re: #315 Bert’s House of Beef and Obdicuts

Yes. And it’s also clear that it’s not the particular ‘religion’ itself, because in different eras and times and places, different religions have all shown the capacity for the utmost depraved fanaticism.

I’m aware of this; Europe during the Thirty Years War is a prime example of what you’re talking about, and a good example of how entire swaths of culture can become inundated by fanaticism. I think it’s very obvious that a variant of this phenomenon has now occurred in many parts of the predominately Muslim world ranging all the way from North Africa to Pakistan. I don’t proffer any simple solutions on how to deal with it, other than to suggest that it should be made clear, in no uncertain terms, that Muslims and their faith are welcomed with open arms in Western culture, but that the baggage that is giving rise to extremism of all sorts (from terrorism to oppression of civil liberties, womens & gay rights, and free speech) will not in any way be embraced or tolerated here.