Expert: LM - 7/23/2005

Question
Hi,
  My name is Amir Zal.  I want to preface this question by stating that I am not black, I am half Persian/half white.  I have lived in the US all my life.

I am wondering where has all the activism gone?  More specifically in the US foreign policy.  I have found that blacks and Native Americans are much more willing to except the documented fact that the US been playing chess with other sovereign nations.  This action is alarmingly similar to the colonial period of Africa by the US and Europe.  Terrorism I believe has been caused at least in part because of our poor choices.  However, since I am part “arab” my voice is not respected.  “Real” Americans need to stand up and say, we won't let this radical Christian colonialism continue.  

My question is:  Why are Colon Powell and Condoleeza Rice Supporting this ignorant and dangerous action which will lead to more terrorism, when they should know better?


Answer
We've been here before, but here goes.....

Please forgive my lateness in answering your question. I have just gotten out of surgery for appendicitis.

I am surprised that you consider yourself "Arab." Most Iranians to whom I've spoken will use the word "Persian" to get out of saying "Iranian," which is associated with the Arab world, while explicitly not thinking of themselves as Arabs.

You've said a lot in this one email. If you've done any reading, you'll know that:

1. There are a great many conservative, pro-establishment blacks.  Just read "Jewish World Review" on the web and you'll see columns posted by some of them. Thomas Sowell. Shelby Steele. Walter Williams. We are not monolithic, and are allowed to have different opinions. Look at the rulings of Clarence Thomas-- one of the most conservative justices on the bench next to Antonin Scalia, but the only black one there.

2. This fight between the Muslims and the Christians (or the Muslims and the Western World) has been going on for over 1,000 years. Do some reading on the Ottoman Empire and how the Turks ruled Europe for a long time. I think that the US just showed up in the last 200 or so years and they have become the focus of this last part of the fight. If it wasn't us, then it would just be someone else.

I would suggest that you understand this not as a conflict between nations, but as a conflict between civilizations.  Looking at it that way will help you understand some things that you haven't considered before. One book that talks about that kind of conflict is: "Clash of Civilizations" by Samuel Huntington.