Category: Americas, Life & Society Views: 6476
6476
Confounding Patriotism and Bigotry in Post 9/11 America
A patriot is "one who loves, supports, and defends one's country." A bigot, on the other hand, is "one who is strongly partial to one's own group religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ," says the American Heritage dictionary. The difference between the two is obvious and enormous: Patriotism is borne out of love and generosity towards the country to which a person belongs, while bigotry is borne out of hate and a mean-spirited attitude towards those who are different.
The clear difference can be easily obscured when defending one's country includes fighting an enemy whose identity is broadly and loosely delineated, and when that identity is defined in religious and racial terms
9/11 attacks presented America with a real threat that required an appropriate response to defend the homeland against a ruthless enemy. The identity of the attackers was pined down, and the whole world learned that the terrorists who carried out the brutal attacks were Arabs and Muslims.
Armed with these facts, bigots sprang to work, hiding their hateful and mean-spirited design against Islam and Muslims under the garment of patriotism. Rather than calling for inter-religious and inter-racial unity against religious fanaticism, the bigots advocated hate, religious and racial discrimination, and the violation of the civil liberties of American Muslims. Never mind that none of the terrorists who carried 9/11 attacks were American, hate mongers insist on treating all Arab and Muslim Americans as potential terrorists. The bigots turned the war on terror into a war on Islam. Islam has to be fought on the pretense that it forms the ground of the terrorist impulse, and on the false claim that the Quran is the source of violence and hate.
The line between patriotism and bigotry has been crossed, in the last two years, too frequently and at all levels of the American society.
When Army Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, the deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, tells church gatherings in reference to a Muslim militant leader in Somalia "I knew that my God was bigger than his; I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol," and is allowed to keep his job, the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and we end up with Abu Ghuraib scandal.
When John Ashcroft, US attorney General, contends that "Islam is a religion in which God requires you to send your son to die for him," while "Christianity is a faith in which God sends his son to die for you," the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and we end up with massive detention and deportation of thousands of innocent Muslim immigrants.
When Washington Times, a leading newspaper, publishes an article by Sam Harris, entitled "Mired in a Religious War," that declares Islam the enemy, and openly advocates an all-out war on Islam and Muslims, the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and bigotry and intolerance are elevated into an acceptable national discourse.
When reputed evangelist leaders such as Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, and John Vine describe Islam as "wicked, violent and not of the same god," and call the Prophet of Islam a "terrorist " and "Pedophile," and are allowed to get away with it, the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and America is degraded.
When sweeping laws designed to undermine constitutional protections are enacted without congressional debate, given the title of "Patriot Act," and used to smear main stream American Muslim organizations and law-abiding Muslim individuals and leaders, the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and we end up alienating a community crucial for the success of the war on terrorism.
When the military accuses Capt. James Yee, a dedicated Muslim Chaplain and West View graduate, of spying, and orders his incarceration in a maximum security facility, but fail to provide any evidence to back up these serious charges, the line between patriotism and bigotry is crossed, and the trust in the military's commitment to diversity and due process is undermined.
Defending one's country is not about protecting a piece of real estate, but protecting the values upon which the country is found, and protecting the people who espouse and perpetuate those values. True and genuine patriotism requires that one defend the freedom and dignity of one's fellow citizens regardless of their racial and religious affiliation. Those who limit their sense of patriotism to defending the freedom of specific religious and racial groups, while attacking the civil liberties and questioning the patriotism of those who do not share their religion, race, or political orientation are undoubtedly the real bigots.
Dr. Louay M. Safi is Executive Director of ISNA Leadership Development Center (ILDC), Plainfield, Indiana. He also serves on the board of several leading Muslim organizations, including the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), the Islamic Horizons, and the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS).
Category: Americas, Life & Society
Views: 6476
Views: 6476
Older Comments:
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Mr. D'Alhamd, thank you brother for the referrals! Alhamdulilah! I did not know this. It is sad to say but true that in fact I know very little about my Iroqois background, and only recently about my Hungarian roots. My grandfather, who was Hungarian, always tried to claim that he was German, for some reason (needless to say, he didn't look German). My Grandmother was the one who was descended from the Iroqois (indeed, from Natives who lived on Manhatten Island since time immemorial). I must tell you, she was a good woman, the very model of piety and devotion (you know, she wrote a term paper on Prophet Muhammad back in the 30's. Can you imagine?).
