Until the voice of peace is loud among Muslims -- strident calls rebuking in the severest manner acts of random terror, rebuking ABSOLUTELY the killing of Americans and Jews, it is most unwise and a provocation of more bloodshed to host s State Dinner in celebration of Ramadan.
There are signficant Christian groups vociferous in protesting the war on Iraq. There are significant Jewish groups vociferous in defending the Palestinians.
Before 9/11, if some fringe Chirstian neo-Crusader group had flown 747's into the crowd on pilgrimmage at Mecca, there would be a whole and total uproar from every Chistian assembly in rebuke of that act and foreswearing mightily against such terror. It would be continuous, loud, all-over and long-lasting.
Where has been the Muslim uproar against the terror of 9/11? It simply HAS NOT BEEN. What we have heard instead is massive silence and some celebration. The disclaimers -- a few -- TOO FEW!
Mr. Bush's celebration of Ramadan is the vice of honoring the corrupt, the violent. Not all Muslims are violent -- there are among them some of the most peaceable people in the world. But those people are not heard, that sentiment of peace is missing from the concept of modern Muslim popular religion.
Until the Muslims, themselves, make that desire for peace manifest, loud, rising in popularity, there can be no truck with that religion. It must be shunned, outcast.
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There are a few prominent on FR who bash those who would speak as I have. And they waste no time to do so. Why?
Because they have made Mr. Bush a Catholic, in fact, the Pope. They have made him infallible. Beyond any disagreement towards his policies. To question policy dogma of the Papal President Bush -- why some even claim that is heresy! TREASON!
No man is infallible, and each of us needs and should welcome the proper and honest rebuke from our fellows. We should feel very uncomfortable around flatterers. And people who call a man, even a good man, infalliable are one of the most damnable type of flatterers.
I agree...the silence from the Muslim-Americans has been deafening.
"Mr. Bush's celebration of Ramadan is the vice of honoring the corrupt, the violent."
I disagree, but I understand yer sentiment.
"Not all Muslims are violent -- there are among them some of the most peaceable people in the world. But those people are not heard, that sentiment of peace is missing from the concept of modern Muslim popular religion. Until the Muslims, themselves, make that desire for peace manifest, loud, rising in popularity, there can be no truck with that religion. It must be shunned, outcast."
If you do that, you play right into the Islamic-fanatics hands by making this a Holy War on both sides, wherein presently there is only one side waging a holy war. The ability to maintain a separation between the Islamo-Fascists and the mainstream Muslims is key to winning this War On Terrorism over the long run. Celebrating Ramadan is but one way to signal to the Muslim-American community just how blatant the Good Versus Evil dichotomy is in this war.
FReegards...MUD