Posted on 01/01/2003 10:34:58 PM PST by JohnHuang2
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., suggests the Arab and Muslim world hates America because we don't help the poor by building hospitals and day-care centers.
In comments for which she has still not apologized, she claimed that Osama bin Laden's popularity is directly connected with his humanitarian work on behalf of Arabs and Muslims.
Earlier this week, however, in Yemen, a suspected Muslim terrorist shot and killed three American missionaries and seriously wounded a fourth at a Southern Baptist hospital in southern Yemen. Yemen is the ancestral homeland of bin Laden.
The gunman entered the complex of Jibla Baptist Hospital in the town of Jibla hiding a semiautomatic rifle under his jacket to make it resemble a child. The gunman entered a room where hospital director William E. Koehn was holding a meeting and opened fire, according to the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board.
Three people were killed instantly. Yemeni officials said all three were shot in the head. The gunman then headed to the hospital's pharmacy and opened fire, wounding the pharmacist.
The Southern Baptist International Mission Board identified the dead Koehn, 60, of Arlington, Texas, who had planned to retire next year after 28 years of service; purchasing agent Kathleen A. Gariety, 53, of Wauwatosa, Wis.; and Dr. Martha C. Myers, 57, of Montgomery, Ala. The statement identified the pharmacist as Donald W. Caswell, 49, of Levelland, Texas.
Caswell was shot in the abdomen and hospital officials said he was in critical condition and struggling for his life.
The hospital has been treating Yemenis for 35 years.
The truth Murray and others don't understand is that the U.S. government has showered Arab and Muslim countries with billions in taxpayer funds. More importantly, and to the point, Americans working through churches have selflessly given their time, energy and money to helping people throughout the Arab and Muslim world for decades – even in countries that have vast oil wealth and no excuses for not sharing that wealth with their people.
Yet there is much more we could do to free the Muslim and Arab world, because it's not really about poverty, it's not really about money, it's not really about hospitals and day-care centers.
The Arab and Muslim world hates us so for two reasons never mentioned by Patty Murray and not understood by our government:
And for every hospital we build and for every foreign-aid package we approve, the United States exports far more of the above.
Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.
For the first time since 1979, when the Islamic Revolution swept through Iran and turned that country of 70 million into a theocratic police state, there is a real chance for liberation. Iranians are demonstrating in the streets against the mullahs. Iranians use every opportunity they get to express their disapproval of the regime.
Many observers believe all these people need is a little encouragement from the West and the Tehran government would fall of its own dead weight.
But what does the United States do?
Last month, Washington ended its "Radio Freedom" broadcasts into Iran in favor of "Radio Tomorrow."
"Radio Freedom" resembled the broadcasts of hard-hitting news, thoughtful commentary and political discussions that helped topple the Soviet Union a decade ago. Truth has that ability to set people free.
But, inexplicably, at this key moment in Iranian history, "Radio Tomorrow" emphasizes pop music and entertainment. My friend Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah, says this development has absolutely delighted the ruling clerics.
Why? Because the materialism and cultural decay evidenced in such programming paints a very negative picture of America in the Muslim street. Even Muslims who hate what Iran has become do not want to see it become infected with the cultural diseases ravaging America – teen pregnancy, pornography, drug addiction, abortion, sexual licentiousness and other forms of immorality spread by the pop culture.
Is this America's best export? Or is it our heritage of freedom and self-government? It seems our entire government, not just Patty Murray, is confused.
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