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xiphiasObama's argument is that releasing the photos of bin Laden would incite our enemies. I heard a Republican response that most of our enemies are already incited, so what's the difference.
Obama's right and the other folks are wrong.
We are in the middle of an ideological shift in the Middle East -- a wonderful one. The ideas of fundamentalism are somewhat waning, the ideas of democratic rule are somewhat waxing. This is a very delicate process. At a point of balance like this, there is a relatively small but absolutely critical population of people who could go either way. And what will make all the difference? Narrative, and imagery.
And there are few images as powerful and lasting as that of a religious leader violently killed by the enemies of that religion.
The stories themselves are powerful, and lasting. We Jews STILL haven't forgiven the Romans for killing Rabbi Akiva, for instance, and have ceremonies in which we recite the stories of how he and other rabbis -- who were executed for leading violent revolts against the Romans. Got that? The Roman Empire has been gone for fifteen centuries, and we STILL hold a grudge and would fight against them. Same with the Christians, who still revere THEIR Christian martyrs. Fifteen centuries, and the empire is GONE, but the image of these religious leaders violently killed still persists and influences our actions.
And visual depictions are even more powerful. What percentage of lasting Medieval art consists of images of the martyrdom of saints? I don't know who the heck Saint Sebastian was at ALL -- except that he apparently was the patron saint of pincushions. And that I'm supposed to be pissed off at whatever archery club he crossed.
But anybody who's a Christian should be aware of the epitome of the power of the visual representation of the enemies of a religious movement violently killing their leader. Many of you probably wear one.
Let's not give that to the fundamentalist Islamic-Dominionists right now, okay? The image WILL get out eventually, and it should at some point. But if it gets out NOW, it has the ability to transform into an icon of vast destructive power. The longer we wait, the less powerful the image becomes.
ESPECIALLY if the pro-democratic forces through the Middle East, and throughout the world, gain momentum.
Obama's right and the other folks are wrong.
We are in the middle of an ideological shift in the Middle East -- a wonderful one. The ideas of fundamentalism are somewhat waning, the ideas of democratic rule are somewhat waxing. This is a very delicate process. At a point of balance like this, there is a relatively small but absolutely critical population of people who could go either way. And what will make all the difference? Narrative, and imagery.
And there are few images as powerful and lasting as that of a religious leader violently killed by the enemies of that religion.
The stories themselves are powerful, and lasting. We Jews STILL haven't forgiven the Romans for killing Rabbi Akiva, for instance, and have ceremonies in which we recite the stories of how he and other rabbis -- who were executed for leading violent revolts against the Romans. Got that? The Roman Empire has been gone for fifteen centuries, and we STILL hold a grudge and would fight against them. Same with the Christians, who still revere THEIR Christian martyrs. Fifteen centuries, and the empire is GONE, but the image of these religious leaders violently killed still persists and influences our actions.
And visual depictions are even more powerful. What percentage of lasting Medieval art consists of images of the martyrdom of saints? I don't know who the heck Saint Sebastian was at ALL -- except that he apparently was the patron saint of pincushions. And that I'm supposed to be pissed off at whatever archery club he crossed.
But anybody who's a Christian should be aware of the epitome of the power of the visual representation of the enemies of a religious movement violently killing their leader. Many of you probably wear one.
Let's not give that to the fundamentalist Islamic-Dominionists right now, okay? The image WILL get out eventually, and it should at some point. But if it gets out NOW, it has the ability to transform into an icon of vast destructive power. The longer we wait, the less powerful the image becomes.
ESPECIALLY if the pro-democratic forces through the Middle East, and throughout the world, gain momentum.
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Date: 2011-05-07 07:31 pm (UTC)