Treat Muslims with Respect, Bush Says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) said on Monday that American Muslims must be treated with respect after last week's attacks, saying ``the face of terror is not the true faith of Islam.''

``In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect,'' Bush said, standing in his stocking feet in the Islamic Center of Washington, a mosque in the heart of the nation's capital.

The president said he had heard reports that some Muslim American women who veil themselves are afraid to go out, fearing they will be harassed following last Tuesday's attacks on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon (news - web sites).

Muslim American groups have reported a surge in anti-Muslim threats, harassment and assaults since the attacks.

``Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don't represent the best of America, they represent the worst of humankind and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior,'' Bush said.

The United States suspects Muslim militants of launching the attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which killed several hundred people and have left more than 5,000 people dead or missing.

``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.''

Respecting Muslim custom, Bush, his White House aides and Secret Service agents removed their shoes before entering the mosque, which sits in a leafy neighborhood of the nation's capital surrounded by embassies.

At one point, the president quoted a translated verse from the Koran, saying: ``In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil.''

Police in Dallas are investigating whether the weekend slaying of a Pakistani grocer was part of a string of backlash attacks against Muslims and Arab-Americans.

An Indian man running a gas station in Arizona was shot and killed on Saturday, prompting the Indian government to urge the United States to take steps to protect Sikhs, members of a religion based in northern India, in the United States.

Some people rise far above the roar of the masses.....and indeed Bush did again! Glad to be a WASP here in America and have esentially "easy living" in comparison to what some people are taking as we prepare to fight the toughest war we have ever enbarked upon. During WWII I wonder how many German's helped us out? Can you spell Oppenheimer? The people (and their families, whatever generation) who have became American citizens maybe the biggest factor in tracking the terrorist's down and helping us nuetralize the threat that is being thrust upon us. Please remember the terrorist is the enemy, not your neighbor who doesn't neccesarily look exactly like you. Furthermore, he maybe the person who helps erradicate the terrorist's. Agree with keeping both eyes open and killing the enemy - let's just make sure whoever aquires target first does score a hit for the good guys.

I haven’t looked at the other side, I have to admit American politics does not Its good to see such firm and clear leadership from your President.

The Terrorist who carried out this attack wanted to initiate a holy war, it just proves they do not understand the West, there are enough of us who can figure out the difference between a terrorist and those they claim to represent.

I have no hatred for the Catholic population of North Ireland even though I was wounded in a IRA attack and lost a couple of mates, nor did I ever see the Americans as anything else but natural allies even thought there were some who helped to finance and arm the IRA.

The terrorist will always strike out at you in the hope that when striking back innocent people will get hurt, and so create more recruits.

In Afghanistan there are those who hate the Arab and Pakistani backed Taliban oppressors and they will welcome any chance to rid them self’s of these so called Islamic parasites, that is where we should direct our energies not some sort of witch hunt at home.

God Bless America and Britain and all those who stand for decency.

Tony

I agree. Daniel Pipes wrote there is a difference between two types of Muslims: 1) integrationist Muslims who see no conflict between their religion and accepting coexistence with other faiths and the values of American society and 2) Islamist Nazis who believe Islam is the only belief to be tolerated, advocate and practice violence against other faiths and reject the values of American society and seek to overthrow our constitutional order.

Obviously, the President in his visit to a Washington mosque yesterday meant to draw Americans' attention to the first category of Muslims who are as much Americans as they are Muslims and we shouldn't discriminate against or hate people who do love this country and seek to practice their faith peacefully. The integration and identification of Muslims with this philosophy and with America deserves to be encouraged and strengthened. None of us have anything to gain and a lot to lose by turning it into a clash between religions which is exactly what the Islamist Nazis would like to see happen.

We will also see the government act severely against Islamist Nazis who are tempted to pervert the Islam integrationist Muslims pursue in this country in order to facilitate political extremism and perpetrate mayhem and mass murder, not to mention acting against the constitutional government that guarantees us all freedoms and rights. I would like to see President Bush stress such a campaign against Islamist Mazis in America and abroad is not a campaign against Islam but against the misuse of it to engage in terrorism and criminal conspiracy against this country and against freedom.

If we are wise and judicious in making it clear we recognize the difference between Muslims who abide by the law and accept their fellow citizens as equals and those Islamist Nazis who embrace political extremism and see Americans as adversaries to be exterminated, we will go a long way forwards to winning the war on terrorism. Not just for our own sakes and that of freedom but also for the benefit of Muslims terrorized by Islamist Nazis into abandoning the ethical precepts of their religion and carrying out mass slaughter of any one not prepared to convert to Islam as Islamist Nazis define it.

Indeed the stakes in this war go a lot higher than merely the question of whether America can be made secure from even more lethal forms of terrorism in the future. No less at issue is the direction Islam will go in the course of the next millenium. Should the Islamist Nazis prevail, the specter of a nuclear holocaust could very well become a reality sooner than later. Thus for the sake of America, for the future of integrationist Muslims, and the future of all peoples on this planet, it is vital that the Islamist Nazis and the brand of terrorism they've effected into action be defeated throughly and decisively. The future of the freedom of mankind depends upon the success of America in the war it is now being asked to win.

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