Taking the ethnic conflict up from Africa, I wanted to bring light to some other ethnic conflicts that in a way, are hitting pretty close to home by way of our ally, Europe. Recently, there has been two major terroist events that have sparked movement with two polarizing groups in Europe; the far-right wing xenophobic "Defense Leagues" and the radical Islamists. The increase in the polarization of the two groups are raising fears in Europe that this new extremist climate will ignite violence from either side.
The first of the two major terrorist event happened over the summer in Norway. A far- right fanatic, who was enraged by Muslim immigration, gunned down dozens of children at a summer camp in Norway. After that, about a week or so ago, in Toulouse, France an al Qaida- inspired gunman kills paratroopers and Jewish children.
According to reporters, the reasons for these radical reactions has to do with tensions over immigration from North Africa and other countries with large Islamic populations into Europe. The European people seem to believe that they are coming from these countries, bringing their radical Islam beliefs and attitudes, and feel that it's their fault that these things are happening. As the number of those who are immigrating rises, so do the numbers that support the political far-right movements (like the Defense Leagues).
The "Defense Leagues" are counter Jihadists, and there are groups in many European countries. The Defense League in Denmark is planning to hold a rally to protest the growing Islamic presence in Western Europe. Members of the English Defense League, member from Germany, Poland, Sweden, and many more are planning to attend. The police are worried about an outbreak of violence, but so far no more violence has been reported since the most recent shooting.
Those Muslims who believe in the Jihad have always been fascinatingly haunting to me. It amazes me how they are so immersed in the desire to fight the Jihad. These men and sometimes women, are willing to kill innocent people because they believe that are doing this to cleanse the world and please God so that they may be rewarded in heaven. To our western eyes, this seems so crazy, but to these people it is all they know, it is all they are taught. To us, it looks a lot like brainwashing, but to them it's life. The question is, how do we stop a man who believes that he is killing himself and others for good?
In my SOC 222 (Sociology of Deviant Behavior) class we watched a video on those radical muslims who believe in Jihad and how they become the way they are. It starts at birth, and then there is the propaganda on the television about how westernization is evil. The problem is, those who are teaching this belief say that their actions are important in the Islamic faith, but in actuality, Islam is a very peaceful religion. The Qu'ran doesn't encourage the behavior that the Jihadists are showing.
It's interesting how Europeans are now starting to pay more attention to the Jihadists in their country because they have been there. There is representation of radical islamists in almost every westernized country, and in the video they showed a chart. There are even some in the United States.
These situations are so fragile because something like this could ignite other terrorist attacks and more violence in Europe. In our society, they teach us to frown upon the Jihadists, even to hate them, but if you look at it from a third party point of view, who are we as people to tell someone else what they believe is wrong?
Do I agree with the radical Islamists? No. I don't. I know what a peaceful religion Islam is supposed to be, and how the radicals have twisted it. There are Christians who have done the same thing. However, I do believe in freedom of religion, I may not agree with it, but I can't stop you from believing whatever it is that you believe. However, I do believe that when innocent people are getting hurt, a line is crossed. That goes for both sides. The radicals and the counter-Jihadists. For example, the shooting in France of those Jewish children by a radical right wing supporter, that was unnecessary death to prove what point? Those children are not even Islamic and even so it's not okay to kill a child. That was an attack fueled by misdirected anger. If the European government cannot get this polarization under control, they may have an uprising on their hands.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/terror-attacks-in-europe-stoke-fears-of-escalating-ethnic-religious-hostilities/2012/03/30/gIQAxU3zkS_story.html
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