Islamic extremists repeatedly do barbaric things and, frankly, Islamic countries don’t seem all the upset by it. They certainly aren’t standing up to decry suicide bombings as wrong, or homicidal rampages by gun-wielding lunatics as a problem. But this time, ISIS has managed to cross the line that honestly didn’t seem to exist – the one beyond which Muslim countries would condemn their actions, en masse.
They burnt a fellow Middle Eastern Muslim alive. And covered it up for a month, letting his countrymen believe he was still alive. For that, the King of Jordan and the rest of the Middle East have decided to hunt the guilty parties down like the vermin they are.
I was raised in the USA and learned about the horrors of places like Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Places where there were no rights, and no abuse was out of bounds to those with power. I believe in our system, and I believe in the Civil Rights we are guaranteed, as citizens, by our Constitution.
But I also believe in the Platinum Rule.
The Golden Rule is to treat others are you would be treated. The Platinum Rule is to treat others as they would be treated. Under the Golden Rule, my mother in law would get a spa day for Christmas. Under the Platinum Rule, she gets to go to the grocery store and spend as many hours as she likes checking out the produce. (Seriously, it makes her happy – don’t judge.)
Under the Platinum Rule, we should use the same rules to punish non-citizens as they would use on our citizens if they caught them. That seems fair to me. After all, our Constitution was intended to cover our citizens, not every person on the planet, and certainly not enemy combatants.
King Abdullah of Jordan is clearly preparing to attack them with great fury and vengeance – and not stop until they run out of bullets and fuel. They started by executing two ISIS members in retaliation, and didn’t stop there. Nor did they act alone.
But that’s not all! Hundreds of Muslims in Oslo demonstrated in support of Jews!
Perhaps, just perhaps, they have pushed so far that, no matter what the imams believe, basic humanity will come to the forefront and Muslims will actually condemn the extremists within their own ranks. Perhaps they will stop preaching hatred and start fighting evil.
A mom can dream, can’t she?
Whatever happens going forward, it is heartening to see the Middle East fighting back against some of these horrors committed in the name of Islam.
