If we ask moderate Muslims to speak out against extremism, then we should, too.
In my travels, I’ve seen some of the worst of Islam: theocratic mullahs oppressing people in Iran; girls kept out of school in Afghanistan in the name of religion; girls subjected to genital mutilation in Africa in the name of Islam; warlords in Yemen and Sudan who wield AK-47s and claim to be doing God’s bidding.
But I’ve also seen the exact opposite: Muslim aid workers in Afghanistan who risk their lives to educate girls; a Pakistani imam who shelters rape victims; Muslim leaders who campaign against female genital mutilation and note that it is not really an Islamic practice; Pakistani Muslims who stand up for oppressed Christians and Hindus; and above all, the innumerable Muslim aid workers in Congo, Darfur, Bangladesh and so many other parts of the world who are inspired by the Koran to risk their lives to help others. Those Muslims have helped keep me alive, and they set a standard of compassion, peacefulness and altruism that we should all emulate.
I’m sickened when I hear such gentle souls lumped in with Qaeda terrorists, and when I hear the faith they hold sacred excoriated and mocked. To them and to others smeared, I apologize.
outdoor338 wrote: you mean like Sharpton, Rev Wright, and Jackson?
As far as I know, they aren't Muslim. Try again.
If you're saying they're are extremists and should be spoken out against, I would agree. But they are criticized as individuals. Muslims are criticized as a religion. Get the difference?
I have no idea what you were trying to say. "they should have spoken against it" "they sure act as such".
They are not in my party, nor are they my leaders. I don't vote the party. I am not an ideologue. I vote the candidate. I vote for Democrats, Republican and Independents.
This is where you tell us how the November elections are going to turn out.
To be fair and balanced in my response to this, I made sure that I read the complete opinion piece Wayne. It was warm and fuzzy about those Muslims that he had encountered in his travels that were normal every day moderate Muslims, and I respect that. I do not think the author made a point by referring to Black, Jews and Asian-Americans, and then only proving his statement by referring to Japanese invading Pearl Harbor and us interring Japanese Americans. Unfortunately he didn't explain why he listed Jews, as if they had come to this country and slaughtered thousands. Being as it was from the N.Y. Times, and extremely leftist leaning Main Stream media, and considering it is but one person's expression of sorrow to the Muslim Faith, I personally need more confirmation of this so-called Religion of Peace, considering that I have taken the time to read the Koran.
I feel that the same concern that caused us to inter the Japanese people during WW!! exists still today. The problem of not being able to tell the good from the bad, simply by looking at the person. Unless the so called moderate Muslim world is willing to stand up to its own radical extremists, there is no way to solve the problem. Since they don't seem to want to do exactly that we seem to have a major problem. I, for one, am not willing to let the writer of this piece, talk for me. I'm just saying--
As is applies to me when I post something that is contentious, so I am positive, you are expecting responses that you don't agree with.
Some would suggest that we be "self-loathers", similar to the extreme left.
I remember on 9-12-01 a radio disk jockey on KHOW saying that maybe we brought on the attack of the twin towers. That opinion is self-loathing that any left winger would be proud to condone.
Sometimes a person can be so open-minded that their brains fall out.
Message to Muslims: show us that you are different. Speak up to your fellow brethren and call them terrorists. Report to the authorities those among you who are terrorists. Stand up to the bullies among you.
Here is something wayne from your peace loving muslims:
BAGHDAD (Sept. 19) -- Three car bombs tore through Baghdad and the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah Sunday, killing at least 36 people. The blasts in the capital were so powerful they sheared the sides off buildings and left streets choked with chunks of rubble.
It was the worst violence since the U.S. military dropped to 50,000 troops in Iraq and formally declared an end to combat operations on Sept. 1, saying Iraqi forces were up to the task of protecting their own country.
major bean wrote: Some would suggest that we be "self-loathers", similar to the extreme left.
I remember on 9-12-01 a radio disk jockey on KHOW saying that maybe we brought on the attack of the twin towers. That opinion is self-loathing that any left winger would be proud to condone.
Sometimes a person can be so open-minded that their brains fall out.
Message to Muslims: show us that you are different. Speak up to your fellow brethren and call them terrorists. Report to the authorities those among you who are terrorists. Stand up to the bullies among you.
Maybe when they show a little respect to the families in NYC who do not want the "community center" built near Ground Zero we'll have something to talk about.
Maybe when they're forthright about who's funding their so-called community center we'll have something to talk about.
Maybe when the imam takes back his hate-speech when he said America was partially to blame for 9/11 we'll have something to talk about.
Maybe when the imam takes back his statement that NYC mosque site is not 'hallowed ground' we'll have something to talk about.
Maybe when they show tolerance of other religions we'll have something to talk about.
Maybe when they call off the death threat against the Seattle journalist we'll have something to talk about.
Wayne Harrison wrote: If we ask moderate Muslims to speak out against extremism, then we should, too.
In my travels, I’ve seen some of the worst of Islam: theocratic mullahs oppressing people in Iran; girls kept out of school in Afghanistan in the name of religion; girls subjected to genital mutilation in Africa in the name of Islam; warlords in Yemen and Sudan who wield AK-47s and claim to be doing God’s bidding.
But I’ve also seen the exact opposite: Muslim aid workers in Afghanistan who risk their lives to educate girls; a Pakistani imam who shelters rape victims; Muslim leaders who campaign against female genital mutilation and note that it is not really an Islamic practice; Pakistani Muslims who stand up for oppressed Christians and Hindus; and above all, the innumerable Muslim aid workers in Congo, Darfur, Bangladesh and so many other parts of the world who are inspired by the Koran to risk their lives to help others. Those Muslims have helped keep me alive, and they set a standard of compassion, peacefulness and altruism that we should all emulate.
I’m sickened when I hear such gentle souls lumped in with Qaeda terrorists, and when I hear the faith they hold sacred excoriated and mocked. To them and to others smeared, I apologize.
