From United States Correspondent Gibbs Burke…

A fundamentalist I might be, but an extremist or terrorist I am not. I see no wrong in being a Fundamental Christian. Fundamentalism is in no way dangerous by definition, but rather it is the extremists who resort to physical actions that are the inherent danger to the public. If I am a fundamental Christian, then who do I side with on the philosophy of the sanctity of life? Do I choose the Democrats, who believe in the right to abortions, but are against the death penalty?  Or the Republicans, who believe in the death penalty, but are anti-abortion? A true fundamentalist would say that neither of these parties represents the Christian view point on life.

“While there are fundamentalist liberals, they restrict themselves to peaceful protests and intellectual pursuits, whereas fundamentalist conservatives choose to behave as if the current instance of government is not only inherently evil, but also requiring of childish behavior.” Fundamentalist liberals are in no way peaceful in nature. Three out of the four assassinated American Presidents were Republicans. For several years the FBI and Government agencies have listed the number one Domestic Terrorist group in the US to be P.E.T.A. In fact they declare that since 1990 Left-Wing Extremist have overtaken the Right-Wing Extremist in regards to Domestic Terror.

It was not too long ago that Fundamental Christians started a war that engulfed America for over a decade, and they weren’t Right-Wing extremist. I am talking about Democratic presidents John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic President, and Lyndon B. Johnson. The Vietnam War sparked tremendous controversy, which included violent and destructive demonstrations from fundamentalist liberals. It is no wonder that the same generation responsible for fundamentalist liberal activities are now the same generation responsible for fundamental Republican beliefs.

I am in no way defending bigotry, racism, or stupidity. You will not find me at a town meeting yelling, “Keep Government out of my Medicaid.” But do not create some Venn diagram that includes fundamental Christians as a sub-set to right-wing nut jobs. And do not make reference to the Constitution, for which fundamentalist liberals enjoyed the freedom of speech some fifty years ago, and then say that people like Glen Beck and others are not privy to it. 

We as American’s constantly play the blame game. We don’t blame the person for their actions we blame the environment, something, or someone else. We choose to make laws hindering rights, liberties, and freedoms for the masses to protect the few. We need not look else-where as a reason for an individual’s actions, but only at the individual themselves. Do not blame the gun, the speaker, the book, the religion, or the party, for the actions of an individual. The individual is solely responsible for their actions, and that is my fundamental point.

Fundamentalism, of any kind, is dangerous by definition, especially in an era where moderation, or possibly even some sense of liberalism, is prevalent in the majority.  With this in mind, it is supremely worrisome that there appears to be a resurgence of fundamentalism, and its cousin extremism, in various parts of the world – especially America.

Religion and politics are the most widely fundamentalist-tinged issues, and they are growing both in number and in voice, on both sides of the metaphorical divide.  Within religion, Christianity is the popular fundamentalist vehicle of choice for America, especially in the South, and it is a highly exclusionary and militant nuisance – similarly, political fundamentalism comes in flavors both conservative (e.g. Tea Baggers) and liberals (e.g. Environmentalists).  Interestingly, fundamentalist Christians are often also fundamentalist conservatives.

It is this trend of fundamentalism in America that is beginning to cause major, and worrisome, problems, ranging from death threats to politicians to inhospitable and argumentative discussions to general disregard for the validity of outside opinion.  While there are fundamentalist liberals, they restrict themselves to peaceful protests and intellectual pursuits, whereas fundamentalist conservatives choose to behave as if the current instance of government is not only inherently evil, but also requiring of childish behavior.  Strict, unwavering interpretations of less-than-clear text, such as the Constitution, is always, unequivocally unacceptable.

Abortion, immigration, taxes, and, oddly enough, healthcare, seem to inflame the fundamentalist conservatives to such a degree that the political process becomes all but inept – a clear sign that the behavior so entrenched with this group of people is destructive at best.  Applied to other areas of interest, such as Islam or communism, this fundamentalist approach is scorned and jeered by the very same people, giving no credence whatsoever to their cries of intolerance and sociopolitical theft.

If America is to once again have a functioning, valuable government, these fundamentalists must be reined in, at all costs, lest assassinations, domestic terrorism, or other horrifying, but entirely foreseeable, events occur. 

The first step in this process involves a change of behavior on behalf of the conservatives/Republicans that insist on conspiracy theories and inciting violence – not with the Democrats, who have behaved rather admirably in the face of extreme partisanship.  Whether this begins with the removal of propaganda commentators such as Glenn Beck or adjusting the attitudes of Congressional members such as Mitch McConnell is entirely up to their party, but the GOP’s likely inaction will inevitably result in political and urban disaster.

From Kyle Brady…

Kyle can be found on his blog, on Facebook, via email, or on Twitter.

Yemen is one of the most impoverished and religiously fundamentalist places on the planet. Its own government even understands the fact that urgent political and economic reforms are needed to fight the cancer that is al-Qaeda, slowly spreading throughout the nation. They recognize the fact that continued al-Qaeda militancy risks stability and will only bring problems to an already troubled country.

Poverty is conducive to an atmosphere of radicalization and with nearly half of all Yemenis living on $2 a day, millions of people feel alienated and disenfranchised. Roughly half the population is also illiterate and the nation recently ranked 182^nd out of 191 countries in general knowledge aptitude tests. In other words, Yemen is prime territory for al-Qaeda recruitment. Hopelessness, poverty and illiteracy are all hallmarks of those most often drawn into terrorism.

