I want to weigh on the recent controversy regarding the King of Jordan and his action regarding ISIS after they executed one of nation’s pilots.
There are a large portion of conservatives praising the man and his actions. They are looking up to him and admiring his courageous actions as a leader of his people.
And then there is another contingent of conservatives who are criticizing the hero worship- or even any kind of admiration- of the King and saying that we have no business admiring a Muslim that ‘buddy’d up’ with the Muslim Brotherhood, or is a Monarch, or is a Muslim, ad-nauseum.
Look, I’m not a fan of making a big fan of bandwagon hero worship. It’s wrong and it’s misguided. But I’m also not a fan of dismissing someone because they don’t happen to be on your religious or political side. Wisdom, leadership and fine examples can come from anywhere.
For a good portion of us, it’s simply a matter of separating the man’s politics/religion from his actions. ‘A person is never just one thing’, as you might know
Do I want a King or do I think that a monarchy is viable as a way to rule? Of course I don’t think that.
Do I admire or do I wish to follow the tenets of the Koran and Islam? No, I do not.
Do I admire the King for buddying up to the Muslim Brotherhood? No, but I also have zero concept of the endless political realities that he has as the leader of his government and his people in the heart of the Middle East- and I really don’t think anyone else here, does, either.
Do I admire the Leadership that has been exhibited by the King of Jordan?
Hell Yes! I admire the man. He said something- and then he followed up on it. He sent his people into battle- decisively, I might add- and then he climbed into an aircraft to join them, regardless of if he piloted it or not, or if it was a transport or an aircraft used in battle.
To keep hammering at him because his politics, position, or personal title is not in agreement with one’s own particular outlook on the world seems to me to be kind of one-dimensional, especially when AS a leader, he exhibits the properties a Leader should exhibit. It is possible to admire a person one does not agree with an all aspects, or even ones direct opponent.
If we could stop being one-dimensional in the way we act, the way we think, and the way we view others, even our enemies!, we would have an easier time making things far better for everyone.
A Heathens Perspective 