I found this while reading the comment thread on an editorial. The editorial itself isn't too remarkable, but the commenter who left this little historical quiz clearly has a razor-sharp wit that is worth sharing.
I believe he is trying to argue that violent Islamicist radicalism is a problem that has historical patterns . . . and that terrorist acts may have a common thread instead of being simply random, unconnected, isolated incidents. I post this while bracing myself for accusations that I am an "Islamophobe." (And no, I'm not arguing for profiling per se.)
The events listed are from past very recent history. They actually happened Do you remember?
1. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by: a. Olga Korbut b. Sitting Bull c. Arnold Schwartzenegger d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
2. In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by: a. Lost Norwegians b. Elvis c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.
3. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by: a. John Dillinger b. The King of Sweden c. The Boy Scouts d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
4. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by: a. A pizza delivery boy b. Pee Wee Herman c. Kylie Minogue d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
5. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by: a. The Smurfs b. Davy Jones & The Monkees c. The Little Mermaid d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
6. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by: a. Captain Kidd b. Charles Lindberg c. Mother Teresa d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
7. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by: a. Scooby Doo b. The Tooth Fairy c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
8. In 1993 the World Trade Centre was bombed the first time by: a. Meatloaf b. Grandma Moses c. Michael Jordan d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
9. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by: a. Tarzan b. Hillary Clinton (to distract attention from Wild Bill' s women problems) c. The World Wrestling Federation d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
10. On 11 September 2001 four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted to a crash by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by: a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd b. The Supreme Court of Florida c. Mr. Bean d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
11. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against: a. Lawrence of Arabia b. The Lutheran Church c. The NFL d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
12. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by: a. Bonny and Clyde b. Ned Kelly c. Billy Graham d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
13. In 2002 the Sari Nightclub in Kuta Beach, Bali, was blown up killing 189 young mainly Australian tourists by: a . The "Bundy" Polar Bear b. Ho Chi Minh c. Paul Keating d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
14. In July 2004, three London Underground trains and one London Bus were suicide bombed by: a. The Spice Girls b. The Beatles c. The Four Tops d. 4 'British' Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 |
What do you think? No, I don't think I'm being anti-anybody by posting this. I posted this in part because there is an issue of historical remembrance at play here. I've noticed that history, even recent history, is quickly forgotten . . . and we would do well to recall historical facts. (I do mean FACTS. No wacky conspiracy theories, please.)
links: digg this del.icio.us technorati reddit