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Taliban Begin Destruction of Ancient Buddha Statues (Sound Familiar?)

Jesse Booth said:
The statue, Katz. It's about them yanking down the statue in Durham, that's the joke.
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I can never tell what is a joke on the internet. I just figured a post trying to equate a confederate with buddha had to be a post from a moron.
 
Because Budda is totally equivalent to Robert E Lee.
 
Anyone find it funny, how whatever is topical and partisan, inevitably surfaces amongst the right wing conspiracy blogs as a "the left are al qaeda!!"
 
CMPancake said:
Because Budda is totally equivalent to Robert E Lee.
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I think you're missing the point. The Taliban are tearing down Buddha statues and symbols because they disagree with what they stand for. They're obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to the Taliban's way of thinking and therefore must go. Today with the confederate statues and symbol you have people who want all of them to come down because they disagree with what they stand for which can be many different things to many different people. The people who want the confederate icons torn down and discarded on the trash heap of history think they are obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to their way of thinking and therefore must go.

Same mindset, different symbols and icons. Both show no tolerance for other folks beliefs or wants, just an iron hand of destruction.

Besides, the Taliban can destroy all the Buddha statues and symbols it wants, but it won't do a thing to change what the Buddhist believe or shake their faith. Thinking destroying sysmbols can change what is in their hearts and minds is asinine.

The same applies to the confederate statues icons if you will, you can tear them down, feel good about yourself in so doing, but it won't change the heritage or the history that came before them. It won't change what is in each individual mind and heart outside of probably make them more steadfast and determined.
 
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Perotista said:
I think you're missing the point. The Taliban are tearing down Buddha statues and symbols because they disagree with what they stand for. They're obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to the Taliban's way of thinking and therefore must go. Today with the confederate statues and symbol you have people who want all of them to come down because they disagree with what they stand for which can be many different things to many different people. The people who want the confederate icons torn down and discarded on the trash heap of history think they are obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to their way of thinking and therefore must go.

Same mindset, different symbols and icons. Both show no tolerance for other folks beliefs or wants, just an iron hand of destruction.
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I was sickened by the destruction wrought by the Taliban. In a 2013 article entitled "The Fate of Cultural Property in Wartime: Why it Matters and What Should Be Done," WWII "Monuments Man" George Stout is referenced:

Stout explains the ethical importance of respecting cultural property. We should not protect ancient manuscripts and statues simply because they are beautiful or historic buildings of worship because they serve as a gathering place for the faithful; we must understand them to be part of the culture and history of a people. In a time in which Hitler was attempting to destroy a people and conquer many cultures, to show respect for the cultures and the symbols of others was to fight for the liberation of Europe in another, meaningful way. What's more, these objects do not belong solely to the people who cherish them. Stout argues that they also belong to "the heritage of mankind." This recognition that the symbols of one civilization are also part of the history of all mankind is an idea that has been further embraced and recognized post-World War II and has become an integral part of the ethical argument for protecting culture in conflict. https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/ethics_online/0085
 
Nobody else has mentioned it, but that article is from March 2001, and therefore old news indeed. Still, an insight into the behavior of theocracies.

The irony is that just a month later, in April 2001 Colin Powell hand-carried a check from the US government to the Taliban for their major cooperation in the US War On Drugs. From the stench of religious zealotry, did Colin hold his nose with one hand and deliver the check with the other? Likely not. By strict enforcement of Sharia Law, the Taliban had virtually eliminated Opium and Poppy production in Afghanistan. Dubya wanted to sweeten the pot for them.

Fortunately for those rogue agents within the CIA, the opium production of the country was restored to previous levels after the US invaded the country. My, my....
 
Perotista said:
I think you're missing the point. The Taliban are tearing down Buddha statues and symbols because they disagree with what they stand for. They're obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to the Taliban's way of thinking and therefore must go. Today with the confederate statues and symbol you have people who want all of them to come down because they disagree with what they stand for which can be many different things to many different people. The people who want the confederate icons torn down and discarded on the trash heap of history think they are obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to their way of thinking and therefore must go.

Same mindset, different symbols and icons. Both show no tolerance for other folks beliefs or wants, just an iron hand of destruction.

Besides, the Taliban can destroy all the Buddha statues and symbols it wants, but it won't do a thing to change what the Buddhist believe or shake their faith. Thinking destroying sysmbols can change what is in their hearts and minds is asinine.

The same applies to the confederate statues icons if you will, you can tear them down, feel good about yourself in so doing, but it won't change the heritage or the history that came before them. It won't change what is in each individual mind and heart outside of probably make them more steadfast and determined.
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Removing the Confederate monuments means that people of color will likely spit on them a whole lot less when they walk past them
 
Perotista said:
I think you're missing the point. The Taliban are tearing down Buddha statues and symbols because they disagree with what they stand for. They're obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to the Taliban's way of thinking and therefore must go. Today with the confederate statues and symbol you have people who want all of them to come down because they disagree with what they stand for which can be many different things to many different people. The people who want the confederate icons torn down and discarded on the trash heap of history think they are obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to their way of thinking and therefore must go.

Same mindset, different symbols and icons. Both show no tolerance for other folks beliefs or wants, just an iron hand of destruction.

Besides, the Taliban can destroy all the Buddha statues and symbols it wants, but it won't do a thing to change what the Buddhist believe or shake their faith. Thinking destroying sysmbols can change what is in their hearts and minds is asinine.

