Reductio ad Absurdum

Two days left. The stress and the pressure are mounting. Must maintain.

For added stress, I have developed a slight sore throat. Great. The exams weren't enough, I need more obstacles. Maybe I should take the test while I am on fire? Perhaps I should write my answers in a sauna. Or while running and dodging bullets. I might be over developing this...

I ran into some stories in the newspapers these last couple of days. I can't help but add my humble two cents. My intention here is not to offend. I am simply venting what I feel once and for all.

So sorry in advance for getting on my soap-box

I usually stay away from writing about contentious issues but this one keeps cropping up.

 A certain Italian jouranlist of apparently some renown, Oriana Fallaci, has published a book entitled  La Rabbia e l'Orgoglio (The Rage and the Pride). This book criticizes Islam and Islamic immigration into Europe. She is currently in court having been sued by the Muslim Union of Italy. The complaint is defamation. What is troubling to me is that he have the right to free speech, something that is fundamental to a successful democratic society. I haven't read this book. From various reviews like ones that sing its praises to ones that deplore her (read the one called Fallaci's Fallacy), it seems like a serious and contentious issue. But what are we really arguing about here?

I agree that immigration into Europe has become slightly out of hand and that rapid transformations of people's countries are quite alarming. In Malta there has been an explosion of Africans, Arabs and Chinese. Perhaps 4-5 years ago, this wasn't even an issue. So much so that my great-grandmother (yes, my grandmother's mother), who is still alive and well, has never met an Asian or a Black person before. She has some misconceptions not because she is a hardcore racist; these people simply weren't present on Malta in her day. But now the small island of Malta, with its homogenous population has come face to face with the issues of immigrations literally ovenight. Now we have vehement arguements on Xarabank and Bondiplus (Maltese discussion shows) with people of all opinions, most extreme of all being the infamous Norman Lowell. I don't think that Mr. Lowell's views are either 1) practical (in any regard) to the reality of this world or 2) conducive to change and progress. We have to deal with this responsibly since we are talking about people's lives. Racism is never a good route to go. That simply clouds the issue and maybe adds unnecessary dimensions to already delicate issues. I also tend to think that it is a punk move to simply resort to racism or claim that something is racist. Alot of the time people fly under the radar or are vindicated by waving the iron flag of racisim. This is a one way ticket to win an arguement. Especially in Europe where people pride themselves on their tolerant views and unwaivering support and love for multiculturalism. That being said, there are alot of racist bastards spewing trash rhetoric and the mixture of said elements is disasterous.

I would agree that we have to deal with immigration, doesn't matter if its Black or Islamic or Asian or South American or even inter-European  immigration. Space is the name of the game. A country like Malta is very small and 3000 people may not sound like alot but in Malta a country of 400,000,  it becomes noticable. Jobs availability and culture are affected by immigration. Though, some countries even refuse to deal with immigration, like Japan . The Japanese aren't gonna have it and that's their choice. This policy doesn't make the Japanese bad people. So, why should we feel bad if we say "Hey, Malta is already too bloody crowded, 'specially with Aaron and his big nose moving back and all!" Local people feel like their own government ignores them when they give aid to migrants, although this can be exaggerated at times by opponents. Still, we cannot ignore people's sentiments or dismiss them as ignorant or unsympathetic. You can't ignore people in your own country.

But getting back to Fallaci's book, she has the right to say whatever she likes. Her book seems to be very emotional, appealing to people's confusion and notable anger to some of the issues of the day (terrorism and immigration). I am of the opinion that racist, uninformed Islamophobes and ultra-Islamophiles (both closed-minded, ultraconservative Muslims and uberliberal non-Muslims who deplore anyone saying anything remotely against any culture or practise and have a pechant for lobbing insults and critques at the West while ignoring problems being faced elses) both do a disservice. You can not be hysterical and paranoid about it but you also have to be able to inspect and analyze Islam as well. When something is wrong or right you have to say it is so. I know that to the believers take the Koran as the word of God. To legislate or do something contrary would be to go against the relgion. All well and good, practice freely and openly. But I have a problem with some of the interpreters of the text. Extreme and violent interpretations always cloak ulterior motives of material gain, not spiritual. Religions of all types always want to get back to the 'good ole days', the good ole days that never existed. Romantic views of highly moral and reserved societies. True, today's world is in a deplorable state and maybe some of the fabric of society needs to be mended, but I urge you to read the accounts of people of various time periods. They talk of the rebellious youth, the lack of morals and how they wish to get back to those-ever-so-elusive good ole days...too bad alot of these acoounts take place in what we preceive as the good ole days. Also, this book is both good and slightly unnerving. It has some noble stories and some that do not sit well with me. Maybe Islamic terrorism is something that isn't so new. If anyone would like to justify these stories to me then please do so. I am all ears.

Speaking of which...this story is simply weird...Not the stuff in the beginning, go to the part at the end with the female investigator. No one acts like that and if she did do that then she must be deranged or a psycho.

So what's the verdict here? I have to wrap this up. The point I suppose that I am trying to make with alot of verbage and hyperlinks is that some issues can get pretty heated for no good reason. Immigration is an issue and Europeans shouldn't be ashamed of being European or asking new migrants to conform to a reasonable list of requirements. No one is going to call you a Nazi. And if they do, then they have no real intention of actually getting along with you. I think both sides have alot fears and apprehensions about each other. These misconception simply aggravate the issues. No, Muslims are not a vicious cancer in the world but at the same time, if you are a new migrant to Europe, you have to accept that it is secular (with Christian overtones), you should try to speak the local language and integrate and not simply recreate your country in someone else's. Just as if you are invited to stay with someone, you don't help yourself and rearrange his furniture. If you a migrant who cannot accept that, then prehaps Europe isn't for you. It may offend your moral sensibilities and that's ok. Just as Westerners should not impose themselves on others, the migrants should not impose in their new-found homelands, nope, I wont be a dhimmi in my own country. We can hang together. It's possible. It has been done. I might be over-developing this....

I don't care what you are or where you are from, that doesn't make a person who they are. If both sides of this arguement can only define themselves as such, and will fight on and on about it. I hear Antartica has some really stellar real estate....

Liverpool won by the by....