Reply #40: It's a thought ramble from Hitchens, without much of a thesis [View All]

[struggle4progress]

Rauf's supposed "sinister belief that the United States was partially responsible for 9/11" probably refers to a rather more complicated and defensible statement

One should certainly take the view that it is shocking and indefensible to pilot civilian planes into buildings with the aim of killing innocent people; and one should certainly take the further view that anyone supporting such acts suffers from grave and dangerous psychological disorders

Nevertheless, for complete understanding, one might want to inquire into the context carefully, in order to determine what factor contribute to the motivating psychological disorders. Personal issues, of course, deserve attention, since everyone bears responsibility for his/her own behaviors. But there is a long history of less-than-pure US foreign policy and covert action that might credibly contribute to circumstances and reactions encouraging such ugly behavior

If, over a number of years, I were to spit on my neighbor's daughter, poison his cat, deface his shrubbery, and make harassing phone calls to his house at 2 AM, no one sane would hold him innocent if he snapped one day and firebombed my house, nor could anyone say I deserved that -- but almost everyone would think it quite possible that my behavior contributed somewhat to the outcome. Any number of concrete steps might be needed to prevent future firebombings in the neighborhood, but it certainly can't hurt at all to ask people to consider treating their neighbors with ordinary decency

This is not a terribly difficult point to understand, though many rightwingers have managed never to understand it and instead since forever cry "blaming the victim" whenever the point is made. And it is typical of Hitchens that he cannot understand the point, either