Replies

I understand why you would fear for your lives as there is more than enough fear and bigotry in this country but I truly think the biggest problem may have been the silence.... In other words, Muslims do appear to be shy in publicly protesting and condemning those they believe have committed an injustice...

Would you consider a March on Washington where Muslims gather to declare your support of change through peaceful means to condemn the extremists that have shamed those that practice your faith... Your silence has been deafening...

I hear the words of the very articulate rep from Saudi Arabia who takes the position that it is not the way of practitioners of the faith to express themselves in public but I see protesters in the West Bank, in Baghdad, Tehran, and many other locations with regards to policies of the West...

I think there has to be more, though I believe significant progress has been made, of a willingness for all sides to be willing to do a little more honest self examination...

Even before 9/11 Muslims kept silent about how they lived they were here not to mix in with the US culture, I remember at the end of the nineties I was a Recruiter for High Tech companies looking for Programmers for Y2K projects we had so many Muslims here on work visas that wanted big money were arrogant and rude to there american counter-parts always downing Americans and the way they lived, were dis-respectful to women, they only kept quiet about how they really feel about this country after 9/11 out of fear.

As I am not Muslim, I can only tell you about the Muslims I know and know of. And yes, it would be nice to see a bit more public denouncement of terrorists from them, but I do understand their fear. I live in the Bible belt where simply not being Baptist causes distrust! (not kidding either!)
Not sure whether I would publicly draw attention to myself and my family's Muslim faith in the U.S. today. Just look at this thread for the reasons why.