Obsession - And an Activist's Guide
I'm always interested in what fellow Central Floridians are blogging about.
And even though you'd think that people would be less inclined to sit in front of a computer screen and type away, as there's plenty of sunshine, DisneyWorld, Beaches, Universal Studios, and other theme park attractions to go around (plus some) for everyone, there's still some folks that sit glued to their beloved 17" screens and look for meaning in this crazy world through the wonderful blue cord that snakes out from our computer and down to the wall, and into the netherworld of reality.
One such blogger is Ronald Barbour.
How did I find him, you might ask?
Well, like so many parts of conservative areas of the country, there are no short supply of what we affectionately now refer to as "right-wingers".
Personally I think it's a terrible term, and has changed drastically in connotation from when I was a young person.
But I see this type of person as one who has very passionate veiws about belief.
And I love passionate people. And I love talking about belief and faith.
I must admit his posts are more rationale than most those who seem to wholeheartedly profess hatred for the Islamic faith. Ronald seems to have made clear the differentiation between "Radical Islam" and other forms of the religion.
In his blog, he made a reference to a website selling a DVD entitled "Obsession - Radical Islam's War Against the West".
I haven't looked into it too much. I don't feel like spending the $19.95 for it. But I did see a sub-page of the website that had some really good ideas about coming out and talking about the issues that are facing our world today. It's called "An Activist's Guide"
I've reprinted it below, but the link to the website is here.
1. Become informed
2. Respond to bias when you see it
3. Be a pro-active member of your community
4. Help Others
5. Think about what’s important to you
6. Live what’s important to you
1. Become informed
Get clear on what is really happening in the world.
2. Respond to bias when you see it
When you see news stories that provide excuses for Islamist terror against American or other targets, or that reflect an anti-Western bias without showing the whole picture, organize a letter writing campaign pointing out the mistake. Groups like Honest Reporting can help provide tools for recognizing and responding to bias in the media.
Many college students have found themselves under the gun by professors and student groups who attack their ideals, Western foreign policy, and similar, without giving any attention to the other side of the story, or often misrepresenting it. In one notorious incident at Concordia University, Palestinian student leaders fomented a riot to prevent a speech by Benjamin Netanyahu from taking place. When you see these kinds of things going on, you can join with other students to effect positive change, and work to foster a true free exchange of ideas that has often been stifled by this kind of bias. Organizations that can provide information, resources and useful links: Campus Watch, Academic Bias, Students for Academic Freedom, Hasbara Fellowships, Stand with Us, and The David Project.
Point out hypocrisy when you see it. Stand up and say something. Write letters to the editor. Organize a sit-in outside offices, and invite your local TV News stations to come and watch.
3. Be a pro-active member of your community
When you see legislation that benefits radical Islamic and terror supporting regimes, and does nothing to help the populations being abused by them, help your friends and colleagues write letters to your congressional representatives, telling your elected official to oppose such legislation.
Moderate Muslims: You can create watchdog groups monitoring what is being taught and disseminated in your mosques, schools, and local and national organizations. You can work together to keep hate-propaganda out of your communities, and guarantee that the values which are important to you, are taught and upheld.
[I would add that Moderate Christians, Jews, Hindus, or any other Faith do the same]
4. Help Others
Help victims of terror and oppressive regimes.
5. Think about what’s important to you
Spend some serious time thinking about the values that are important to your community. For example: Education, Justice and Equality, and Social Responsibility. Why are they important? How do we, as a people, express them? Discuss it with your friends and colleagues at school and in the workplace. If you’re a parent or teacher, engage your kids in ways that will encourage them to think about our shared values, and some of the ways different cultures around the world express them.
6. Live what’s important to you
But the biggest defense against this threat is to stand strong, and not only think about our shared values. We should also be proud of them, and strive to bring them into our lives. We should choose to live a life of truth and meaning. Remind yourself daily that you can stand up and say there’s a right and a wrong, and that’s okay, and you’re not being intolerant or narrow-minded. One can be open-minded and still recognize that some beliefs, when expressed over and over to a captive audience, can lead to violence.