I am also Sicilian. I'm sure that you know this already, but at one time Sicily was 50% Muslim, and was very similar to Andalusia in its culture. The Muslims did much to amplify the livelihood of the Sicilians (both Marsala and Mafia come from Arabic root words): they brought lemon trees, pistachios, excellant architecture and awesome poetry. Interestingly enough, my family has a recipe for pesto (that's a Italian dish) that calls for the use of pistachios instead of the far more common pine-nuts. Hmmm. Cause for thinking there.
Anyway, may Allah give baraka (blessing, yes? I'm new, I hope I said that right) to you and your family, Mr.D'Alhamd. Inshallah, I'll see your posts here more.
-Idris
I am also Sicilian. I'm sure that you know this already, but at one time Sicily was 50% Muslim, and was very similar to Andalusia in its culture. The Muslims did much to amplify the livelihood of the Sicilians (both Marsala and Mafia come from Arabic root words): they brought lemon trees, pistachios, excellant architecture and awesome poetry. Interestingly enough, my family has a recipe for pesto (that's a Italian dish) that calls for the use of pistachios instead of the far more common pine-nuts. Hmmm. Cause for thinking there.
Anyway, may Allah give baraka (blessing, yes? I'm new, I hope I said that right) to you and your family, Mr.D'Alhamd. Inshallah, I'll see your posts here more.
-Idris
2005-02-09
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
Idris brother, you have Islamic roots in America, my friend. Check out on the web, "Muslims in pre-Columbian Americas", you will find out that Muslims emmigrated to America around the year 996. We have a scholar and a book writer here in Toronto, Abdallah Quick, he is Native American and made an awsome research on early Muslims in America. We have in southern Ontario a nation called, Algoma(al-Juma in North African accent), native settlement on the name of Medina that grew today to a small town. We have river on the native name of Husein. Man, just do a google search and embrace your Native-American Islamic heritage! The Natives are Mongolian tribes coming from Siberia, across the frozen straight between Asia and Alaska. The Hungarians are Mongolians, they originate from central Siberia wherefrom they spread maybe to Korea and Europe, they call themselves Magyar, which is a Chinese term, Ma=horse, gyar or jar=people/nation. Roughly, the Riding nation or the people of the horse. Many of the Magyar tribes were Muslim but they were forced to Christianity being enclaved in a Catholic sea, thus Stephan was their first Christian king. However you can find their Islamic heritage in even their names, Zoltan=Sultan, Bella=Bilal, Aladar=Ala'id-Dar, Imre=Imran,etc. Do your homework, Idris, and you'll be surprised of how small the world was.
Peace now and take care!
Peace now and take care!
2005-02-08
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Hudd: we agree. Thanks for the clarification, sir. I also have run into similar (almost comical) incidences where people assume because of my appearance that I am a Christian. Of course, when they learn the truth, they are very quick to see me in a very different light. I also look Caucasian with traces of Mongolian (I am part Iroqois and Hungarian, you may not know this, but the Huns originally came from Korea); that said, I most certainly do not look like the Northern Europeans. It's a shame really, and a legacy of European colonialism that we find these ridiculous rascist identities that have been foisted upon us by the oppressor to even be important enought to talk about.
You are right Mr. D'Alhamd. I'm Muslim, that's all that matters.
Also, I guess the reason why I brought up the superheroes was that the White folk in question do no (in the States, at least) see the Jews as white. Along with Italians and other Mediterranean peoples (Arabs included) they are seen as a sort of 'probationary' white person. That is, they are white when Blacks and Asians are around. They are not white when they are not. Stupid and silly, I know, but that's how those people are.
Alhamdulilah! Allahu Akbar! Thank you Allah for saving me from those folks and delivering me here to the one, true deen.
You are right Mr. D'Alhamd. I'm Muslim, that's all that matters.
Also, I guess the reason why I brought up the superheroes was that the White folk in question do no (in the States, at least) see the Jews as white. Along with Italians and other Mediterranean peoples (Arabs included) they are seen as a sort of 'probationary' white person. That is, they are white when Blacks and Asians are around. They are not white when they are not. Stupid and silly, I know, but that's how those people are.
Alhamdulilah! Allahu Akbar! Thank you Allah for saving me from those folks and delivering me here to the one, true deen.
