US ambassador killed over a film

[eppie]

I think a main point that so many people overlook is that there are a number of societies in the Middle East that are built upon a power structure that is dependent on the majority of their citizens to be in a constant state of external blame. As long as focus is kept elsewhere, the people will not realize how poorly they are being treated by their leaderships, and will not focus internally to see how they are being taken advantage of. This goes on everywhere, by the way, to different extents. Something has to keep the proles in line. In America, we have TV, abortion debates, sports, and other distractions. In other countries, we have...hatred of other people and violent fundamentalism. Whatever works, right?

Blaming that on religion is, in my opinion, false. Religion is simply the tool used by the ruling elite; if religion were not available, it would be something else.

There are a few things playing here.
First as you say the problems are cultural, these kind of things are happening in countries that are not as developed as ours. If you see how christians behave in many 3rd world countries it is almost the same as muslims are doing in those countries (same rituals etc.) showing that this is a cultural thing. Add to that the fact that these people have much less to loose.

Ashock, you are not going around to riot because you can have fun behind your computer, and if not, without ever having done anything that gives you the eternal right to be living in western country than shear luck (like the rest of us) you can go out and eat yourself senseless on hamburger, go to the movies etc. etc.

If I were you I would (like me) worry a lot more about christian fundamentalists in western countries that have no excuse whatsoever of being extremists and in the mean time try to get rid of science.
Half of the population of the US are the same type of people as these protesters only they have their second religion which is consumption which most of the time is a bit more powerful.