thinking more.

Been thinking a bit more about Dean Esmay's article yesterday (see post below). How is it that the same people who think that the people of the Middle East can embrace democracy and join the civilized world (read: neocons) are somehow islamophobic, while those who think that Middle Easterners will never be able to behave responsibly and, therefore, we should just let them live the way they feel, no matter the consequences here and abroad, are somehow enlightened and progressive? Explain to me how understanding a culture entails accepting it, no matter how deep and severe the faults. We have a responsibility to understand Islam, but not to accept the political thuggery and despotic ordering of their societies which plagues them.