Muslims are not radical extremists

by YankeeJim | January 24, 2011 at 04:27 am

181 views | 4 Recommendations | 8 comments

A small fraction of Muslims are radical extremists. Americans fear and loathe radical Muslim extremists and the place they know to find them is in the Muslim community. That is a simple fact.

American Muslims seem to be making a good effort to cooperate with police in identifying problem individuals. Vigilance and attention is constantly needed because external threats exist and some American Muslims continue to seek their roots and make their dutiful pilgrimage to Meca and Arab states where radicals reside. Fear and suspicion remains and that will continue so long as there are Islamic terrorists.

Singling out communities with a broad brush is un-American.

“Long Island Muslims fear their congressman's hearings could flame Islamophobia

By William Wan

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 24, 2011; 12:02 AM

WESTBURY, N.Y. - They called it a summit to teach Muslims how to fight prejudice and fear. But all day long, fear was inescapable in the fluorescent-lit meeting hall of the Long Island mosque.

The top issue on everyone's mind this month at the Islamic Center of Long Island was this: What could be done to stop planned congressional hearings on alleged hidden radicalism among American Muslims and mosques?

The House hearings, scheduled to begin next month, have touched offa wave of panic throughout the U.S. Muslim community, which has spent much of the past year battling what it sees as a rising tide of Islamophobia. Conference calls, strategy sessions and letter-writing campaigns have been launched. Angry op-eds have compared the congressional inquiry to McCarthyism and the World War II persecution of Japanese Americans.

But for those who gathered at the Long Island mosque, the coming hearings represented not just a political issue, but a personal one. For the man organizing the hearings was the very lawmaker who was supposed to represent them in Washington - Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.). Long before he had become their enemy, he had been one of their community's closest friends.

"He used to come to our weddings. He ate dinner in our homes," said the mosque's chairman, Habeeb Ahmed, a short medical technologist with graying hair sitting near the front. "Everything just changed suddenly after 9/11, and now he's holding hearings to say that people like us are radical extremists. I don't understand it."”

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The 1

at 08:11 on January 24th, 2011

I use to feel this way, but as I look around the Arab world my view has changed.

Lets look at this another way and ask this question;

In what Arab/Muslim countries are Americans generally disliked or hated by the masses or majority of that countries population? I bet you could list five or six..

When you teach a religion and a religious practice with such fervor and discipline to it's youth; teach a basic dislike of all western ideas and idealism; Have your countries leaders and political systems tied directly to these religious teachings and beliefs. What else would you get or expect to get than hatred for Americans and Americas way of life.

YankeeJim

at 08:32 on January 24th, 2011

I will do everything that I can to accommodate freedom of belief so long as the believers have allegiance to my Constitution and loyalty to the nation that protects them. I will be as tolerant and respectful as I can.

As you point out, Americans are disliked in certain places more than others.

Here is a fact that I know Arabs will not like. Islam was invented by Arabs for Arabs initially in competition with other existing religions principally Christian and Jews as well as Hindus, Buddhists, and others.

I am not religious because I believe all religions are coping behavior that are on a path of historical evolution. For me, one is no better than another except where religions are more tolerant of people such as the Quakers and Amish sects that is against all forms of violence.

So the issue with Islam comes down to whether the modern day practice can be modified to be accepting of diversity and nonbelievers.

anarkissed

at 10:33 on January 24th, 2011

If a radical christian group starts advocating violence and terror (and they're out there) that does not make Christianity necessarily brutal, even though the brutal folks are finding relevant passages in the bible to justify their behaviour. it does not make the country of origin to blame either, even though you may be able to find even leaders pushing the christian agenda, crying foul of the enemy, spreading hate, etc. these things are true of the USA but intelligent people know better than to think the whole country is X or that everyone who professions Christianity is Y.

Same thing goes for Arab countries. The biggest thing is that ignorance, poverty, starvation and lack of education makes a population ripe for brutality and propaganda. That applies whether it's an american slum or islamabad.

lineswine (not verified)

at 16:09 on January 24th, 2011

Are you "geographically challenged"? Islamabad is nowhere near Arabia - it's in Pakistan.Arabia is awash with oil money, so don't pull the "poor standard of living = Islamist". Osama Bin Laden comes from a wealthy Saudi family.I don't see any other fundamental religious types using terror tactics, be it Christian, Buddist, Jain or any other faith, only Islam.

YankeeJim

at 01:13 on January 25th, 2011

"The biggest thing is that ignorance, poverty, starvation and lack of education makes a population ripe for brutality and propaganda. That applies whether it's an american slum or islamabad."
Thank you for that.
YJ

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MiserableGuinea (not verified)

at 13:00 on January 24th, 2011

Let me see, the last time a Christian group tried to blow up an airliner was, ah, gee, I can't seem to recall any. How about when they exploded bombs in marketplaces, train stations or flew airliners into buildings? Nope, drawing a blank there too.So until you get your house in order dear terrorists, don't expect anything to change.

"thirty-aught-six" (not verified)

at 23:07 on January 24th, 2011

Again. People confuse religion with political/social dominance. Islamism or radical Islamist are not out to bring religion to the people. They are out to dominate the social and political expression of the people. The religious tenet "submission to Allah" is used as a weapon of social and political oppressive control over the believer. Abuse of Koranic writings are used to further the Islamists social and political dominance.