2005-02-07
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
Idris this is for your second response. I didn't want to be accurate, but the heroes I mentioned, aliens or not they are white. That they were created by Jews? What's your point? Did ever a Jew in USA believe himself, declared himself, ticked himself other than white? In the forms you have boxes to tick for race, white, black, american indian, asian, polynesian and middle eastern. Is there a box for Jewish? Will a Jew identify himself as Asian? So, what's your point Idris? I did not count these characters as an examplification of the theory I presented. I just mentioned them as tools for propagating the "white" culture, if you will, since none of these heroes are black or have black friends or relations. Idris, don't try to undermine what I say, believe me that I know the best and the worst of both worlds, if I didn't choose the best example to illustrate my point, you are an intelligent man(I hope) and figure it out without the need for lengthy and boring desertations on white supremacy syndrome present in the Western societies. Darn it, Idris, are you blind or you have another agenda? We, non-whites(even though we are Caucassian), regardless of religion and culture we all suffered and still suffer at the hands of the "whites"! Is this a too complicated concept for you to comprehand?
Bottom line. White is not a synonim of Caucassian, namely: all whites are Caucassian, but not all Caucassian are whites. A Muslim can be Caucassian, even a Caucassian belonging to the white culture, however by becoming a Muslim he might share in the white culture but not in her ideology. He/she is a Muslim, having his/her own specific culture and the common ideology(way of life) of Islam. In Germany, I was invited for Oktober Fest at a grassroot German Muslim family. I was very curious how are they going to "Islamize" this pagan beer guzzling festival of the Fall?! They had grilled beef smoked-sausages, saurkraut, smooth mustard and Clausthaller non-alcoholic beer to wash it down.
Bottom line. White is not a synonim of Caucassian, namely: all whites are Caucassian, but not all Caucassian are whites. A Muslim can be Caucassian, even a Caucassian belonging to the white culture, however by becoming a Muslim he might share in the white culture but not in her ideology. He/she is a Muslim, having his/her own specific culture and the common ideology(way of life) of Islam. In Germany, I was invited for Oktober Fest at a grassroot German Muslim family. I was very curious how are they going to "Islamize" this pagan beer guzzling festival of the Fall?! They had grilled beef smoked-sausages, saurkraut, smooth mustard and Clausthaller non-alcoholic beer to wash it down.
2005-02-07
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
Idris, let me answer your first reply to my posting. I understand your problem with white and black, it is so typical of America. We, Muslims didn't have this problem before, however now more and more I sense racial comments from my Muslim brothers and that is unacceptable for a Muslim to practice. However, I am mostly Caucassian in race with traces of Mongolian. I look a white dude. Sometimes I talk to "white folks" in the neighbourhood and they talk to me freely without reservation. Then somehow comes out that I was Muslim. Attitude changes, he/she says, "I thought you were white, you don't look Muslim." Vice versa, I talk to some new Muslim neighbours from Asian sub-continent, they also think I was "white folk", when they realized I was Muslim they exclaimed, "I thought you were white, you don't look Muslim." You notice, both Muslim and "white folk" had the same pattern of thought. Now, that's scary! It leaves me in limbo. Question arises, what am I? And what am I projecting? But then again, wisdom comes to me(might be the age), what do I really care? That people are prejudiced, that they assume, that they are stereotyping? I know what I am and that's important. I am no "white folk", and thus I do not bear the responssibility for their crimes, I am a Muslim and yes I am associated with everything bad that claimed to be Muslim. This latter indictement I am ready to accept. I remember when the state gave me in the care of the church, as a minor(being orphaned), I was told by the priest, "You chose to be destitute instead of fortunate by refusing baptismal!" Well, it is my choice to be a destitute(Muslim), but I rather be this than a fortunate criminal. All I'm saying is that not all Christians are necessarily blessed and not all Muslims are inescapably cursed. Idris, white means the imperialists that subjugated the whole world to their own selfish profit. .... It's just a way of saying, "Us and Them." Be cool!
2005-02-07
IDRIS FROM USA said:
P.S. Hudd, on a more whimsical note concerning super-heroes, you couldn't be more wrong. Superman was created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, both Jews. Superman's Kyptonian name is Kal-El. El. Recognize it? You should, it's a Hebrew God-Name,cognate with Ilah, and derived from the same Semitic root word for God. Superman's people practiced a strict form of monotheism and their name for the One God was Rao. Their primary prophet was Noah. All fictional, I know, but it's interesting nonetheless. Also, if he was the Aryan ideal, I'm sure he would have blonde hair and blue eyes, not black hair.
Spiderman (along with the Hulk, X-Men and Fantastic Four) was created by Stan Lee (real name Stan Leiber), who is also Jewish. Spiderman also has dark hair, and is not 6'0 as you say, but is slight in build and height (about 5'8 or so, I'd say). You may be interested to know that Marvel Comics has come out with an Indian version.
