The American Spectator

Richard Baker| 11.13.09 @ 5:29PM

Then these Moslems need to become more vocal. Hiding away is not the method for building bridges. Didn't Jesus say something about not hiding your light under a bushel? Since the Moslems do have respect for Him as a Prophet, then listen to His advice. Americans want to accept people who come here and become American citizens as fellow countrymen. This entire country sprang from immigrants. When I run into a new American I always say "Thank you for choosing my country. Welcome." It takes two to tango, doesn't it?

Chris| 11.13.09 @ 5:44PM

As Heinlein once wrote, "Group psychology is not the sum of individual psychology" or something along those lines. The point is that while some Muslims may be perfectly nice and good Americans, as a group they do not and cannot fit in.

Separationism is the only answer. Otherwise we'll continue to see dead Americans in America at the hands of jihadists like Hasan.

polistra| 11.13.09 @ 6:53PM

FDR had the right answer in 1941. And so did Britain, for that matter. Both FDR and Churchill penned up as many Japs as possible and watched the others carefully, because the Japs were in fact spying and sabotaging for their home country. After WW2 the Japs have turned into good citizens, but only because we gave them no choice.

Sowell Disciple| 11.14.09 @ 1:59PM

Where are your facts? When you write that "the Japs were in fact spying and sabotaging for their home country" you imply that all of Japanese heritage in this country were active in that regard. That has to be one of the more foolish comments I've seen on any blog. Also, the "Japs" term has been an offensive one for half a century.

The critical difference is that your retroactive concern is based on hysteria, while current concerns about Muslims are based on the actions and expressions of millions of people in the current-day real world, trained from birth to carry out the belligerent dictates of the Koran.

Nick| 11.14.09 @ 4:58PM

Sowell Disciple,

Sorry, you are incorrect. I grew up in the '70s and Japs was still being used to refer to our enemy of WWII. Even Steven Speilberg used Japs repeatedly in the movie "1941".

The people we fought from Dec. 8, 1941 to Sept. 2, 1945 were called Japs, Slants, Krauts, Huns, Wops, and Dagos, among other names. I still use Japs and Krauts when talking about WWII.

I'm English and Polish and regularly use Limey and Polack. Because I refuse to bow to Political Correctness. You should also.

It is human nature to come up with derogatory names for your enemy during war. During the Iran Hostage Crisis it was common to hear Camel Jockey, Rag-head, or Towel-head in my junior highschool. And being from Detroit we had people from the Middle East at our school.

There are a lot more things to be "offended" about today, like abortion and perversion, than derogatory names.

Rick V.| 11.13.09 @ 6:53PM

Sorry. I need something more convincing than this. Richard Baker is right. Maybe some America-loving Muslims will let themselves be heard defending America and condemning mass murder during during Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's trial. So far, their religion of peace has shown me only suffering and death.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.13.09 @ 7:21PM

Rantly above has to be a "liberal" heh!
Sounds just like Nancy Pelosi describing tea party members.
My neighbor two doors down is a medical doctor from Pakistan. He is the only neighbor who welcomed us to the neighborhood when we moved in; brought us a fruit basket for a move in gift.

I have lived and worked in the middle east for years.
I met and became friends with many Muslims, and was invited to their homes on numerous occasions.
They were curious no end about my Christianity, and I always tried to act as a respectful guest in their countries and respectful of their customs and beliefs.
At the very same time, I could not help be saddened by their self-built emotional jail-cells.
A particular instance was a good friend there who was terribly embarrassed to tell me that he had only one wife, though he was very wealthy.

He shamefacedly told me he "liked" his wife very much and that they shared a unique affection. He did not want to spoil it.
I simply told him he was a terribly fortunate man, and I thought he was going to weep with relief and joy that I could "understand".

Having said all that, since 9-11 I don't leave the house un-armed except when going to a commercial airport.
(I don't like handguns for self defense. In an emergency with the adrenalin pumping, I cannot shoot very straight. Conversely, with a "long-gun" with a shoulder stock, I can do very well....and have had to.)
I stay quite alert, and must admit I do a constant "profiling" of persons around me and their activities, and body language....and possible cultural heritage.
Heh! when asked by visitors to Texas why drivers are so polite, I explain at least half seriously that here, one must assume every driver is armed...well.

One can quite openly carry a loaded "long gun" in an obvious gun case right down main street in down town Houston.
One gets some funny looks, but rarely anything more...heh...except from immigrants from less fortunate States.
Our excellent Universities here enroll LOTS of foreign students...many from the middle east. What disturbs me is the number of them that "drop out" and just disappear into our society.

Honestly, the potential makes me very cautious. In light of 9-11 etc. it seems totally irrational for us to ignore them.

