'Hostage situation' portrays killers as Christians

[leatha_g 4]

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[Lap_dancer 8]

I'm not threatened at all in my faith by this excercise. In the arena in which it played out, it is no different than militant christians who blow up abortion clinics "in the name of God". To me, these people are no different than those who blow up things "in the name of Allah". The school's objective was the drill. The goal for training was to see response and reaction in the event there is a situation where students and staff are at-risk. The drill went well, the Super. reported a successful outcome so the goal was achieved. It has nothing to do with religion.

[Wheetsin 714]

I didn't really take it as a religious issue either. When they said a realistic scenario, I took it to mean the events that were unfolding - not the story behind it. It truly would not bother me if the same activity had been performed around a hypothetical group of atheists angry that the school allowed a bible club, because when they say "it's an accurate scenario" I would assume they were referring to the physical events of people coming into a school, eliciting the behaviors they will, and having consequences.

One thing kind of stood out to me though. ""The real story is that it has become acceptable to discriminate against Christians.." It was always acceptable to discriminate against non-christians. The degree to which that's true now depends on a few factors, but overall, in the US, it still happens. And it happens to all minority groups. Some portray that it has recently become acceptable to discriminate against Christians... but we have a history of it being acceptable to discriminate against non-Christians... I'm not finding the right words, but I think it's more "welcome to the club" or "how does that medicine taste" than "poor you". Are Christians some untouchable group that should never be discriminated against, when other faiths have been discriminated against all along, and still are?

[anonemouse 1]

I'll bet anything we wouldn't have heard a peep out of these folks if it were Muslims being protrayed as hostage-takers.

[lisah25 3]

I'll bet anything we wouldn't have heard a peep out of these folks if it were Muslims being protrayed as hostage-takers.

I thought the same thing actually. I wonder, what should the terrorists have been?

I think there are dangerous fanatics in EVERY group. From what I read, these weren't presented as just your every-day Christians, but fanatics.

[TommyO 5]

The world is not "ugly", just some of the people in it. All groups, sects, religions, creeds, colours etc. have members who are "ugly". There are some very terrible white males out in the world but when someone makes a movie or writes a book that depicts a white male in a negative light I do not take offence or assume that the intent is to imply all white males are bad.

I do not feel threatened by any negative depictions of white males so why would anyone be threatened by right wing fanatics being depicted in a negative fashion?

[lisah25 3]

Thanks for your feedback, ladies. I guess I just find it extremely sad that we have to name ANY group.

I agree with you there.

I think it's a sad state of affairs our world is in. I am saddened by it. But, you're right. I'm wrong. I deserve it. All Christians deserve it. I will remember that the next time I'm faced with a catastrophe and I want to call on help.

I think you are over-reacting to this. NO ONE said anytying about Christians deserving anything.

Please no one ever look to your local Christian community in times of need. (Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, explosions, floods, any matter of tragedy.) They're nothing but evil-doers. Ignorant, uneducated folks, all with AK47s waiting to mow down anyone who doesn't bend to their will. Their blankets probably have lice and their food shelters may all be tainted with arsenic..

No one said ALL Christians, or most, are like this. The article specified fanatics I believe. And guess what, even Christians sometimes do terrible things. Look at Fred Phelps. Most of us are smart enough to realize that this is an extreme. Most of us know good Christians, heck some of us even try to be that.

My best friend lost her monther at the end of January. Recently, I was part of a group of 25 people who spent a day working inside and out on her mom's house getting it ready to sell, most of whom are from our church. We had a blast. That's what I think of as Christian, not some made-up idiot who attacks a school in a make-believe scenerio.

Thanks again. I've been Enlightened. I really must have lead a sheltered life. I really, honestly had no idea this world was so ugly.

I'm much more saddened that our world is such that we have to have such drills, regardless of the details used.

[lisah25 3]

I still don't see anything that says all christians deserve something.

I agree that Christians aren't untouchable.

[Wheetsin 714]

You deeply misunderstood, or twisted, what I said. I never said christians deserve "something" negative. I truly don't understand the logic behind it "being acceptable to discriminate against christians."

If it had pointed out that all perpetrators were atheists, no one who was an athiest would like it.

I already stated that it wouldn't have bothered me, because I don't equate the accurate scenario representing the characters and background story, as much as I do it equating the sequence of events. Obviously I didn't make the comment, so I cannot begin to guess what the speaker's intentions were. I can only speak for my interpretation.

But, you're right. I'm wrong. I deserve it. All Christians deserve it.

Why does it have to be "right" and "wrong"? Why would "all christians" even come into play?

[green 6]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55024

I'll leave the link for those who want to read this article, but I'm deleting the full article. It's really not worth discussing or having anyone's feelings hurt over.

It actually is as tasteless as it would have been had the so-called crazed killers in the excercise been described as Islamic fanatics. We have, and rightfully so, decided that thoughtlessly attacking minorities is a hands-off issue. It seems to me that we must grant all groups the same respect if we are to ask from them that they show respect to others.

[mousecrazy 2]

Thank you, green.

It is so refreshing to find rational thought.

[mousecrazy 2]

I have not researched this, but I bet someone will (or has...or will want to):

How many people have been killed in right-wing bomber attacks on abortion clinics?

How many people have been killed when "things have been blown up" in the name of Allah?

I am not seeing the equivalency.

[Davyna 0]

I don't see why they had to drag religion into this situation at all. They could have easily created a hostage situation that had nothing to do with religion.

[mousecrazy 2]

I agree. I believe that was Leatha's point...it's the "acceptable" politically correct target of bigotry these days.

[Lap_dancer 8]

I'll bet anything we wouldn't have heard a peep out of these folks if it were Muslims being protrayed as hostage-takers.

Exactly. That is the disturbing part. I know a woman who is Islamic and she was my intern for a semester. We became quite close, she graduated and then married someone within her faith. A few years later they had an adorable little boy and had moved north where her husband could begin his medical practice. Then 9-11 happened. SHE had not experience anything directly but her family had. They were staying quite close together with obvious fear they would be targeted for a hate crime. I cannot imagine living like that day after day. I felt like that on September 11 for being an American and it didn't waiver my patriotism one ounce but it did give me a taste of what it is like to be the target of hate based solely on your culture or religion.