HEADBUTT INSIGHT

WHEN WATCHING T.V.'S INSIDE EDITION I KNOW I'M BEING SUCKED INTO THE VORTEX OF INANITY. BUT HAVING NOT WATCHED THE WORLD CUP SOCCER'S FINAL MATCH, I GOT MY GLIMPSE OF FRENCH SOCCER STAR, ZINDANE'S FAUX PAS FROM SNIPPETS ON THE TUBE. IN REFLECTION, AN INSIGHT HIT ME. DOES THIS ACTION NOT CHARACTERIZE THE BASIC BEHAVIORAL FLAW IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE ARAB WORLD? PALESTINIANS CANNOT SHAKE THEIR HATRED OF ISRAELIS. AND VICE VERSA. SHITE MUSLIMS AND SUNNI MUSLIMS CANNOT DISCARD THEIR ANTIPATHY EITHER. WHAT DO THESE COMBATANTS CONTINUE TO DO? HEADBUTT EACH OTHER INTO OBLIVION. THEY LACK SELF-CONTROL, THE SELF-DISCIPLINE TO REFRAIN FROM ATTACK IN SPITE OF THE SIEGE OF AGE-OLD GRUDGES AND PREJUDICES. SELF-CONTROL ALSO ESCAPED ZINDANE. ONE FEELS COMPELLED TO WONDER IF ZINDANE'S ALGERIAN ROOTS DESCEND INTO ISLAM GIVEN HIS MUSLIM ANCESTRY.

THE HEADBUTTING INCIDENT SHOWS THE SELF-DESTRUCTIVE ROOTS OF ANCIENT HATREDS PLAYED OUT WITH A LACK OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. IT PROVED MORE POWERFUL THAT WINNING THE WORLD CUP. UNHARNESSED IT CONTINUES TO MANIFEST ITSELF AROUND THE GLOBE. AS AN ASIDE I NOTE THAT ISLAMIST TERRORISTS CONTINUE TO HEADBUTT THEIR INFIDEL ENEMIES.