tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post1295476695772601712..comments2024-03-24T19:55:32.537-05:00Comments on The View from This Seat: Happy Birthday, Senator Graham!LKSeathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-72763984975592646132015-07-10T15:18:42.320-05:002015-07-10T15:18:42.320-05:00Also piggybacking on my friend Eric’s comments (al...Also piggybacking on my friend Eric’s comments (along with Leroy’s thoughts): Such hawkish statements of American politicians (like Graham) and their policies/actions constitute another major motivator for the radicalization of Muslim youth. It doesn’t take a lot of intelligence or wisdom to make an enemy or prolong a feud. I wonder how many young people in the Mideast are typically recruited into al-Qaeda or ISIL for every person killed in a drone strike. <br /><br />BTW, the novel and film, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, is interesting in this regard (and recommended — though the film was a box office dud). Its Pakistani protagonist is tempted to join a group of mujahideen until he recognizes how both the Islamic fundamentalists and the extreme capitalists think in simplistic, binary terms. <br /><br />But I wonder what would happen if Christian politicians representing their “Christian nation” instead took seriously the teachings of Christ in these matters. What if Christians in the West instead earned a reputation for seeking ways to show love to our enemies, for sending friendly greetings to those unlike us, and for turning the other cheek?<br />Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15701771893425250142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-18586460721793868432015-07-10T09:20:03.849-05:002015-07-10T09:20:03.849-05:00Thanks for reading and responding, Anton. (I didn&...Thanks for reading and responding, Anton. (I didn't know you were going to Alaska.)<br /><br />I can't remember any specifics now about the TV interview I saw. But in spite of the fairly negative opinion I had of Graham before seeing it, my impression was that he is not such a bad guy after all--except for his "hawkishness." <br />LKSeathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-80541411563971438732015-07-10T09:13:57.173-05:002015-07-10T09:13:57.173-05:00(Writing from Alaska today.) Amen to Eric's co...(Writing from Alaska today.) Amen to Eric's comments. A secure, safe, and peaceful future depends on nations working harder at plowshares than at swords. <br /><br />This is an interesting blog on the history of Baptists in the White House. It would be a good idea for a book. Perhaps that occurred to you already.<br /><br />You said you were favorably impressed with Graham, but you didn't note anything that impressed you. Was it his stand on the Confederate battle flag? Or was there something else? Antonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03945285810893867079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355086750486200439.post-75715344011456050052015-07-10T08:50:57.076-05:002015-07-10T08:50:57.076-05:00Local Thinking Friend Eric Dollard shares signific...Local Thinking Friend Eric Dollard shares significant comments:<br /><br />"Senator Graham is probably a very decent man, but he is also a neoconservative. The radicalization of many youth, particularly Muslim youth, stems for a lack of opportunities and a consequent sense of hopelessness. Being a recruit for ISIS or al-Qaeda gives these young persons a sense of direction and focus. <br /><br />"Instead of answering extremism with more bombs, guns, and drones, perhaps we should instead invest in education, health care, and jobs for these young people. Perhaps, also, our government should work for better governance in the Middle East (if not in America itself) and for peaceful conflict resolution.<br /><br />"I am dismayed by our politicians, who spend too much time raising money (something they dislike themselves), demonizing the opposition, and dwelling on irrelevant issues. We need to discuss the real issues--the future of energy and fossil fuels, the future of biodiversity, the future of job opportunities in the face of increased automation and the use of robots, the future of health care in the face of an aging population, the future of our infrastructure, the future of education, and how to limit the corrosive effects of vast amounts of money in the political process, along with other issues. <br /><br />"What is the proper role of government in addressing these issues? How will possible solutions to these problems be financed? How do we get our citizens interested in studying these problems be financed? How do we get our citizens interested in studying these issues and acting on them instead of being simply swayed by clever sound bites or outright misinformation?<br /><br />"Is optimism justified or foolish? I am not so sure."<br />LKSeathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860725174433173015noreply@blogger.com