TEoG Spillover Thread

stahrwe · Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:31 am


	DWill wrote: When the answer Wright gives to the question "Is the U.S. to blame for the 9/11 attacks/" is "No, with an asterisk," is that equivalent in any way to "yes"? What I hear you saying is that discussing the larger issue of Western/Muslim relations is somehow the same as blaming our side for crimes committed by Muslims, and I don't get that.

Please don't leave off the important part of the quote, the qualifier. Wright actually say, "The short answer is no. But it's a "no" with an asterisk, a "no" in need of elaboration - and since the elaboration is a bit arcane, I've relegate it to an online appendix."[TEoG page 419]

What elaboration. The answer is NO without the need for elaboration. Now, if Wright or anyone else wishes to discuss the environment which breeds terrorists fine, but do it outside the context of assigning blame on the victims.


	DWill wrote: It occurred to me that you think I adopted that signature line specifically to endorse what you think is a "blame the U.S." line of Wright's. Say it ain't so.

No, I did not and do not think you are endorsing a, 'blame America' philosophy. Whether Wright supports that or not is not so clear to me. My actual interest was if it had something to do with the empathy issue from prior discussions.

geo · Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:35 am


	stahrwe wrote: As for the academic slant, I don't have much patience for it either because it is bogus; Is the US to blame? What about Spain, or Britain, or Scotland, or France, or ...? The people to blame are the terrorists who plan and carryout attacks that kill innocent people. I was no fan of the book prior to the online appendix which I had not reviewed before. Wright sure seems to be skirting very close to the blame America line.

But Wright doesn't blame America for 9/11. He says "No with an asterisk." Wright's explanation is shades of gray, and you're looking for black and white.

Forum rules

TEoG Spillover Thread Tweet This Topic

Who is online