Posted on 10/22/2002 11:27:59 PM PDT by alaskanfan
| For much of the last century, white Southerners were routinely (and rightly) taken to task for not speaking out against the violent actions of racists. For a time at least, the Klan seemed to be able to lynch and beat black men with impunity.
White Southern silence meant tacit approval to many. The South eventually left its racist past behind, but only when its politicians and community leaders spoke out aggressively against the hateful acts of white supremacists. Silence was no longer an option for the majority, for it became clear that the longer violence against blacks continued, the more likely it was that the rest of the country would think all white Southerners were KKK supporters.
Muslims worldwide face the same problem. In the last few weeks, Muslim terrorists killed nearly 200 in Bali, tried to kill more in Kuwait. But where were all the statements of condemnation from the Muslim "moderate" leadership? I heard not one. This, despite President Bush's oft-repeated reminder to the world that this is not a war against Islam and his visit to an Islamic Center just days after September 11th.
In the aftermath of the attacks on America, Muslims in the U.S. complained that they were being unfairly tarred by the acts of a few extremists. "Islam is a religion of peace," President Bush himself said the week after the attacks on America. Yet just as white Southerners couldn't shake their racist past so long as the Klan was still kicking, Muslims will find it difficult to shake its link to terrorism if al Qaeda continues to strike and Muslim leaders continue to say or do little.
More people are beginning to ask why the burden should be on America to prove to the world that we are a tolerant nation. The more appropriate formulation: after September 11th, the burden is on Muslims worldwide to demonstrate their intolerance for the terrorists.
They would want to say something soon. Time is running out.
Nathan Bedford Forrest was an early member but he turned against the Klan and ordered its dissolution when it became violent.
It was reconstituted in the early 20th century as an anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-Jew and anti-black organization.
It reached its peak with the 1921 march in Washington, but declined rapidly with revelations of internal corruption and immorality until it again became almost dormant.
The Klan then post-WW II it enjoyed another resurgance in opposition to the civil rights movement.
Now it's on the fringes again after having allied itself with the white-supremacist neo-Nazi and Christian Identity head cases — which incidentally have expressed solicarity with the Islamofascist terrorists.
oxymoron like ... "civilized" barbarians
I go to Mr. Sayyed's whenever I can and encourage everyone to visit.
Well...
One is working on modifying his temporary student visa, which expired.
The other is in the "empty quarter" of Saudi Arabia looking for his camel.
Next question?
I read it also and many of the comments were by those who proclaim to be a Christian. Many proclaim that statement without even a clue to what it means...Or perhaps they are'nt living according to the will of Christ.
It was a truly disgusting thread indeed, but please before you say it was "ALL done in the name of Christians" remember that's the kind of statements that the poster had to edure also.
I was kinda suspicious that he was a troll stirring up the muslim-haters though I didn't see that in his posts ( but that Ayn Rand reference was suspect).
But Jim's nose on these matters is far better than mind.
I was disgusted by the stupid hateful replies he recieved from a few. But encouraged by the cautiously welcoming replies of most.
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