Even Captain America, who is decidedly "aryan" in appearance (blonde hair, blue eyes) was created by Jack Kriby, another Jew. What is more, he spends his time fighting Nazis.
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee also created the first black super-hero, the Black Panther, in the pages of the Fantastic Four.
Of course, the poly-ethnicity of the X-Men (another Kirby/Lee collaboration) is well known.
I'm not sure why you picked super-heroes to embody the white superiority complex, maybe because the movies are so popular, but really, I think you'll find that comics are very liberal concerning issues of race, religion, nationality, etc.
I hope this was helpful.
Spiderman (along with the Hulk, X-Men and Fantastic Four) was created by Stan Lee (real name Stan Leiber), who is also Jewish. Spiderman also has dark hair, and is not 6'0 as you say, but is slight in build and height (about 5'8 or so, I'd say). You may be interested to know that Marvel Comics has come out with an Indian version.
Even Captain America, who is decidedly "aryan" in appearance (blonde hair, blue eyes) was created by Jack Kriby, another Jew. What is more, he spends his time fighting Nazis.
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee also created the first black super-hero, the Black Panther, in the pages of the Fantastic Four.
Of course, the poly-ethnicity of the X-Men (another Kirby/Lee collaboration) is well known.
I'm not sure why you picked super-heroes to embody the white superiority complex, maybe because the movies are so popular, but really, I think you'll find that comics are very liberal concerning issues of race, religion, nationality, etc.
I hope this was helpful.
2005-02-06
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Hudd: points taken. Sorry, I'm new to the deen. You're right about the ridiculously narrow definitions of race put on the rest of us by the English.
I think that my real point is that we shouldn't mention race (e.g. busting on whitey) pejoratively as they (the English and their American heirs) have done. Two wrongs don't make a right. For good or for ill, many there are who identify themselves as 'white people' or 'caucasians'. Maybe these definitions are artificial, maybe not, but the fact of the matter is that many who may consider Islam as an option for their faith will be put off by comments that are derogatory to 'white people'.
I'm not trying to argue with you, brother, I see your point and, Inshallah, I agree with you. But please try to see my side of things; how can I ever hope to bring Europeans or their descendents to the deen if they feel they are not welcome?
I've seen people post things against white folk here before, plenty of times. And I have seen non-Muslim white people respond that they came here in the spirit of understanding, only to be put off by the comments they read. That is wrong.
I think that my real point is that we shouldn't mention race (e.g. busting on whitey) pejoratively as they (the English and their American heirs) have done. Two wrongs don't make a right. For good or for ill, many there are who identify themselves as 'white people' or 'caucasians'. Maybe these definitions are artificial, maybe not, but the fact of the matter is that many who may consider Islam as an option for their faith will be put off by comments that are derogatory to 'white people'.
I'm not trying to argue with you, brother, I see your point and, Inshallah, I agree with you. But please try to see my side of things; how can I ever hope to bring Europeans or their descendents to the deen if they feel they are not welcome?
I've seen people post things against white folk here before, plenty of times. And I have seen non-Muslim white people respond that they came here in the spirit of understanding, only to be put off by the comments they read. That is wrong.
2005-02-06
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
Idris, you take it easy, dude. What's wrong with you? Are you white? I thought you were Muslim! Stop defending the whites and the whites wanna be, like you mentioned, Albanians, Bosnians, etc. I know, sadly enough, many of the Balkan Muslims are whites! Now, let me educate you, brother. There are four races, Caucassian, Negroid, Mongolian, and Polynesian. There are many cultures, White, Black, Jewish, Latino, Native, Aboriginal, Arab, etc. When one becomes a true Muslim, he/she is nothing else but a Muslim, he/she abolishes all cultures in order to become a member of one Ummah. Let me quote Shaikh Ahmad Deedat from my former residence, Durban South Africa: "According to my race, I am a Caucassian, being of Arya ancestry from India, I should be White, but because Islam is my destiny I am rather a Semite. Since being Muslim is subsequently being Arab, the history and traditions of early Islam are Arab and thus Semitic.
New entry for you Idris, "Who are the Semitic people? In ancient times, many, nowadays they are restricted to 4: Hebraic(the Jews), Assyrian(the majority of the native Christians in the Middle East), Arabian(the majority of the Muslims in the Middle East), and last but not least, Amharic(the main ethnic group of Ethiopia). That's the reason why is so very retarded to say about the Arabs or Muslims that they were anti-semitic?! By association, every Muslim, regardless of his race, is a Semite!