Sam| 11.14.09 @ 7:29PM

Well said Ken, but I don't get how carrying a gun has anything to do with Muslims. It sounds just like basic safety to me.

As for the rest of you, it's a shame that you generalize so easily about Muslims. Since most of you are conservatives, you of all people should understand how the media slants its news. Naturally, they will only focus on the small strain of crazy Muslims, not the normal Muslims who are just like us.

Part of the problem is that most of you are Christian so you don't like Muslims on principle. Perhaps you just can't accept the fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world! And blaming the majority of Muslims for the actions of the extremists is like if I were to blame all of you for the Crusades.

Let's try opening our minds once in awhile, as the author of this article intended you to do.

Nick| 11.14.09 @ 7:33PM

Sam,

Where do you live? In a cave?

Christians DO get blamed by lefties for the Crusades. All the time.

John Fannon| 11.13.09 @ 7:30PM

A true AMERICAN!

I served 20 plus year's in the NAVY! CPO ! Lets call it like we see it! "Obama is just not the way!

PCP Smoker| 11.13.09 @ 8:26PM

Lol. The musing of this creep are getting hard to take. "Voices like Salam's need to be heard more loudly and more regularly. They are welcomed, and should be made to feel welcome."

Well, thats the fucking point, Idiot Quin! They haven't, have had not, and will not.

Muslims don't really care about America, otherwise they would be shutting down mosques that preach rage against America.

They "love" an America that is weak, and their actions weaken it even more

c. j. acworth| 11.13.09 @ 9:26PM

I have to pretty much agree with PCP Smoker. After every Muslim-caused atrocity I wait to hear the condemnation of the atrocious act in question from the "real Muslims" . I'm pretty much still waiting.
( P.S. I'm a burbon drinker. Wild Turkey generally, Knob Creek when I can get it.)

Roy| 11.13.09 @ 9:29PM

I literally don't know the answer to this, but I suspect that the equation of "terrorist" and "jihadist" is true only among Westerners. I strongly doubt that anti-terrorist Arabs refer to terrorists as "jihadists" and I would not be at all surprised if people such as Sheikh Sattar al-Rishawi, who was the leader of the Anbar Awakening until he was murdered by Al Qaeda, ARE referred to as "jihadists".

Crusader| 11.13.09 @ 10:26PM

Wow, Quin Hillyer spouting "love thy muslim" leftist kook drivel, whoda thunk it?

Kooks like this try SO VERY HARD to find the one muslim out of the, what are there, 1,000,000,000 of them on the planet now? Anyway they try to find the 1 out of 1,000,000,000+ who kinda sorta thinks killing infidels in allah's name is well maybe not exactly the right way to go about spreading the worldwide caliphate so they can indignantly shout, "Ha, here is THE moderate muslim!"

Wow, I'm impressed.

I dunno, maybe instead of trying to find that 1 out of 1,000,000,000 muslims who isn't really all that into killing infidels we should maybe, I dunno, pay attention to the 999,999,999 who are? I mean I'm not a hoity-toity Rockefeller repub editorialist so its just a suggestion.

Margie| 11.13.09 @ 11:09PM

There are people who are born into religions and that is all they know. If you are born into a Muslim family you grow up learning that if you leave it you deserve death. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. There are plenty of Muslims that come to the knowledge of the true God through Christians showing them the gospel of Jesus Christ. These individuals, if found out, will be killed for it.
You have to treat everyone as an individual.

Dan| 11.14.09 @ 12:01AM

What is your major malfunction here?

The question isn't whether all muslims this, or all muslims that. THE preemiment issue of our time is whether ISLAM, {NOT individual muslims} is capable of reconciliation with the modern world.

All evidence dictates, and dictates is the proper term here, that islam is NOT in any way open to amelioration.

THAT is the issue.

Some here will pose a rather lame question, --------------- why are some muslims "peaceful?"

The answer is simple.

Natural Law.

They are living in accord with the Natural Law, and their "peacefulness" is altogether contrary to the tenets, the teachings and the longstanding customs and usages of islam.

This is a no brainer Quin.

So knock off the rather adolescent take on the issue. You're better than that.

Focus on islam, focus on the history thereof. Ask yourself what happened at Vienna, ask yourself what happened long ago in a city presently termed "Istanbul." Zero in and study well the long tenure of islam in Iberia.

Sam| 11.14.09 @ 7:31PM

And Dan, lay off Margie. She is by far, a more open minded person than you, a credit to her understanding of Christianity. If there is anyone with an 'adolescent take', it's not Margie.