The same applies to the confederate statues icons if you will, you can tear them down, feel good about yourself in so doing, but it won't change the heritage or the history that came before them. It won't change what is in each individual mind and heart outside of probably make them more steadfast and determined.
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Actually, it will make it worse. I bet you'll see more confederate flags and symbols. You don't hit the "delete" button to an entire chapter of US history and expect people to go back to sleep.
 
chuckiechan said:
Actually, it will make it worse. I bet you'll see more confederate flags and symbols. You don't hit the "delete" button to an entire chapter of US history and expect people to go back to sleep.
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nobody is hitting the delete button. Civil people will always be willing to point out what morons confederate sympathizers are. your post is a lie.
 
Perotista said:
I think you're missing the point. The Taliban are tearing down Buddha statues and symbols because they disagree with what they stand for. They're obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to the Taliban's way of thinking and therefore must go. Today with the confederate statues and symbol you have people who want all of them to come down because they disagree with what they stand for which can be many different things to many different people. The people who want the confederate icons torn down and discarded on the trash heap of history think they are obnoxious, offensive and repulsive to their way of thinking and therefore must go.
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No, they're not really rationally comparable, and the Taliban did this back in 2001. They're not doing so now.
Same mindset, different symbols and icons. Both show no tolerance for other folks beliefs or wants, just an iron hand of destruction.
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No, not the same mindset. The statues are free to be displayed, people just don't want it done so on public land or with public money.
Besides, the Taliban can destroy all the Buddha statues and symbols it wants, but it won't do a thing to change what the Buddhist believe or shake their faith. Thinking destroying sysmbols can change what is in their hearts and minds is asinine.

The same applies to the confederate statues icons if you will, you can tear them down, feel good about yourself in so doing, but it won't change the heritage or the history that came before them. It won't change what is in each individual mind and heart outside of probably make them more steadfast and determined.
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The heritage behind Confederate statues is white supremacy, treason and, frankly, losing.

Removing such participation trophies to assauge wounded Southern pride and faux-gallantry and placing them in museums or on private property still allows those who cherish honoring treason to do so.

Just not on the public's dime.
 
nota bene said:
I was sickened by the destruction wrought by the Taliban. In a 2013 article entitled "The Fate of Cultural Property in Wartime: Why it Matters and What Should Be Done," WWII "Monuments Man" George Stout is referenced:

Stout explains the ethical importance of respecting cultural property. We should not protect ancient manuscripts and statues simply because they are beautiful or historic buildings of worship because they serve as a gathering place for the faithful; we must understand them to be part of the culture and history of a people. In a time in which Hitler was attempting to destroy a people and conquer many cultures, to show respect for the cultures and the symbols of others was to fight for the liberation of Europe in another, meaningful way. What's more, these objects do not belong solely to the people who cherish them. Stout argues that they also belong to "the heritage of mankind." This recognition that the symbols of one civilization are also part of the history of all mankind is an idea that has been further embraced and recognized post-World War II and has become an integral part of the ethical argument for protecting culture in conflict. https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/ethics_online/0085
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I pretty much agree. Mankind is destructive. For some reason there are those who expect all of humanity to march to the same drum beat and if they don't, they need to be forced to or destroyed. We call ourselves civilized, yet are bent on controlling other humans. The means vary. But there is a desire in most of us to control others, to make them do as we want them to do. To change their beliefs and the way they think.

What's the difference in trying to save or destroy a thousand, or two thousand year old Buddha statue in Afghanistan or a 150 year old Robert E. Lee statue in Virginia? The biggest difference is there are no Buddhist left in that almost 100% Muslim Country to complain or protest. Besides, those Buddhist residing in other countries really don't care. Buddhism is basically a peaceful and serene religion. They concentrate on one's inner self so to speak, gaining knowledge and practicing the eight fold path towards enlightenment. They belief that to end suffering one must ride oneself of attachments, to get rid of greed, craveness etc. There is also no will or want to force their way of thinking or their practice of religion on others.

Americans are completely different. We want everyone to think the same as us. To have the same beliefs, we become very intorerant of those who don't. We want to force our ideals, our so called moral standards on others. It's hard to realize and let be someone who thinks different, has a different point of view, has different values. If I believe a statue of Robert E. Lee is bad, then dang it, everyone else better believe that same identical thing. If not, I will either call them numerous names and find a way to force them into believing that statue is bad and destroy it.
 
Here is a question: if some people want to preserve the confederate statues, what is stopping these people from simply purchasing the statues and placing them in private property?
 
Perotista said:
I pretty much agree. Mankind is destructive. For some reason there are those who expect all of humanity to march to the same drum beat and if they don't, they need to be forced to or destroyed. We call ourselves civilized, yet are bent on controlling other humans. The means vary. But there is a desire in most of us to control others, to make them do as we want them to do. To change their beliefs and the way they think.
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About the Buddhas of Bayiman:

They were dynamited and destroyed in March 2001 by the Taliban, on orders from leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, after the Taliban government declared that they were idols. An envoy visiting the United States in the following weeks explained that they were destroyed to protest international aid exclusively reserved for statue maintenance while Afghanistan was experiencing famine, while the Afghan Foreign Minister claimed that the destruction was merely about carrying out Islamic religious iconoclasm. International opinion strongly condemned the destruction of the Buddhas, which in the following years was primarily viewed as an example of the extreme religious intolerance of the Taliban. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamiyan

To me, the destruction of antiquities is a horror. Trying to destroy history is a horror too, and it won't work. Shoving statues that commemorate the battles and the dead of the Civil War down the memory hole won't work either; if anything, I think it's going to inflame passions and create more resentment. Watching that Marxist girl climbing the NC statue and all her college buds cheering and kicking the statue (why didn't they throw shoes?) was awful. Shaking my head.
 
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