Comments on: Iraq, Chateaubriand, and the Festival of Our Freedom http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/ A Journal of Jewish Thought and Opinion Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:51:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michael http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53281 Michael Sun, 02 Apr 2006 09:31:36 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53281 Successful democracies with multiple religions force religious groups to moderate themselves. The most common means are soldiers or tax collectors, depending on the circumstances. The current government in Iraq is not strong enough to impose itself using either means. References to an "Arab mentality" do not account for the failure. Successful democracies with multiple religions force religious groups to moderate themselves. The most common means are soldiers or tax collectors, depending on the circumstances. The current government in Iraq is not strong enough to impose itself using either means. References to an “Arab mentality” do not account for the failure.

]]> By: Yitzchok Adlerstein http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53278 Yitzchok Adlerstein Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:38:31 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53278 I think that Sharansky would argue that it is characteristic of successful democracies that their religions find ways of moderating themselves. Religions within democracies find ways in which they can assert their specialness while still living in harmony with very different faiths. Don't hold your breath regarding Iraq. Democracy and the Arab mentality simply do not have a meeting ground I think that Sharansky would argue that it is characteristic of
successful democracies that their religions find ways of moderating
themselves. Religions within democracies find ways in which they
can assert their specialness while still living in harmony with
very different faiths.

Don’t hold your breath regarding Iraq. Democracy and the Arab
mentality simply do not have a meeting ground

]]> By: Seth Gordon http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53253 Seth Gordon Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:54:00 +0000 http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2006/03/30/iraq-chateaubriand-and-the-festival-of-our-freedom/#comment-53253 <blockquote>Freedom does not mean license, but the ability to be what we are at our core, to actualize our true selves.</blockquote> I suspect that many Iraqi insurgents agree with you on this point. They only dispute with one another on whether "to actualize our true selves" is to practice the Sunni or Shi`ite variety of Islam.

Freedom does not mean license, but the ability to be what we are at our core, to actualize our true selves.

I suspect that many Iraqi insurgents agree with you on this point. They only dispute with one another on whether “to actualize our true selves” is to practice the Sunni or Shi`ite variety of Islam.

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