Thinking of HAMAS and Gaza, what do we represent to the muslim street?

Hint: It probably doesn't matter

HAMAS started as a project by the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt as the Muslim Brotherhood in 'palestine' in the 1987-88 time frame, was at first given the nod by the Israelis.

Why?
Because they concentrated on social services, direct charity, schools and religion. This increased the amount of 'order'. Today, of course, we know that they were teaching racist incitement to genocide as the ultimate 'point', and that all those characteristics mentioned as social goods were, in fact, designed to garner support for their real program, Islam via Jihad and Sharia. This program was no secret, they will tell you, and they are right.
But, never mind that now. It was all possible because to the street they were uncorrupted, religiously inspired HELP. REAL HELP.

This got me thinking about what we, and our govt represent, to US, let alone the big 'them'.

Every touch point I have with the federal govt means a not happy day. Taxes. Paperwork. Entanglements which drain productivity. Viewing mostly bad decisions. I really haven't asked the feds to do anything for me, or the state. Local I talk to, and they can't hide up here in rural Maine. When it's about the roads, schools or improvements they have to be responsive because they actually have to face us. But the federal govt as a touch point, and as the only lobe of govt which might touch the muslim street shows up with the joke 'Hi, we're from Washington and we're here to help you'.

So given that any touch (let alone a jdam touch) but the feds is going to be 'not good' how do we touch others?

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