Posted on 09/18/2001 5:13:39 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Edited on 04/22/2004 12:31:07 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
A point well taken, to which I would add that these warnings and outcries come primarily from the Muslim community itself, which has unfortunately become adept at distorting the concept of civil liberties.
GW has stated that terrorists strike, and then run and hide – but they are hiding in more than mountain caves: they are hiding behind our constitution, our media, our politically-motivated and self-serving elected officials, and the distorted concept of multi-culturalism which hyphenates another nation’s name before that of America. It is not a coincidence that the word “globalism” plays an essential part in American Islamic rhetoric.
A basic question, which has to be answered if we are to survive as a nation: Is Islam a religion, or a political movement? I believe it is the latter, even if there are “decent people” who manage to live by a more moderate interpretation of its religious tenets, and who do not harbor hate for non-Muslims. Unfortunately, I believe even these people are potential fodder for the hate machine, if only through close proximity.
This is not meant as inflammatory – we desperately need an honest, open dialog on this subject, if only to encourage those who can prove otherwise to do so – we need more than anecdotal reference to an individual here or there. The silence from the muslim community in America on this issue of where their loyalties lie has been deafening.
I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic, or if you really think that.
I'm not about to denounce the whole religion as evil. On the other hand, I'm not afraid to suggest that the way the religion is presently practiced in many parts of the world has major flaws, and is, at best, failing to discourage large numbers of followers from holding hateful views in its name.
Our culture embraces tolerance, but we are facing a culture ("Radical Islam") which absolutely abhors tolerance, and as a result, abhors our culture. It is not unreasonable to suggest that, for instance, Saudi Arabia's utter intolerance of religions other than Islam, subjugation of women, and prohibition of apostasy, are indicative of a culture which is wrong-headed. In my opinion, we are right to denounce such a culture; it does not make us "intolerant." Failure to denounce such a culture is defacto approval thereof.
So, is this article an all-inclusive condemnation?
``These acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith and it's important for my fellow Americans to understand that,'' Bush said. ``The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam.''
Well, that's the question, isn't it? Is violence, subjugation, intolerance foreign to true Islam? One would hope so. But, if that's the case, why is it the case that in virtually every country with a Muslim majority, there is persecution of religious minorities?
At minimum, I think it's fair to say that the imams need to do a better job of spreading the true faith.
This is very true, but one must keep in mind that radical Islamists do NOT want a peace accord with Israel. In fact, these are the people who assassinated Anwar Sadat for signing the Camp David Accords. The radical Palestinians are at their most dangerous when a cease-fire agreement is at hand.
It should also be understood that after the initial violence in Jos, the Muslim community rallied to help their Christian neighbors rebuild.
The threat from radical Islam is real, but this continual portrayal of "ALL MUSLIMS" as the enemy is inaccurate and ill-conceived.
Funny. I could have sworn the U.N. partitioned Palestine and created the secular, political state of Israel.
Agreed.
But why is it that this respect doesn't appear to be extended to those of the Christian community by the media?
We have not seen any media mogul demand that a Muslim leader from this country denounce its extremists, and yet the media has vehemently castigated Falwell and Robinson for their ill-timed comments. O'Reilly, who at times of crisis proves even more emphatically that he cares for nothing but ratings, last night insisted that a Christian leader publicly divorce her organization from Falwell's because of his comments.
If we must, in this time of crisis, give up our right to speak openly about Muslim fallacies, then why is not the same tolerance extended to those of other religious beliefs? We know that fundamentalist Christians have always believed the wrath of God will be visited upon us for what they percive as immorality, but this is suddenly treated not as merely inappropriate, but as subversive.
Per today's Wall St. Journal (Europe), it's only 90% of Muslims who are cheering the deaths of our countrymen.
It is not "hatred" to say that the survival of civilization depends today on eradicating radical Islam.
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