Muslim Troops' Loyalty a Delicate Question

Washington Post ^ | Nov. 2, 2003 | John Mintz and Gregory L. Vistica

[wtc911]

Interesting story but the woman in the scarf was right. This is America, she can wear what she wants, and should be able to do so without being questioned or challenged.

As for her husband's remarks...send him back.

[wtc911]

There are @ 17 muslim Chaplains in the Army. There are three Endorsing Agencies for them. One of the EAs is run by Taha Jabir Al alwani, who has strong ties to the other two. "Dr." Al Alwani is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Fed's case against Al Arian, the terrorist professor from U of South Fla.

EVERY MUSLIM CHAPLAIN in our Armed Forces was trained by and endorsed by an Iraqi who is currently being investigated for multiple terrorist ties.

[Alouette]

The question of whether a society like ours can tolerate a religion that doesn't tolerate other religions is no longer an academic question.

You started by relating an anecdote about a woman wearing an Islamic headscarf. I have no problem with women who voluntarily choose to adopt this mode of dress, anymore than I have a problem with Orthodox Jews wearing yarmulkes or Christian women of some sects who always wear dresses with long sleeves.

It becomes a social problem when women who do not wear burqas are assumed to be "fair game" for roving bands of Mohammedan sex criminals, as we see has become the norm in Australia, Norway and France.

[Aquinasfan]

The thing is that I have a problem with Mohammedans in American society. Logically, it's impossible to tolerate for very long a religion that doesn't tolerate other religions.

[Aquinasfan]

There's no glossing over it and we're seeing the effects played out around the world, and more recently a little closer to home.

Gloss-free bump.

[sheik yerbouty]

He would be arrested and tortured.

[dinok]

Our military allowed this while Christianity was not allowed to be practiced by our troops on Saudi soil. Sickening.

[Jack Black]

I think a better question is why the customer, appropos of apparently nothing, asked this stranger about her clothing. What concern is it of hers?

I've confronted people wearing 'Che' t-shirts and Nazi symbols on their clothes, telling them I think it's idiotic to wear that. If Islam is just another fascist ideology and the headscarf is it's symbol then shouldn't we speak to wearers of that just like we would to people wearing swastikas?

(Of course in part the answer depends on whether you believe in the current good islam / bad islam segmentation that our leaders are supporting) (Did some people think there were "good Nazis" in 1935? Probably not a fair comparison because the Nazis were a monolithic cult with a single charismatic leader. Islam, at this time, is not.)

[Stone Mountain]

I've confronted people wearing 'Che' t-shirts and Nazi symbols on their clothes, telling them I think it's idiotic to wear that. If Islam is just another fascist ideology and the headscarf is it's symbol then shouldn't we speak to wearers of that just like we would to people wearing swastikas?

While I'm not a fan of the Muslim religion at all, I don't believe that all of their adherents are terrorists or terrorist supporters. I certainly don't think a woman wearing a headscarf (which could be cultural as much as religious) should be put into the same category as someone who would wear a swastika.