BBB - as far as we can determine, chimpanzee groups' male hierarchy have a dominant male at the top - but often he has power partly through the support of a group of males.
I believe I can recall reading of groups like this where the ethos is bullying and hostile and hence the nature of the group becomes like this.
Other groups have a dominant male group that is more benign - and this affects the nature of the group as a whole, too.
(Goodall, through knowing the individuals in her study so well, through many generations, was able to comment on the personalities in terms of the parenting skills of their mums. One group was run by a group of brothers, all raised by an especially competent and loving mum, Flo - their natures were very benign!)
Is some of this suggesting rudimentary "cult-like" behaviour in more "psychologically insecure" power groups?
Perception - I am not sure if using the law to catch and prosecute terrorists is contradictory with not lowering oneself to be like them - although he did go over the top in his language - when I hear phrases like "peace and freedom loving people" I usually expect trouble!
Phoenix
Phoenix's intelligence is apparent in her writing: "If religion was not being shoved in my face everywhere, I think that I would seldom think about it. I think that many non-believers are of similar minds. I normally do not get involved in subjects that are non-issues to me. It is only because of the strident believers, that we even have to make a stand on it."
That is so true of most people---I think.
BBB
Religion and politicals always cause great problems. Unfortunately, we are periously close to religion being all powerful once again.
Really? In the US??? My god!!!!
Think Ashcroft, DeLay, Tony Owens (Colorado Governer), Wayne Allard, Marylin Musgraves. etc...
Republicans make sure those horrible homos remain persecuted like they should be!
This all got hashed over on Lola's thread, did it not?
I thought you guys had all sorts of constitutional checks and balances.
Surely this is a fever - not a terminal illness?
To non-American eyes, your politicos have always been obsessed with religiosity - presumably cos your country is, to a great extent?
I guess in the context of such great and single power, the having found a nice new enemy, and the new enemy BEING a religion - not just also acting like one - the dynamics are scarier than usual?
The "checks and balances" seem to have been bypassed lately.
dlowan wrote:Really? In the US??? My god!!!!
You did that on purpose, didn't you, Deb?
dlowan
dlowan, wherever did you find any loopy Americans to talk to to form such a weird opinion?
BBB
God Is On Our Side
We have a president who said that he was appointed by God and recieves instructions from God. We have bin Laden who says that Allah is his guide. Folks, we have two nutcases here, don't ya think?
Seems to me that when Goldhammer writes "First we must refuse to lower ourselves to their level-to become the "evil" that we most despise in others...", he has this kind of thing in mind (quite apart from the invasion of Iraq):
Quote:Assassins R Us
by Chalmers Johnson
As the Iraqi resistance expands and perfects its attacks, the American military, like so many occupying armies before it, is turning to methods of warfare long outlawed by civilized nations -- assassinations and reprisals against civilians. When it comes to the first, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has long been on record as wanting Saddam Hussein and the leaders of al-Qaeda and the Taliban brought in "dead or alive," with emphasis on the former. Now, according to a November 7th front-page piece in the New York Times, the Pentagon, in conjunction with the CIA, has announced the creation of a new "task force" -- polite language for an assassination squad -- to accomplish these ends. "The new Special Operations organization," according to reporters Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt, "is designed to act with greater speed on intelligence tips about 'high-value targets' and not be contained within the borders where American conventional forces are operating in Iraq and Afghanistan." In other words, this death squad, composed of U.S. Army Special Forces troops, can run down its quarry in countries like Yemen, Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan but presumably also (if the occasion required it) in France, Germany, or even the United States itself... [there's more...]
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1117-10.htm
Project Phoenix
CIA covert Death Squad- S. Vietnam. Nothing new that the USA has Death Squads. Usually, though the USA has sponsored and paid for in country Death Squads, such as in Nicaraqua, Hondurous and other countries.
The new concept? Overt Death Squads.
This is what happens when we have a President who said his political philosophy derives from Jesus
We all know the stuff about "turn the other cheek, the meek will inherit the earth, thou shalt not kill, etc..." was pu in the bible by liberals and commies, right?
In fact.
I believe Jesus was a true Communist. Many of his teachings were a reverse of the older teachings. He dwelt among the poor, disinfranchised and dregs of the society at that time. I doubt if he would have felt comfortable at the Vatican or hanging out with the wealthy protestant evangalists in our society.
Pistoff
Pistoff, I was surprised to read your opinion that Jesus was a communist because I had been saying he was the first communist for the past 40 years, which really pissed off most people.
Isn't it ironic that he is worshipped by the extreme right anti-comunist religions?
BBB
Two things:
One of the reasons I worded my earlier comments the way I did, is because we hear so many exhortation to war on Islam because of what Islamic extremists are up to.
My point is that a war on any one religion is begging for the law of unintende consequences to play out its ugly face -- in more ways than one.
I honestly think the problem the world is having right now with relgious extremism -- is not limited to Islam -- and will never be handled without tackling the problem in its entirety.
Two, I first made mention of Jesus being (essentially) a communist decades ago. Glad to see so many others think the same way.
MY GUESS: If Jesus were here right now, he would be mortified by what passes for observance of his message by his most vocal supposed admirers.