Last entry, Idris, White is a culture of the Anglo-Saxon subrace of the European Caucassians who established an ideology of a narrow subrace supremacy(their own) of people looking a certain way with a very narrow spectrum of tolerance from the ideal. Ideal prototype of White man, blond, blue-eyed, translucent pigment-challenged skin, at least 6 foot tall and having extraordinary physical aptitudes(Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Crapman). If you belong to this culture Idris, I feel sorry for you. Indeed in Islam there are no races or subcultures, we are one Love!
New entry for you Idris, "Who are the Semitic people? In ancient times, many, nowadays they are restricted to 4: Hebraic(the Jews), Assyrian(the majority of the native Christians in the Middle East), Arabian(the majority of the Muslims in the Middle East), and last but not least, Amharic(the main ethnic group of Ethiopia). That's the reason why is so very retarded to say about the Arabs or Muslims that they were anti-semitic?! By association, every Muslim, regardless of his race, is a Semite!
Last entry, Idris, White is a culture of the Anglo-Saxon subrace of the European Caucassians who established an ideology of a narrow subrace supremacy(their own) of people looking a certain way with a very narrow spectrum of tolerance from the ideal. Ideal prototype of White man, blond, blue-eyed, translucent pigment-challenged skin, at least 6 foot tall and having extraordinary physical aptitudes(Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Crapman). If you belong to this culture Idris, I feel sorry for you. Indeed in Islam there are no races or subcultures, we are one Love!
2005-02-05
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Khaled, take it easy dude. Not all whites are like that; I'm a white guy and so are a lot of my brothers in the Umma who are Bosnian, Albanian, or homegrown Muslims like me.
2005-02-05
NASIR MUNIR FROM USA said:
Oligarchic systems are necessarily bigoted. Any surprise?
2005-02-04
Z. HASSOUN FROM CANADA said:
In response to Fabio's comment. It certainly takes courage to admit that we were wrong. I admire your honesty and your compassion: If more of us looked inward and sought the truth for ourselves rather than relying on the norms that we grow up with...perhaps we would be better human being.
2005-02-03
KHALED MOHAMED FROM USA said:
It is very true what you have said Dr. Louay M. Safi. Bigotry has become a common practice in the US these days. I call these people who practice bigotry RACISTS. Until recent history, the Whites of the US were enslaving people of color and treating them better than they have treated their dogs. It is not true that These Whites go back to Who they really are!!! RACISTS...
2005-02-02
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Ken, I, for one, appreciate your presence here. I hope you change your mind and hang out some more.
2005-02-01
KEN FROM USA said:
Looks like I step on some toe, not my intent. I read Islamicity to try and understand your side. But I can see some of your readers are upset by opposing views. I will go in peace and pray that God will bless you.
2005-02-01
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Ken Please Read: Look, you can't just quote things out of context like that. It's not fair and what is more, to do so is a form of untruth because it is deliberatly misleading. The truth will make itself known, because that is the nature of Truth (Al-Haqq, if my Arabic is right) as Allah Subhana Wa Ta'Ala made it.
My friend, I am a convert to Islam. And I have to tell you, I never would have converted to Islam if it were indeed the religion of hate, intolerance and violence that many believe it to be. You must understand that these perceptions are just that, perceptions, and they are not the reality, but the result of fear and loathing between cultures that do not have open dialogue between one another. When this occurs, people demonize each other, and this invariably leads to things like invading countries 'pre-emptively'to instill the doctrines that one believes to be the right ones (you can't have democracy from the end of a gun barrel, but that's a topic for another day).
Islam is very simple, really: we believe in one God, and worship Him and Him alone do we worship, we believe that He is without partner, He neither begets nor is begotten. In other words, we are strict monotheists. We pray 5 times a day to maintain constant rapport and awareness of our Creator. We also believe that giving to the poor is obligatory. We also believe that one should make the pilgrimage to Mecca. It's that simple, quite frankly. I mean, is there more to it than that? Perhaps so, but these are the Pillars of our Faith. Where is the violence in that? Did you know that compulsion to covnert to Islam is forbidden? It is. Did you know that we have a much better record of equanimity between religions than the Christians (especially the Western Christians) did? It is so. Look-Ken, I'm not attacking you, I understand if you have misconceptions about Islam, all I ask is that you be fair to us and yourself and do a little more research. You might like what you find.
