This is an excellent post, Juan. Thank you. What I would like to read from you is a similar analysis of who is gaining in the West from whipping up fears about ISIL?
I am heartened by the increasing awareness about climate change that will hopefully translate to ever-greater action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate the effects of what is now "baked into" the Earth system. For anyone who cares about effectively communicating about climate change, I highly recommend a recent book by George Marshall, Don't Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change.
Precisely! Western media and government reactions to these beheadings seem totally out of scale. No question these murders are horrific and certainly devastating for anyone who knows, loves, or cares about these individuals. Yet those killed had chosen to put themselves in harm's way, UNLIKE the many, many innocents and civilians who have been murdered since 2003 by all sides in the conflicts. ISIS has discovered a highly, highly useful tool to inflame Western media, governments, and populations.
Enjoyed this column today, Juan. It gives me hope for reconciliation between Iran and the U.S. Have you read the recent articles about Iran by Sharmine Narwani in Al Akhbar English? She provides views and insights we are not getting anywhere in the U.S. MSM.
I agree! But what are quite notably in short supply are faces of black Americans. MUCH more work to be done to encourage African Americans to pursue studies in the fields of math,science, and engineering. And here's a wish: that our country invested as heavily in studying the oceans--which are essentially the life support system of our planet earth--as it invests in NASA to go to Mars.
This is an excellent post, Juan. Thank you. What I would like to read from you is a similar analysis of who is gaining in the West from whipping up fears about ISIL?
I am heartened by the increasing awareness about climate change that will hopefully translate to ever-greater action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate the effects of what is now "baked into" the Earth system. For anyone who cares about effectively communicating about climate change, I highly recommend a recent book by George Marshall, Don't Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change.
Precisely! Western media and government reactions to these beheadings seem totally out of scale. No question these murders are horrific and certainly devastating for anyone who knows, loves, or cares about these individuals. Yet those killed had chosen to put themselves in harm's way, UNLIKE the many, many innocents and civilians who have been murdered since 2003 by all sides in the conflicts. ISIS has discovered a highly, highly useful tool to inflame Western media, governments, and populations.
Wow--what terrific writing. Thank you, Ann Jones, for this piece. I will seek out more of your work. And thank you, Juan Cole, for re-posting it.
Enjoyed this column today, Juan. It gives me hope for reconciliation between Iran and the U.S. Have you read the recent articles about Iran by Sharmine Narwani in Al Akhbar English? She provides views and insights we are not getting anywhere in the U.S. MSM.
I agree! But what are quite notably in short supply are faces of black Americans. MUCH more work to be done to encourage African Americans to pursue studies in the fields of math,science, and engineering. And here's a wish: that our country invested as heavily in studying the oceans--which are essentially the life support system of our planet earth--as it invests in NASA to go to Mars.