Pirates me hearties, pirates!

[kandrathe]

So, uh, that might not solve our problem.

Sure it does. There is some debate, and that ages old debate will not be resolved through our sophistry, as cerebral as we might be. While it is helpful in debate to define what we mean when we say "Western Mentality', it becomes increasingly fruitless to try to point out all the alternative meanings or prejudices of the word "Western". In this case, it means as derived from Greek philosophy, especially the notions of the ethics of citizenship and individual rights. "Western Mentality" in this case is that idea that a civil society is sewn together by the rule of law, rather than the rule of the ruthless.

When (radical) Islamicists outline their war against the "Western Mentality", it might mean the prevalent pop culture, hedonistic excesses, profanity, vulgarity and the propensity for young starlets to be photographed intoxicated and without proper under garments. Or, the war might be against the philosophy of freedom that Pete described. It is probably both, in that while preaching the morality of the first, the real agenda is the latter, that is, the ages old desire by sectarian totalitarians to control the morality and lives of everyone. To me it seems that Sharia law is very effective if punishing many morality crimes (esp. women's crimes), however absent when reigning in the thefts and murders perpetrated by say these Somali pirates against non-muslims. I reject a legal system that at its core, does not guarantee that all individuals are treated equally, which is a distinctly "Western" concept.