Peace.
My friend, I am a convert to Islam. And I have to tell you, I never would have converted to Islam if it were indeed the religion of hate, intolerance and violence that many believe it to be. You must understand that these perceptions are just that, perceptions, and they are not the reality, but the result of fear and loathing between cultures that do not have open dialogue between one another. When this occurs, people demonize each other, and this invariably leads to things like invading countries 'pre-emptively'to instill the doctrines that one believes to be the right ones (you can't have democracy from the end of a gun barrel, but that's a topic for another day).
Islam is very simple, really: we believe in one God, and worship Him and Him alone do we worship, we believe that He is without partner, He neither begets nor is begotten. In other words, we are strict monotheists. We pray 5 times a day to maintain constant rapport and awareness of our Creator. We also believe that giving to the poor is obligatory. We also believe that one should make the pilgrimage to Mecca. It's that simple, quite frankly. I mean, is there more to it than that? Perhaps so, but these are the Pillars of our Faith. Where is the violence in that? Did you know that compulsion to covnert to Islam is forbidden? It is. Did you know that we have a much better record of equanimity between religions than the Christians (especially the Western Christians) did? It is so. Look-Ken, I'm not attacking you, I understand if you have misconceptions about Islam, all I ask is that you be fair to us and yourself and do a little more research. You might like what you find.
Peace.
2005-02-01
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
This state od affairs stem from the fact that the Bush administration knows that they've commited unthinkable crimes against humanity in the Muslim world. They know that if an alien power would've done this to them, their retaliation would be formidable. They think, why don't the Islamists retaliate? Thus every Muslim, regardless of his political make-up becomes a terrorist liability for USA. It's a sad state of affairs, but not unfounded, and the cause stands with the US foreign policies and not with the ideologies of certain branches of Islam. I understand that a country must be safe and able to defend herself and control the inflow of immigrants. USA goes to an unprecedent extent in modern times to do just that. By targeting Muslims, USA puts herself in an unfavourable position with the almost 10 million US, Mexican and Canadian Muslims. Instead of targeting Muslims, why not targeting nationals? Even though many would be offended that have that ancestry. But it would be different if, Iraqis(citizens) or Iranian(citizens) would be the target not Muslims! If that would be the case, me and other North American Muslims would not feel alienated and although being citizens of either US or Canada, made by the US government feel like we were illegal immigrants and without status in these places. It's mean and fascist in nature! Like the message would be an old one of the Spanish Inquisition: Convert to Christianity or burn m.f.! Then we Muslims of North America will have peace in US? Or if irregardless of what crimes our governments are responsible we will defend their actions? Could any decent man do that, regardless of his religion? I guess not! Malcolm X couldn't, M.L.King couldn't, John Lennon couldn't, Tupak Shakur couldn't and they are all dead. Would the conversion be to American Fascism rather than grassroots Christianity? US, the land of the free became the land of the restricted, a nation terrorized by her own government into forced thought control and fear.
2005-02-01
HUDD D'ALHAMD FROM CANADA said:
Ken as the editors told you, you can't use parts of the Quran to make your uneducated point. You read that but you failed to read: "The closest to you from among the nations are the Christians, because they are compasionate and fond of knowledge." Or even better, "a true Muslim is a Christian(follower of Jesus) and a true Christian is a Muslim(follower of God)" And since Jesus was a prophet of God he taught about God's laws and mercy. The broken context you wrote stands for, "if they(anybody) wage war against you and turn you out of your houses and slaughter your people then fight them and turn them out of their habitations and kill them where you find them." This is the law of equality that was given to all prophets and which is the main law operating in every country of the world. An eye for an eye, a life for a life. This, however is different with USA, for her it is more like, a thousand eyes for an eye and a thousand lives for a life.
Ken, I am a Canadian Muslim, part of the growing North American brotherhood of Islam, don't make me your enemy or your killer for that matter. I wouldn't care less of your petty existence, why would I want to kill you for? Go about your miserable fears in your futile everyday struggle and hide in yourself since there is no place to hide. I am greatful to my country, Canada, that she doesn't share in a morbid paranoia of extremely fearful people. It takes courage to live in the North, my friend, and a great commitment to each other, regardless of our ethnicity or ancestry. There are 7 million Muslims in US and growing, Canada is filling in rapidly the mark of 10 million. Do you think in your feable mind that we plan your murder?
Stop spreading hate agains Muslims and supplant our faith. If you feared God, you would repent and ask for forgiveness. But, alas! Your lord is of the Abyss!