And even though you'd think that people would be less inclined to sit in front of a computer screen and type away, as there's plenty of sunshine, DisneyWorld, Beaches, Universal Studios, and other theme park attractions to go around (plus some) for everyone, there's still some folks that sit glued to their beloved 17" screens and look for meaning in this crazy world through the wonderful blue cord that snakes out from our computer and down to the wall, and into the netherworld of reality.
One such blogger is Ronald Barbour.
How did I find him, you might ask?
Well, like so many parts of conservative areas of the country, there are no short supply of what we affectionately now refer to as "right-wingers".
Personally I think it's a terrible term, and has changed drastically in connotation from when I was a young person.
But I see this type of person as one who has very passionate veiws about belief.
And I love passionate people. And I love talking about belief and faith.
I must admit his posts are more rationale than most those who seem to wholeheartedly profess hatred for the Islamic faith. Ronald seems to have made clear the differentiation between "Radical Islam" and other forms of the religion.
In his blog, he made a reference to a website selling a DVD entitled "Obsession - Radical Islam's War Against the West".
I haven't looked into it too much. I don't feel like spending the $19.95 for it. But I did see a sub-page of the website that had some really good ideas about coming out and talking about the issues that are facing our world today. It's called "An Activist's Guide"
I've reprinted it below, but the link to the website is here.
1. Become informed
2. Respond to bias when you see it
3. Be a pro-active member of your community
4. Help Others
5. Think about what’s important to you
6. Live what’s important to you
1. Become informed
Get clear on what is really happening in the world.
2. Respond to bias when you see it
When you see news stories that provide excuses for Islamist terror against American or other targets, or that reflect an anti-Western bias without showing the whole picture, organize a letter writing campaign pointing out the mistake. Groups like Honest Reporting can help provide tools for recognizing and responding to bias in the media.
Many college students have found themselves under the gun by professors and student groups who attack their ideals, Western foreign policy, and similar, without giving any attention to the other side of the story, or often misrepresenting it. In one notorious incident at Concordia University, Palestinian student leaders fomented a riot to prevent a speech by Benjamin Netanyahu from taking place. When you see these kinds of things going on, you can join with other students to effect positive change, and work to foster a true free exchange of ideas that has often been stifled by this kind of bias. Organizations that can provide information, resources and useful links: Campus Watch, Academic Bias, Students for Academic Freedom, Hasbara Fellowships, Stand with Us, and The David Project.
Point out hypocrisy when you see it. Stand up and say something. Write letters to the editor. Organize a sit-in outside offices, and invite your local TV News stations to come and watch.
3. Be a pro-active member of your community
When you see legislation that benefits radical Islamic and terror supporting regimes, and does nothing to help the populations being abused by them, help your friends and colleagues write letters to your congressional representatives, telling your elected official to oppose such legislation.
Moderate Muslims: You can create watchdog groups monitoring what is being taught and disseminated in your mosques, schools, and local and national organizations. You can work together to keep hate-propaganda out of your communities, and guarantee that the values which are important to you, are taught and upheld.
[I would add that Moderate Christians, Jews, Hindus, or any other Faith do the same]
4. Help Others
Help victims of terror and oppressive regimes.
5. Think about what’s important to you
Spend some serious time thinking about the values that are important to your community. For example: Education, Justice and Equality, and Social Responsibility. Why are they important? How do we, as a people, express them? Discuss it with your friends and colleagues at school and in the workplace. If you’re a parent or teacher, engage your kids in ways that will encourage them to think about our shared values, and some of the ways different cultures around the world express them.
6. Live what’s important to you
But the biggest defense against this threat is to stand strong, and not only think about our shared values. We should also be proud of them, and strive to bring them into our lives. We should choose to live a life of truth and meaning. Remind yourself daily that you can stand up and say there’s a right and a wrong, and that’s okay, and you’re not being intolerant or narrow-minded. One can be open-minded and still recognize that some beliefs, when expressed over and over to a captive audience, can lead to violence.
posted by lubomira at 1:15 PM
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