[patriciaruth]

Those of us educated in the good old days know "Call me Ishmael." is the opening paragraph of Melville's Moby Dick.

But those of us with a religious education also know that Ishmael was the son of Abraham by his wife Sarai's Egyptian serving woman, Hagar, and that Hagar and Ishmael were made to leave the tents of the Hebrews when Sarai miraculously bore a son in her old age and jealously feared for his birthright.

From Ishmael sprang the Arab race and the charter members of Islam.

I take it that the line from Moby Dick is your way of embracing your roots.

And if you are indeed Muslim and American, then I am sorry for the problems you and your patriotic and nonmurderous coreligionists in the U.S. may suffer during these years ahead while we sort the wheat from the chaff.

Enduring these slings and arrows with cheer and understanding may be a great gift and sacrifice you can make for our country.

[Persuasion]

I'm sorry if that line confused anyone.
It's been there for a long time. It did not
refer to the biblical Ishmael, and though I
do know the story of thatIshmael, I confess, he
did not cross my mind when I created my profile.
I was thinking merely of Melville.

I am also sorry for what innocent muslims -
particularly in America have to go through these days.

But, Ironically, my roots are jewish. My Grandfather was
fortunate enough to make it to America before the Germans
slaughtered much of his Chezchleslovakian family.

I do not agree with Islamic teaching. But American atheists
and christians have about as much right to call for the
death of muslims as I have to call for the death of germans.
I have none.