ossobuco wrote:Also interested.
To start with I am interested in the architecture/landscape architecture and long history of culture, most of all in Andalusia. But I'm also interested in the travails and sometimes happy circumstances of people after that expulsion.
There is interesting book written in 1850s by an American diplomat called Washington Irving, the book called Tales of Alhambra, it is magnificent, the author visited Alhambra in 1825 and wrote what he saw back then, it is worth reading.
Quote:I know there is talk now that Europe's key worry re terrorism is centered in Morocco. This is terrible, that this fear shuts people off, in both directions. I don't know what that woman's fear was back then, probably that they would think I was a loose woman, or that they would take my purse.
Maybe it was just Islamophobia, as you know there is hysteric paranoia regarding Muslims nowadays in Europe, we become the Jews of Europe in the 1930s
Quote:I've read Jane Kramer's articles on the edge cities of immigrants in France, was it Dijon?(in the New Yorker)... and see decades or centuries of trouble with people not connecting.
The problem is that the French cant accept multi culturalism as the case in America for example...The French for example issued a law banning Muslim woman from wearing the headscarfs in schools !! what do you think the French muslims would feel about this ?? it is blatant religious discrimination against Muslims.
Muslims in France live in ghetto-style quarters, the rate of unemployment among them is 70% higher than their French counter parts, if you apply for a job in France and your name is AHMAD, you wont be accepted, changing your name to TONY will land you very good job very quickly
Sadly ! Racism and Discrimination is rife in France.
As to the issue of terrorism, it is central issue, unless the west realize its own mistakes and its own terrorism against Muslims, you will always find fanatics from our side recruting and brain washing young muslims to committ an act of terrorism.
Look what is happening in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya and other spots around the world, Muslims are killed daily and no one cares, it is not even reported !! did you know that last week, 700 muslims were slaughtered to death in Nigeria by christian terrorists ? the American media did not report this !! of course they wont because in this case, MUSLIMS are the victims !!
Terrorism stems from terror, terrorism is reaction to terror, violence begets violence.
There is NO excuse for terrorism, there is NO cause that justifies killing innocent Americans or innocent westerners, also, there is NO excuse for killing thousands of iraqi Muslims, there is NO excuse for killing dozen of palestineans DAILy at the hands of the Israeli terrorists .
Islam strongly denounces terrorism:
http://www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com
Quote:I don't know about you, Ahmad, maybe you don't agree with me, but I only see hope for us all, the enrichment of all culture, with continued conversation.
I agree with you and I respect your opinion, but dont you think every story has 2 sides ???