Posted on 10/20/2004 7:22:27 AM PDT by Former Dodger
Muslim-Americans are upset that there are too many negative images and stories about Islam. They feel that President Bush and this administration have unfairly singled them out as enemies of the United States, and they are threatening to not support him for re-election.
Oh, well. (sigh)
Let's start with the no support for re-election: if the Muslim-American community really wants to prove all the negatives, not supporting President Bush is probably one of the best ways to do so. Turning your collective backs on the leader of the world-wide anti-terror movement will make reasonable people assume that you do not support the War on Terror. Unreasonable people will see it as support for the terrorists.
Let's look at the last 3 years, because history started again on September 11, 2001.
September 11, 2001, a totally unprovoked attack against mostly unarmed and innocent civilians was perpetrated in New York City, Somerset County, PA, and Washington DC by 19 Muslim hijackers who commandeered 4 airplanes and crashed them into 3 of 4 targets. The 4th was brought down in PA by the actions of brave passengers who fought back and forced the plane down short of its target.
The 19 Muslim hijackers were acting on the orders of a radical Muslim extremist named Usama (or Osama) bin Laden, a rich radical from Yemen who has spent most of his life, and much of his money, fighting against Western Civilization. He seeks to make this an Islamic WORLD, any and all infidels (non-believers) will be destroyed, and anyone who helps them will be destroyed. He has been behind many anti-Western attacks, under the collective name of Al Queda, over the past 20 years:
the mujahadeen versus the Soviets in Afghanistan, the first World Trade Center attack (1993), Khobar Towers, the USS Cole, the US Embassy bombings in Nigeria and Kenya, the Bali Bombing, and much more. In short, he has been taking shots at us over the years but we did not take real notice until that infamous morning of September 11, 2001.
After the attacks, which killed people of all nationalities and faiths, including many Arabs, Pakistanis and Muslims, there was a general air of disbelief and horror among the nations of the world, except for some countries, and groups of Muslims who were dancing and celebrating in the streets of the Gaza Strip, Baghdad and even Jersey City, NJ. Many Muslim owned businesses feared revenge attacks, but there was little retaliation from a country shocked into numbness. There were some beatings, in fact the non-Muslim Sikhs took the brunt of this since they wear turbans, and many of the dumber members of our society felt that they were Arabs since they wore the turbans; too much Ali Baba.
If ever there was a time for Americans to react violently against a perceived enemy, this was the time. In other countries, in other decades, there would have been a bloodbath, but it did not happen. America took the punch and stood back up, it didn't even rate a standing 8 count, we were slightly dazed, but nowhere near finished. We started to dig out, find and bury our dead, rebuild and make plans for this to never happen again.
All through this I remember the talking heads, politicians and other elites saying we had to make sure we did not blame ALL Muslims, after all, Islam is a "Religion of Peace" and this was an aberration.
Is it, really?
I don't recall a lot of apologies or aid or cooperation in capturing and stopping these monsters coming from the Islamic World.
Pakistan didn't start to REALLY cooperate until we destroyed the Taliban and freed Afghanistan from their iron-fisted and insanely fundamentalist Muslim rule.
I really don't recall much help, or an apology, from the American Muslim Community, I only recall that they were worried about being attacked and persecuted for their beliefs. However, they never denounced the madmen behind Al Queda with the same passion and zeal that they denounced the "Patriot Act" and the President's aggressive action towards the Muslim countries that were giving aid and comfort to the monsters.
Instead, many chose to believe the propaganda and lies that the enemy professed:
This was a war for oil; (No, it was a war to secure our rights, Iraq was a hotbed of Terrorism, Hussein was a Terrorist enabler, and if the war was for oil, why isn't it any cheaper?) This was a war against ALL Muslims; (No, it is a war against monsters who happen to be Muslim, if it was against all Muslims, why waste time with "Precision bombing"?) This was America's way of helping Israel to destroy Islam, ( No, remember, it is many of the Islamic countries and the Palestinians that have vowed to destroy ISRAEL.) and on and on and on. Muslims overseas have been totally indoctrinated with this nonsense, they are taught it in many of the more radical religious schools and Mosques, they need to be better informed and allowed to think for themselves. American Muslims that spout this nonsense should know better. They have had ample opportunity to experience a free society, to see for themselves that in America, and most western countries, it's "Live and Let Live." Free Speech, Free Society, Freedom of Thought, Worship (or non-worship) and Choice; that's why they are allowed to protest and speak their minds, but they need to realize that they ARE Americans first, that their loyalty is expected to be with US first; ALL Americans need to realize that. What is BEST for the WHOLE country comes first, stop being so selfish!
(For a unique visual perspective on this and the upcoming election see: Fifty Reasons Why Hugh Hewitt asks "Why vote for Bush and What's Wrong With Kerry?" http://americandigest.org/)
It's because the droning from the Media has put them all back to sleep.
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