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Don't prejudge Muslims (BARF ALERT)
Chicago Sun-Times letter to the editor ^ | 8/03/05 | M. Ali Khan

Posted on 08/03/2005 10:46:00 AM PDT by Chi-townChief

While I applaud the national ''Not in the Name of Islam'' campaign condemning terrorism, it is a sad commentary about America. Neither Christians nor Jews feel compelled to take out newspaper ads declaring their faith's innocence whenever acts of violence and extremism are carried out by individuals or groups who share their religion. And that's simply because we are enlightened enough as a nation to know that you can't condemn Christianity just because a few Christians committed the Oklahoma City bombing terrorism.

The Not in the Name of Islam campaign is being sponsored principally by Muslim Americans who immigrated to this country beginning in the '60s when Robert Kennedy declared that America's fight against racism included opening our shores to people of color. Knowing the atrocities committed against blacks in the name of Christianity, African-American Muslims feel no similar defensiveness about Islam.

But while all Muslims in America have felt the sting of stereotyping and discrimination since 9/11, the immigrant Muslim community has had to live in fear in this land where they have excelled as citizens. They have felt the full brunt of the war on terrorism: automatic suspects.

Thus, the Not in the Name of Islam campaign is really a plea. It's asking America to have the good and common sense not to judge an entire religion by the acts of a few. It's asking America in advance not to lose its cool if another terrorist attack should strike this nation -- as we shamefully did in locking down Japanese Americans in World War II. It's asking that religious prejudice not be in the name of protecting America.

M. Ali Khan, executive director, American Muslim Council, Lincoln Park


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: islam; islamicagenda; islamisevil; islamisnotareligion; muslim
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To: highball

I think there are quite a few moderate Muslims, but they have been largely intimidated into silence, or just otherwise angry at the West for a variety of reason, so they don't speak out as often as they should (fear and a desire for petty revenge; a winning combination!). We should be encouraging Muslims to speak out. And I think more will as time goes on. I'm expecting a major Shiite Sunni split soon.

But when I say McVeigh is not a true Christian, I really mean it. They are neo-nazis who espouse a few choice tidbits of Christianity and leave the rest as BS.


41 posted on 08/03/2005 12:09:25 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin
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To: mhking; rdb3

oh, you will find this SO entertaining...


42 posted on 08/03/2005 12:17:57 PM PDT by King Prout (and the Clinton Legacy continues: like Herpes, it is a gift that keeps on giving.)
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To: King Prout
The title alone made me say, "Whatever..."


43 posted on 08/03/2005 12:21:30 PM PDT by rdb3 (I once had a handle on life, but I broke it.)
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To: Alexander Rubin

I agree completely with you on both of your points.

I hope that we do see the Islamic split, and sooner rather than later. Let the moderates, the ones who can live in peace with the West, drive out into the open the radicals who won't.


44 posted on 08/03/2005 12:21:43 PM PDT by highball ("I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." -- Thomas Jefferson)
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To: rdb3

I shudder to imagine what the text made you say...


45 posted on 08/03/2005 12:29:54 PM PDT by King Prout (and the Clinton Legacy continues: like Herpes, it is a gift that keeps on giving.)
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To: Chi-townChief

46 posted on 08/03/2005 12:39:49 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: freebilly

If i recall there is some question who else was involved with the CHRISTIANS at Oklahoma City. Could it have been Iraqie inteligents? OOOH wait that would mean , yes you guessed it...Muslums.


47 posted on 08/03/2005 12:44:02 PM PDT by partyrepub
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To: EdReform; SJackson; yonif; Happy2BMe; Simcha7; American in Israel; Taiwan Bocks; ...
Recently, from a friend when we were discussing another issue:

"To try to keep it short you have to get them to acknowledge that the only way to know what a religion teaches is to read its authoritative documents. Then you can take them right to verses in the Koran that command Jihad - there are hundreds.

The answer to the question of how come so many Muslims don't engage in Jihad is simple. Jihad - and many other Islamic moral rules - conflict with God's laws which Paul tells us are written on the heart of all men (When the Gentiles do by nature...). To engage in Jihad, one must first become convinced of the teaching of Koran and Hadith that the only sure way for a Muslim to go to heaven is to die fighting for Allah.

A reader in Britain sent me a link to a site that is really helpful for showing people what Islam truly teaches. It is called Islam Q & A (for question and answer) and is done for Muslims by Muslims. Take a look at what it says about jihad at this page: http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&CR=309&dgn=4.