Peace out!
Ken, I am a Canadian Muslim, part of the growing North American brotherhood of Islam, don't make me your enemy or your killer for that matter. I wouldn't care less of your petty existence, why would I want to kill you for? Go about your miserable fears in your futile everyday struggle and hide in yourself since there is no place to hide. I am greatful to my country, Canada, that she doesn't share in a morbid paranoia of extremely fearful people. It takes courage to live in the North, my friend, and a great commitment to each other, regardless of our ethnicity or ancestry. There are 7 million Muslims in US and growing, Canada is filling in rapidly the mark of 10 million. Do you think in your feable mind that we plan your murder?
Stop spreading hate agains Muslims and supplant our faith. If you feared God, you would repent and ask for forgiveness. But, alas! Your lord is of the Abyss!
Peace out!
2005-02-01
SCOTT CAMERON FROM CANADA said:
Triathalon- Your comments show to be as intolerant as the individuals mentioned in the article! We, as Muslims, have to show the ignorant the error of their ways through our actions...something that is diffcult as the media chooses not to show this side of our faith(doesn't get good ratings!).
2005-01-31
AKBAR FROM USA said:
been living in US for over 20 years, knows the difference quite well umong ignorent and educated class Bigotry and more take or leave it but dont differ.
2005-01-31
YAHYA FROM USA said:
Triathlon,
I am sure that your well stated, thought out and balanced views have changed Michael's life, and he is now open to hearing our side of things. Just kdding. I was being sarcastic, in case you were wondering.
I am sure that your well stated, thought out and balanced views have changed Michael's life, and he is now open to hearing our side of things. Just kdding. I was being sarcastic, in case you were wondering.
2005-01-31
IDRIS FROM USA said:
Michael,
Please listen to reason: when you go down the road of rationalizing the prejudices of our leaders, you have to know where it ends: war and concentration camps. The comments made by Fallwell, Boykin and the others are wrong, period. No qmount of apologizing can ever make such inflammatory remarks right. They are even more reprehensible because they are made by those to whom others look for guidance, and thus their words carrry an inordinate amount of inlfuence. Where does leadership end and demagoguery begin, we might ask? Well, I submit that this takes palce when comments are made that are unsubstantiated, without cause and without merit.
I mean, think about it man, calling Muslims idolators? It's so far off the mark it'd be comical in its ignorance if its results weren't so tragic. We have to hold our leaders to a higher standard and they have to be held accountable for their statements for the very reason that everything they do and say produces very real repurcussions in the world. This can range from simple coffee time talk behind a co-worker's back or a war in Iraq.
As far as whether or not we would condemn someone for saying similar things about Christianity, nothing could be further from the truth. The Chistians and Jews are dhimmi, People of the Book, and are protected under Islamic law. We have a much better record of tolerance than the traidtionally Christian countries ever did (please note, there are Catholic monasteries open to this day in Syria. Henry VIII closed them in England almost 500 years ago). I mean, have you been reading this web-site at all? Articles have been posted all over about how our faiths are related, condmening the church bombings in Iraq, and yes, condemning what is going on in the Sudan, and much more besides.
Listen, Michael, I'm not blasting you, I'm not attacking you. I'm just trying to get you to open your eyes a little and get some understanding.
Please listen to reason: when you go down the road of rationalizing the prejudices of our leaders, you have to know where it ends: war and concentration camps. The comments made by Fallwell, Boykin and the others are wrong, period. No qmount of apologizing can ever make such inflammatory remarks right. They are even more reprehensible because they are made by those to whom others look for guidance, and thus their words carrry an inordinate amount of inlfuence. Where does leadership end and demagoguery begin, we might ask? Well, I submit that this takes palce when comments are made that are unsubstantiated, without cause and without merit.
I mean, think about it man, calling Muslims idolators? It's so far off the mark it'd be comical in its ignorance if its results weren't so tragic. We have to hold our leaders to a higher standard and they have to be held accountable for their statements for the very reason that everything they do and say produces very real repurcussions in the world. This can range from simple coffee time talk behind a co-worker's back or a war in Iraq.
As far as whether or not we would condemn someone for saying similar things about Christianity, nothing could be further from the truth. The Chistians and Jews are dhimmi, People of the Book, and are protected under Islamic law. We have a much better record of tolerance than the traidtionally Christian countries ever did (please note, there are Catholic monasteries open to this day in Syria. Henry VIII closed them in England almost 500 years ago). I mean, have you been reading this web-site at all? Articles have been posted all over about how our faiths are related, condmening the church bombings in Iraq, and yes, condemning what is going on in the Sudan, and much more besides.
