Futurebird has touched upon a common philosophical
quandry. What is more important? An
action, or the
motivations behind an action? The
cynic in me would say that neither is particularly important, but the
tragedy is only in the minds of those who perceive it. True, priceless
artifacts of
incalculable worth were destroyed in the name of
hate and
ignorance (and social control), but the
spirit that those artifacts embodied embraces by letting go.
Of course, I'm not attacking Futurebird's assertion that the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan
was a tragedy, I'm merely pointing out that there's a more relaxing way of looking at it. They wasted their ammunition on something that couldn't be destroyed given unlimited firepower and time.
Things that exist only have worth because of things that do not exist.