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U.S. Muslims feel Americans' prejudice(off the barfometer scale)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | August 15, 2006 | PARVEZ AHMED

Posted on 08/14/2006 7:48:51 PM PDT by mdittmar

Shortly after 9/11, President Bush described and later retracted our fight against terrorism as a "crusade." In his first news conference after last week's thwarted terrorist plot to blow up several aircrafts the president said, " This nation is at war with Islamic fascists."

The use of the phrase "Islamic fascists" has drawn the ire of the American Muslim community. As Muslims, we use "Islamic ethics" to mean ethics based on Islamic teachings that guide our behavior. Similarly, "Islamic art" draws its inspiration from Islamic teachings that discourage certain types of art (immodest imagery or certain life forms). When the president uses "Islamic fascists," it conveys that fascism is rooted in Islam or fascism that is inspired by Islam. This is the way the Muslims will see it, regardless of what George W. Bush may claim he really means.

Bush, on an earlier occasion, said Islam is a religion of peace. Now, caving into extreme right-wing pressure, he equated the religion of peace with the ugliness of fascism. Such rhetoric contributes to fear and backlash against American Muslims. A recently released Gallup poll shows four out of 10 Americans feel "prejudiced" against Muslims.

"Prejudice" against Islam and Muslims allowed politicians to whip up a frenzy in rejecting the approval of a Dubai firm to operate U.S. ports. Conservative columnist David Brooks wrote, "But it is certain that the xenophobic hysteria will come back to harm the U.S. This (Middle East) is a region in the midst of traumatic democratic change. The strongest argument the fundamentalists have is that they are engaged in a holy war against the racist West, which imposes one set of harsh rules on Arabs and another set of rules on everybody else. Now comes a group of politicians to prove them gloriously right."

Scholarly writings are delving deeper into the root causes of suicide terrorism. Robert Pape in his book "Dying to Win" uses more than two decades of data to show the paucity of connection between suicide terrorism and any religion. The pioneering instigators and the largest purveyors of suicide terrorism are the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, a Marxist-Leninist group whose members are overwhelmingly Hindu.

Pape writes: "From Lebanon to Israel to Sri Lanka to Kashmir to Chechnya, the sponsors of every campaign have been terrorist groups trying to establish or maintain political self determination by compelling a democratic power to withdraw from a territory they claim." Occupation is the primary motivator and religion, at best, is an "aggravating" factor.

Today we all live in fear of terrorism. Equating terrorism with Islam makes the mainstream Muslim community doubly vulnerable to both the random acts of terror and the ensuing backlash.

In these trying times it is important our nation stands united. Muslims form an important part of the fabric of America. We are law-abiding citizens who have always been dedicated to the protection of our national security. We should not be targeted or singled out because of our faith. Nor should our faith be equated with the evils of terrorism or fascism. We do not control or have say over the actions of shadowy terrorist groups. But as taxpayers we certainly have a right to petition and expect our own to government do everything in its powers to protect us by all means, including avoiding counterproductive rhetoric.

A recent policy brief by the Stanley Foundation states that Western powers "should not focus on the religious and cultural divisions between East and West when approaching this issue (of terrorism), as this plays into the existing grievances of Arab and Muslim populations and creates a sense of clash between civilizations, all of which hinder the resolution of differences."

An attempt to institutionally and rhetorically dissociate Islam from terrorism is imperative.

Parvez Ahmed is chairman of Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR is the United States' largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group. To find out more about CAIR go to: www.cair.com E-mail: pahmed@cair.com.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: cair; crushislam; islam; islamicethics; islamicfascists; islamicnazis; islamisadeathcult; islamisevil; islamobullshit; muslim; muslimamericans; muslims; parvezahmed; trop; wot
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To: mdittmar
>""Islamic ethics" to mean ethics based on Islamic teachings that guide our behavior."

Ya mean "ethics" based on islameo teachings that control your behaviour to do the following?

Quran-4:89— Take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and kill them wherever ye find them; and take no friends or helpers from their ranks.

Sura 9:5 of the “Koranus,” “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush.”

"Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God." Sura 9:29

"Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger tip." - Sura 8:12


And they have the nerve to say We hate them! Of course we hate them! They want to MURDER US, and ENSLAVE our CHILDREN. That is if any of our children survive!


Muuuhhamhead (Pigs be inseminating her) is their only claim to fame! They wanna be just like him!

Illiterate, child molesting, lying, thieving, MURDERORS!!!

21 posted on 08/14/2006 7:58:00 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (I'd rather be carrying a shotgun with Dick, than riding shotgun with a Kennedyl! *-0(:~{>)
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To: rovenstinez

Jim Jones was connected to Christianity (if even by only a tenuous thread)?