Following the December 25^th attempt to blow up an American Airline with 300 people on board, under pressure from both Saudi Arabia and the Unites States, the Yemen government officially declared war on al-Qaeda. The States and Saudi also happen to be Yemen’s two biggest donors. Al Qaeda aside, Yemen is also facing a nation wide water shortage, a secessionist movement in the south, and a Shiite Muslim revolt in the north. In other words, it is a country on the verge of both chaos and collapse.  

“The challenges in Yemen are growing and, if not addressed, risk threatening the stability of the country and broader region. The government of Yemen recognizes the urgent need to address these issues which will take sustained and focused engagement,” said a government statement.  

In an emergency interventionist meeting planned for this week, the G8 nations (Canada, the United States, Japan, Italy, France, the UK, Germany and Russia) the Gulf Cooperation Council (the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman) along with Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey will meet to discuss Yemen’s fragile and potentially hazardous state. United Nations representatives and officials from both the Word Bank and the IMF will also be present at the meeting set to take place in London. Security, health, education, and economic reform are expected to take center stage.

The attempted December 25 made the international community realize that if Yemen is left on its own, al Qaeda could transform the country into something along the lines of Somalia, the tiny nation’s lawless neighbor just across the Gulf of Aden.

From David Anthony Hohol…

Anyone who knows me or RELATIVITY OnLine knows full well we have done our part to criticize and confront the numerous instances of stereotypes, misinformation and propaganda  incorporated by the global powers that be in terms of the Middle East. This writer has gone to great lengths to expose Israel’s occupation of Palestine as a barely veiled attempt at ethic cleansing. We also have pointed out that groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda are in fact fueled by unjust, manipulative and / or misguided Western actions. In short, we have championed the cause of Arabs time and again.  Now, however, I must turn my critique towards the Muslim world. It is a place not known for tolerance of criticism, but criticism is necessary if it is to purge itself of the deadly cancer known as extremism. More importantly, it is a criticism that must be heard before its too late. Life and death weigh in the balance.        

Western actions, however unfair they may appear to be, are no excuse for the extremist violence seen in Iraq, Pakistan, or Afghanistan. There is zero excuse for blowing up hotels in Jordan, buildings in the United States, embassies in Kenya, trains in the United Kingdom, Night Clubs in Indonesia, Souks in Egypt, compounds in Saudi Arabia, subways in Spain, or Markets in India.  How is killing innocent men, women and children supposed to serve as payment for unjust Western policies and ignorance? How? These so-called Muslims, these so called defenders of Islam, target innocent people to make their so-called religious attacks. They are gutless cowards in every way someone can be. They are the great shame of Islam.  

Even more vile and insane are those who cold-bloodedly kill their own, the slaughtering of fellow Muslims in the name of God.  This is what makes them true monsters – they are not invading occupiers, but neighbors to those they kill and maim. Above all else, manipulating 14-year old children into sacrificing their lives before they have even had a chance to experience it is the epitome of cowardice evil.  Thousands upon thousands of innocent people have died in the mindless violence, with few ever really knowing why.

It’s time for the Muslim world to take a long look at itself in the mirror and be brutally honest with its own reflection. Some of the worst crimes against Muslims have been committed in the name of Islam by Muslims themselves. This is the reality Muslims have to both face and confront.  

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh in an address to nearly three million pilgrims in Mecca during last year’s Hajj raised this point at a time and place it never had been before. He harshly condemned extremist attacks in every way, calling such actions “the curse of Muslim lands.” He called extremism and suicide bombers the “most serious problem” facing the Muslim world. In other words, he looked the Muslim world in the eye and said out loud for everyone to hear that members of the Muslim Community itself are the biggest problem Islam faces today – not Israel, not the United States, but members of their own brethren.  The sad part is that few people even know the Grand Shiekh made these statements, and this includes Muslims themselves.

The very fact that a Muslim of his stature spoke such words, and at the Hajj address no less, reveals the Grand Sheikh’s acknowledgment that Muslims have to be the first to condemn extremism and to do so loudly.  Muslims the world over, be they politicians, presidents, academics, religious scholars, business leaders, or just ordinary everyday folk need to offer up a collective voice of condemnation so as to pull Islam out from under of the ugly light cast upon it by extremists. Islam needs its people to do what’s right, now more than ever before.

From David Anthony Hohol…

Muslims are all too often referred to as being radical, but some Muslims are referring to one of their own in such a manner these days. Hamza Yusuf, born Mark Hanson in Washington State in 1960, is an Islamic scholar and professor currently lecturing in California. Yusuf offers a more tolerant and open-minded perspective of Islam and one with which some conservative Muslims strongly disagree.  Famously quoted as saying “the worst enemies of Islam are not the Israelis, but  themselves” and claiming that “the real Muslim way is life is best found in the West,” he is seen by some as poisoning traditional Islamic values. Others see him as the future and the symbolic figure of a much needed Islamic reformation. You be the judge.

Religious radicalism is often attributed to the East. Brain-washing, extremism, indoctrination, marginalization of others, and learned hatred are time and again used to describe religions like Islam, amongst others, by the West. Extremism, however, is not indigenous to the Middle East. This is a clip from the highly controversial documentary “Jesus Camp,” a chilling reminder of how the perversion of any ideology, including religion, is tantamount to extremist mind-control. There are more of them out there than you think, and most especially in the United States of America. And let us not forget that George W. Bush is an evangelical Christian who often credits Jesus Christ with saving his life. No one can deny that the kind of thought process seen in this documentary influenced his now infamous administration.