Listen, Michael, I'm not blasting you, I'm not attacking you. I'm just trying to get you to open your eyes a little and get some understanding.
2005-01-31
TRIATHALON FROM UK said:
Give me a break Michael, noone cares about the views of liars, rapists and murderers ie Americans. We've all seen what you war criminals are about. And thanks Fabio for having the courage to change.
2005-01-30
KEN FROM USA said:
As a non Muslim I have looked at who is attacking us. I have looked at the Quran and I have read. "Don't befriend Jews or Christians" I have read where it says to "kill them where you find them". I do believe that this is a religious war. Maybe all of you aren't fighting it, but how are we to know?
2005-01-30
MICHAEL GRYBOSKI FROM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA said:
Yes, indeed there have been hate crimes against Muslims in this country both before and after September 11th, but I think this article really overplays it all. Yearly, there are ten times as many anti-Semitic hate crimes in the United States.
John Ashcroft, a hard man to defend at times, oversaw the deportation of Muslims who had actual connections with terror groups, and so he was just doing his job.
I am really surprised at the hypocrisy leveled at Commander Boykin. He definately said something very anti-Islamic, but it was not extremism. If we in this country had a leading Muslim General who in the confines of a Masjid said that Christianity was a false religion, would any of you claim that he showed bigotry against a group? I doubt it. After all, that is how religions like Christianity and Islam view the world, as many being right and possibly many more being wrong.
I know for a fact that Franklin Graham's comments came after visiting the Sudan, where the typical Moslem is involved in an awful slave trade, and bombs Christian villages. That is awful, and so I understand why he said that, for if that is his only real exposure to your religion, then he would have nothing else to form an opinion with.
Bigotry and xenophobia are wrong and at times can be very prevalent. But I doubt that Muslims are being specifically targeted becuase of their race or creed. Patriotism and bigotry should never be considered the same, but trying to simply say that people who have an unfavorable opinion of your beliefs are all blind bigots is simply degrading to alot of people, myself included.
John Ashcroft, a hard man to defend at times, oversaw the deportation of Muslims who had actual connections with terror groups, and so he was just doing his job.
I am really surprised at the hypocrisy leveled at Commander Boykin. He definately said something very anti-Islamic, but it was not extremism. If we in this country had a leading Muslim General who in the confines of a Masjid said that Christianity was a false religion, would any of you claim that he showed bigotry against a group? I doubt it. After all, that is how religions like Christianity and Islam view the world, as many being right and possibly many more being wrong.
I know for a fact that Franklin Graham's comments came after visiting the Sudan, where the typical Moslem is involved in an awful slave trade, and bombs Christian villages. That is awful, and so I understand why he said that, for if that is his only real exposure to your religion, then he would have nothing else to form an opinion with.
Bigotry and xenophobia are wrong and at times can be very prevalent. But I doubt that Muslims are being specifically targeted becuase of their race or creed. Patriotism and bigotry should never be considered the same, but trying to simply say that people who have an unfavorable opinion of your beliefs are all blind bigots is simply degrading to alot of people, myself included.
2005-01-29
AAED FROM EARTH said:
Patriotism is to Free this earth from Bush Globalization:
Illegal Nukes/Guns/Drugs/sex/abortion/Bad Trade/slavery/occupations/thift of nations...
So Muslims in amer i ca are not doing a good job in their "bayaa to prophet Muhammad PBUH" to impeach Bush and Gangs the roots of these problems and more to come.
BE
Illegal Nukes/Guns/Drugs/sex/abortion/Bad Trade/slavery/occupations/thift of nations...
So Muslims in amer i ca are not doing a good job in their "bayaa to prophet Muhammad PBUH" to impeach Bush and Gangs the roots of these problems and more to come.
BE
2005-01-29
FABIO FROM USA said:
I used to have a whole assortment of views on the issue and supported our guys and what we were doing there based on all sorts of reasonings and mixed feelings of patriotism, church, morals etc. But after viewing the photographs (link below) of even children so horribly mutilated and killed and tortured, I am absoluely stunned and totally numb. I will no say this to our soldiers there, you are not fighting evil in Iraq, You Are The EVIL. To Iraq and all Muslims, I am so sorry.
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/01467.htm
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/01467.htm
2005-01-29