22 posted on 08/14/2006 7:58:11 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( http://www.answersingenesis.org)
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To: Alouette

Well, there are no places perfect in Utah near me! :-)


23 posted on 08/14/2006 7:58:34 PM PDT by elhombrelibre (Civilization and democracy are under attack in Israel. Stand by her.)
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

To: mdittmar

O-K, Houston we have a problem. So-o-o-o, go where you can be absolutely sure you won't have ANY problems like this at all. How about Saudi Arabia? Or Iran? Or Syria? Of Lebanon? Or Jordan? Or Iraq? Gee, look at all the options you have. No need to stay in this pitiful, unwelcoming country. All aboard! The plane leaves every day of the week!


25 posted on 08/14/2006 7:59:37 PM PDT by hardworking
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To: Alouette
The government should create "communities of refuge" where all those poor scared Muslims who feel threatened will be protected 24/7. No infidels will be allowed to approach these gated havens of safety which will be surrounded by razor wire, alarm systems and raked perimeters... There are some sites in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming that would be just perfect for these "havens of safety."

Nah, let's just send them to those oh-so-tolerant and open-minded European countries.

26 posted on 08/14/2006 7:59:47 PM PDT by jla
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To: mdittmar
...or fascism that is inspired by Islam.

Hey Parvez, you're not as stupid as the rest of your article suggests.

27 posted on 08/14/2006 8:00:01 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: mdittmar

Gosh. He sounds really really hurt but what the President said. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he left the U.S. over this. And frankly, I hope they all do, ASAP.


28 posted on 08/14/2006 8:00:09 PM PDT by mad puppy ( The Southern border is THE issue)
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To: mdittmar

Then do something about it, good Muslims. Stand up and fight within your religious circles.

I had a cab driver in Chicago recently who was Muslim and I naturally got into a discussion with him that encompassed politics and religion. It did get heated enough for us both to be standing outside the cab at the airport still discussing after my bags were checked at the curb. He was an honest fellow and I asked him if there were people at his mosque who might revere Osama bin Laden. His answer was so offhand that it was chilling to me. "Well, sure, there might be people who feel that way, but I don't pay them any attention, that isn't the real Islam..."

If there were people in my congregation who wanted millions of innocents dead, I would not even like to pray in the same room with them. I would not believe we could be praying to the same G-d at all.


29 posted on 08/14/2006 8:00:51 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: mdittmar
...it conveys that fascism is rooted in Islam or fascism that is inspired by Islam...

But it is. Just ask the hundred million or so innocent victims who were slaughtered by muslims during the past 14 centuries. Islam is the king of all fascist philosophies.

30 posted on 08/14/2006 8:00:51 PM PDT by LibWhacker (There are no such things as moderate muslims, only jihadis in a larval stage.)
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To: mdittmar
I think I'm going to go buy a copy of the koran. Every time I see an article like this one with some muslim POS whining about how bad we're all making him feel, I'll wipe my butt with a page from the koran.

Anyone out there know if I need to worry about butt scabies or anything from koran ink?

31 posted on 08/14/2006 8:01:03 PM PDT by SlayerOfBunnies (The *only* problem with the Crusaders is that they failed to finish the job.)
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To: mdittmar

Please, don't anyone post photos of "Islamic ethics" in action. There are ladies present.


32 posted on 08/14/2006 8:01:40 PM PDT by BykrBayb ("We will not be silent. We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will give you no rest." Þ)
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To: mdittmar

No mention of the chap who shot up the Jewish Center..


33 posted on 08/14/2006 8:01:46 PM PDT by cardinal4 (America, despite the usual suspects, stands firmly with Israel..)
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To: Alouette

"There are some sites in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming that would be just perfect for these "havens of safety.""

Don't put 'em in Colorado. It's a wonderful place and I'm thinking of retiring there.

I think they would feel more at home in the Saudi desert.


34 posted on 08/14/2006 8:01:55 PM PDT by Felis_irritable
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To: mdittmar

Prejudice and cautious are two separate things. It just happens that Islam is the choice religion of terrorist. Islam must offer a very good benefit package to terrorist.


35 posted on 08/14/2006 8:02:53 PM PDT by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: SlayerOfBunnies

When you're done, please mail the pages to the NYT. That's what it's printed on.


36 posted on 08/14/2006 8:03:01 PM PDT by BykrBayb ("We will not be silent. We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will give you no rest." Þ)
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To: muawiyah

cair is a front group,they want to beat us from within while the others try to beat from the outside,don't believe a word cair says.


37 posted on 08/14/2006 8:03:42 PM PDT by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served, to keep us free.)
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To: BykrBayb
Oooh - then I get extra points as a conservation-minded conservative? Sweet!
38 posted on 08/14/2006 8:04:20 PM PDT by SlayerOfBunnies (The *only* problem with the Crusaders is that they failed to finish the job.)
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To: mdittmar
A recently released Gallup poll shows four out of 10 Americans feel "prejudiced" against Muslims.

SMM to Parvez: and your point is?

39 posted on 08/14/2006 8:06:47 PM PDT by SMM48
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To: cardinal4

Exactly. No one is walking in to their community centers and opening fire. Yet.


40 posted on 08/14/2006 8:07:30 PM PDT by rbg81 (1)
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