If that link doesn't work you can get there by going to www.islamqa.com. Click on English. Click on Islamic Politics in the lower right. Click on "Rulings on Jihaad (sic)" on the top right of the next page."




AMERICA AT WAR
At Salem the Soldier's Homepage ~
Honored member of FReeper Leapfrog's "Enemy of Islam" list.
Islam, a Religion of Peace®? Some links...  by backhoe

American Flag  British Flag

48 posted on 08/03/2005 12:51:40 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: EdReform; SJackson; yonif; Happy2BMe; Simcha7; American in Israel; Taiwan Bocks; ...
Recently, from a friend when we were discussing another issue:

"To try to keep it short you have to get them to acknowledge that the only way to know what a religion teaches is to read its authoritative documents. Then you can take them right to verses in the Koran that command Jihad - there are hundreds.

The answer to the question of how come so many Muslims don't engage in Jihad is simple. Jihad - and many other Islamic moral rules - conflict with God's laws which Paul tells us are written on the heart of all men (When the Gentiles do by nature...). To engage in Jihad, one must first become convinced of the teaching of Koran and Hadith that the only sure way for a Muslim to go to heaven is to die fighting for Allah.

A reader in Britain sent me a link to a site that is really helpful for showing people what Islam truly teaches. It is called Islam Q & A (for question and answer) and is done for Muslims by Muslims. Take a look at what it says about jihad at this page: http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&CR=309&dgn=4.

If that link doesn't work you can get there by going to www.islamqa.com. Click on English. Click on Islamic Politics in the lower right. Click on "Rulings on Jihaad (sic)" on the top right of the next page."




AMERICA AT WAR
At Salem the Soldier's Homepage ~
Honored member of FReeper Leapfrog's "Enemy of Islam" list.
Islam, a Religion of Peace®? Some links...  by backhoe

American Flag  British Flag

49 posted on 08/03/2005 12:51:48 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: Salem

Sorry for the double tap. My mouse has a hair trigger and I drink a lot of coffee.


50 posted on 08/03/2005 12:52:56 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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To: highball
McVeigh was not a Christian. He was an atheist. He never claimed to be acting on behalf of Christ or God.

Don't be a fool.

51 posted on 08/03/2005 1:24:59 PM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

..................

An old thread on stereotyping.

Throwing Stones at Jews is based in Ancient Islamic Ritual

52 posted on 08/03/2005 1:45:34 PM PDT by SJackson (America...thru dissent and protest lost the ability to mobilize a will to win, Col Bui Tin, PAVN)
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To: Chi-townChief
And that's simply because we are enlightened enough as a nation to know that you can't condemn Christianity just because a few Christians committed the Oklahoma City bombing terrorism.

McVeigh was pagan, not Christian.

Someone get this POS out of my country.....

53 posted on 08/03/2005 1:52:15 PM PDT by Bombardier ("Religion of Peace" my butt.....sell that snakeoil to someone who'll buy it!)
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To: freebilly

How about Eric Rudolph? Should we condemn all conservatives based on his actions?


54 posted on 08/03/2005 2:08:35 PM PDT by highball ("I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." -- Thomas Jefferson)
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To: highball

Give it a rest. You pull out examples of lone wolf nutbars who are disavowed by 99.9999% of people whose causes they claim to espouse.

Islamic extremists make up 10% of the Islamic faith and are supported by a minimum of 20% of Muslims worldwide.

When 10% of Christians, or 5%, or 2%, or 1% of born again Christians start committing crimes in the name of Christ let me know. Until then spread your agitprop elsewhere.


55 posted on 08/03/2005 2:13:44 PM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: freebilly


"Islamic extremists make up 10% of the Islamic faith and are supported by a minimum of 20% of Muslims worldwide. "


Where are you getting these numbers?


56 posted on 08/03/2005 2:48:36 PM PDT by zimdog
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To: zimdog

http://hnn.us/blogs/comments/11982.html


57 posted on 08/03/2005 2:55:07 PM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: zimdog

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/23/npoll23.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/23/ixnewstop.html


58 posted on 08/03/2005 2:57:09 PM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: zimdog

If anything, my #'s are conservative....


59 posted on 08/03/2005 2:57:39 PM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: Chi-townChief

Who's pre-judging? Muslims, unique among the worlds great religions, have a long history of violence. When is the last time anyone heard of Christians, Jews or Hindus going on a killing rampage lasting decades?


60 posted on 08/03/2005 3:28:39 PM PDT by Chuckster (Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoset)
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