blog - deny their heritage and culture, and submit and subjugate themselves - in small ways or in large - to the expressed superiority of Islam, then, and only then, will all be well? When you segregate your swimming pools; when you change your school lunch menus; when you provide prayer rooms in public schools for children practicing Islam but you deny the same to your Christian youth, will all be well? When you give licenses to taxi drivers who following a fatwa issued in the United States ordering these same licensed taxi drivers to deny services to people who are blind or who have purchased alcohol at the duty free store in the airport, and the city allows them to keep their licenses, will all be well? The"military" attacks against us in Israel, the United States, Bali, Madrid, London, and more as well as the distortion of our laws both here and in Western nations, the abuse of our tolerance - were not caused by Israel or by America. They were and are caused by those who wish to destroy our culture and our way of life. To our lasting shame, those wishing to destroy us are being allowed to use our laws against us; they are being allowed to mock our freedoms for the sake of ridding us of those freedoms. When we have allowed them to turn our laws into travesty, will all be well?