Barcelona Spain attacks

[bitermer]

Originally Posted by Immerael

Fair enough on that. I was simply stating that religious themed attacks in the area are fairly common with major religions at play in the area. For example a Christian or Islmaic attacker in the city is not odd historically speaking but a Buddhist mob would be.

On the contrary. I am not familiar with any other religious attacks in Barcelona. Unless you consider Franco or the Republicans particularly religious. I guess the Spanish Inquisition was, and before that the Moors and other Invaders such as the Romans, Hannibal or the Greeks. But they all had their own pantheon's and though no doubt one could argue that their religions motivated their conquest or violence, other factors seem stronger and more convincing.

People keep wanting to paint Islam as a religion of violence but few take the time to consider that these people are traumatised by years of war and suffering unfathomable to us in the west, often from wars the west has inadvertently started or at least had a hand in (Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria). Try to remember that you have your own veterans committing suicide and sometimes taking others with them. The problem is not religion but no integration, opportunity and hope for these people. Youth unemployment in Spain generally speaking is around 30%

----------

Edit: actually 40% though no doubt worse for refugees

[DanDesade]

Originally Posted by bitermer

...you have your own veterans committing suicide and sometimes taking others with them...

bitermer

I would be very careful when writing something so provocative

----------

Originally Posted by tom the pit leader

Poland is clearly taking the morally responsible choice.

the amount of rage this sentence provokes.

----------

thank you bitermer for your thoughts and acumen

it is tiring to express oneself and then have to explain yourself

Originally Posted by bitermer

No. International law may not mean much in America these days but here in Europe we still try to uphold it. They are in violation of Schengen, UDHR and the 1951 convention on the status of refugees. Look up non-refoulement.

Also your suggestion of Saracens invading shows you are living 500 years in the past. I'd hazard a guess that you've never actually met a Muslim...

[bitermer]

Originally Posted by DanDesade

bitermer

I would be very careful when writing something so provocative

That was the point, but I felt that seeing these people as traumatised veterans of war zones may help to humanise them in the eyes of those who would scapegoat refugees as islamists, criminals and terrorists. People who have had such terror and suffering inflicted upon them will naturally have difficulty putting it behind them.

I am not excusing terrorists actions. I just want to make it clear that they are human and didn't get this way "because Islam". It's natural to stereotype as it will simplify for understanding. In the face of such senseless violence we all ask why and search for reasons. But nothing is ever so simple.