Madeleine Albright, writing in the Huffington Post, summarizes conclusions she and 18 other former foreign ministers made last month in a meeting in Madrid — concerning “the relationship between the West and the Muslim World.” Her words, concerning overcoming ignorance and fear, it seems to me, apply also to the United States.
The work of reconciliation and problem solving is difficult under the best of circumstances, but is made worse when it is deliberately opposed. Albright says, “In almost every part of the globe, there continue to be people who have chosen — whether out of ignorance, fear, or ill will — to sow conflict where reconciliation is needed.”
When citing “Ignorance, fear, and ill will,” as motivation for fomenting conflict, Albright diplomatically omits the biggest motivation — self-interest.
Conflict often is fomented by individuals who seek to manipulate a situation for personal gain, money or power. This is true about the Israeli / Palestinian conflict. But is also true about United States politics. Think: Carl Rove.
In the United States, “sowing conflict” via intense propaganda has become an art form. And, it is amazing how effective propaganda can be. It is not accidental that million of Americans, apparently, have convinced themselves that they hate Nancy Polisi — not merely totally disagree with Nancy’s actions or point of view, but actually hate her. Hate her. Hate her because they have been told to hate her again and again by the media they listen to — Rush and Fox News, etc.
Hate is a a big motivator. Fear is a big motivator. Too often hate and fear are the result of a deliberate campaign of propaganda and manipulation. It has been always so throughout history. Those in power have often had a strategy of control that relied on keeping the less powerful ignorant and fearful.
Albright gives five recommendation to advance relationship between the West and the Muslim World.
As I read them, Albright’s recommendations (abbreviated below) also can help answer this key question: How, as a nation, can we overcome ignorance and fear and make our democracy work effectively to solve problems?
- We must be willing to conduct an honest self-examination that does not gloss over differences or duck hard issues.
- We must communicate better by eliminating from our vocabulary terms that recall past stereotypes or that reflect ignorance or disrespect.
- Neither Islam nor any other religious faith should be used to justify despotism or to validate the suppression of civil society.
- We must establish common ground.
- Finally, we should continue to expand business, scientific, academic, cultural and religious contacts that provide a social bridge connecting the Muslim world to non-Muslims in the West.
The fifth recommendation could be rewritten — for Muslim / non-Muslim — substituting, “liberal / conservative” or “Democrat / Republican.” etc.
Mike, your post is unbalanced. There are many liberals who hate conservatives and Republicans. Even though he was not conservative, President Bush was hated by an enormous number of liberals.
Is Rick’s post an example? One issue about what preserves conflict is that we always see what the other side is doing bad but not what our side is doing bad. Which is what Albright is talking about. Israelis can tell you what Palestinians did to them and vice versa. Indians and Pakistanis, Sunnis and Shiites, Serbs and Croats likewise. Albright says you need to start with self examination, and that is opposed to examination of your adversary. Likewise conservatives can tell you all the bad things done by liberals, sometimes dating back to being dissed by someone in college. So they dissed Nixon, Reagan or Bush, and the other side will talk about what the other side did with Carter, Clinton and now Obama. It becomes, “they do it to so we are going to do it better.” But where does that lead? I never can understand the campaign to make Pelosi a curse word. You may disagree with her and her legislation, or wish someone else held her job, but where does all this emotional content come from? If our politics is designed to stir up emotional loathing for the opponent, what good can that be? They can’t possibly be that bad. We can’t possibly be that virtuous. Someone may think that is how you win in politics, but you trash the human environment in the process. And ultimately the whole world, and the whole country, has to live together.
I read Ms albright’s column in the Huff’s Post and read her 5 recommendations completly different, Please check. Her first tool,as she called it, pertaind to a better understanding between the 3 major religions. Her third was Truth-coming from gov’t papers, religion, the media, and (especially most important to me) schools.
My own hoped-for ‘tool’ is the use of a disclaimer in schools whenever a god is discussed as in History classes. I would find it most brave and honest if a teacher would say before or after the pledge that no one knows who’s god is mentioned in the pledge.