Muslim journalist accuses Millions of "moderates" - at Islamic anti-Christian massacre in Egypt

[PRePublic]

Bombing opens vein of Christian anger in Egypt

By PAUL SCHEMM, Associated Press Paul Schemm, Associated Press – Mon Jan 3, 4:54 pm ET
CAIRO – The New Year's Day suicide bombing of a church that killed 21 people has opened up a vein of fury among Egypt's Christians, built up over years of what they call government failure to address persistent discrimination and violence against their community.

[...]
Christian anger, says rights activist Hossam Bahgat, stems in large part because they feel attacks against them can be carried out with impunity, something borne out by evidence of past incidents, especially in Egypt's impoverished hinterlands.

In a two-year study conducted by his organization, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, he documented 52 anti-Christian incidents between 2008 and 2010 and in none of them were the perpetrators punished. Instead security forces arbitrarily arrested a few people.

"Security then forces both sides to accept reconciliation at the expense of justice," he said, which gives the perpetrators a sense of impunity. "It's an invitation for these events to recur and the victims are left feeling victimized twice, first by those who did it and second by the government."

Egypt's government maintains Muslims and Christians are treated equally in the country and after these kinds of sectarian incidents loudly affirms its commitment to national unity.

But Christians have long complained that they are discriminated against in getting jobs in the government, universities — even the private sector. They also point to rising Muslim conservativism that they say affects government officials' dealings with Christians.

Youssef Sidhom, a prominent Coptic intellectual and editor of the weekly Watani newspaper, said that in Egyptian society there has been growing antipathy to coexisting with Christians, undermining such official pronouncements.

"The infiltration of political Islam into our education, our schools, into the hearts and minds of school teachers and into our school books and is extremely dangerous because it produces innocent children who are infected by the version of Islam that does not accept the other and preaches non-acceptance of Christians," he told The Associated Press.

In an editorial in the English-language online version of the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper, editor Hani Shukrallah slammed the government for trying to appease Islamist sentiment and warned against rising anti-Christian sentiment among Muslims.

"I accuse the millions of supposedly moderate Muslims among us — those who've been growing more and more prejudiced, inclusive and narrow minded with every passing year," he wrote Saturday.

"I have heard you speak, in your offices, in your clubs, at your dinner parties: 'The Copts must be taught a lesson...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/03/AR2011010300780.html

At least, once in a while some Muslims admit to the fallacy of the so called "Moderates."

[Cisco Nix]

“52 anti-Christian incidents between 2008 and 2010 and in none of them were the perpetrators punished”

Being a Christian, I take this personal.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Just wait.

It’s going to get MUCH worse.

[Traianus]

To the christians of Egypt: Brothers keep your attention I have the suspeect that many want to capitalize your RAGE..
And you are in the hand of people without scruples THE PERFECT WEAPON...

[hannibaal]

I believe Hani shukrallah is a coptic christian. And given what he has said in his editorial “J’accuse!”, I believe theyre probably already planning a hit on him. Prayers to the copts, may god give them strength to get through, what im sure will be, tough times ahead.