Margie| 11.14.09 @ 8:45PM

He wasn't speaking to me. And lest you think I am deceived, see my post below. I don't have "an open mind."
And also~~ It's not that Christians "dislike" Muslims. Remember, God is no respecter of persons. He says we're all sinners in need of Salvation, including Muslims. They, in that respect are absolutely no different. They are in urgent need of rescuing from a path that leads to death.

Inge| 11.14.09 @ 12:04AM

I do not buy the 'patriotic muslim', because as soon as the Quran is followed, everything is out of the window.
Islam means 'SUBMISSION', and if there were patriotic muslims, they would have been visible following 9/11.
Also, the Quran mandates that muslims 'lie' to advance their cause. Latest example: Hasan in Ft. Hood.

JimE| 11.15.09 @ 5:53PM

Inge,
You are correct, too many appeasement buffoons here willing stick their heads back up their asses.

Greta| 11.14.09 @ 12:11AM

So tired of these useless words coming from the apologists for the violence and hate that are clearly part of their relgion. It is in a book they call sacred. What would impress me about Muslims?
Stop talking and do some strong actions like shutting down those in their mosques who preace violence in any form or support in any way for muslims who use terror as a weapon for any reason. When is the last time a mosque was stormed by the peaceful muslims and shut down with the hate preaching idiot thown out of their midst. When was the last time these peaceful muslims demanded that the government do everything possible to end violence in any way directed at other human beings even at the expense of some of their rights. Instead of whining about any ill treatment in any way, demand that all muslims be stopped and searched until this violence stops. Demand that any government that supports terror be put on a list and support of any type be dropped. Demand that when some nut pops up bashing a cartoon or impinging on anyones free speech that they be chastised and condemned and again a call for the countries to stop this nonsense. Demand that women be given rights of any civilized nation. Demand that countries that support this type of hatred be stopped from spreading the hate in schools around the world. March on Washington and demand that these countries be bombed or whatever else is necessary to stop these outrages. Form a solid coalition and firmly state that the Koran must shed itself of any wording that preaches this type of hatred.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.14.09 @ 9:12AM

Welcome, Greta
See my post above, please.
The problem with Islam is that the folks are "locked in"...ie: don't think! Submit and shut up.
The only response allowed is...uh OK! (Aiwah)
Not one word of the Koran will ever be changed. Believe it.
Islam is precisely Absolute Slavery, of the mind, the body, the spirit....generation to generation.
There can be NO compromise with Muslims practicing Islam, because they are hopelessly unable to compromise. They just can't.

The best we can ever do is hope they don't go "active" with their beliefs and become a "good Muslim". That, or simply constrain them from "going active".
...Hmmm, well occasionally we can introduce them to Christ as their religion turns to ashes in their mouths.

Richard Baker| 11.14.09 @ 11:00AM

polistra:
Lived in Hawaii for 8 years and your comments betray your ignorance of the reality. Yes, there were a handful of Japanese who engaged in espionage. However, try reading about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Battalion and their service in Italy during WWII. Those young men enlisted in droves to prove their loyalty to the United States. Senator Inouye from Hawaii was one of many who served. He had his Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor during Clinton's administration along with other Nisei and black soldiers, the only time I ever agreed with Clinton. Their loyalty was impeccable and 'Jap" slurs went out with running boards on cars. I am ashamed to think of you as a fellow citizen. Crawl back under your rock. For all the Nisei veterans of those two units, "Go for Broke!"

Oldefarte| 11.14.09 @ 11:18AM

Quin, I most respectfully DISAGREE with your conclusion. If any other religion/group is guilty of fostering/encouraging hate and human destruction similar to that of the Islamic Religion, then its congregation/members have a moral duty to not only SPEAK OUT, but to REFORM/PURGE/CLENSE etc the radicalism from its ranks. No excuses----actions speak louder than words! Obama is similarily guilty for sitting for 20 +years in from of Wright's vile ranting and also exposing his children to same. All Muslims [by being accepting of this violence against not only non-Muslims but also their fellow Muslims as well] are GUILTY of the human carnage whether directly involved or not. Anyone who proclaims otherwise is guilty of the same POLITICAL CORRECTNESS that our government and our military are now exhibiting over the Fort Hood massacre!!!!!

Quin| 11.14.09 @ 11:29AM

A word to you haters out there: You make the same damn mistake that we always accuse the Left of making: You generalize from the particular. There is NO, NONE, ZILCH, ZERO reason to believe that just because many Muslims are extremists, all Muslims are extremists. Just because some strains is Islam preach hatred for the "infidel" doesn't mean that all strains of Islam preach such hatred. Just because we should be wary of Wahhabist Muslims doesn't mean we need fear, for instance, the tens or even hundreds of millions of Muslims in, for instance, Indonesia, who wish us no harm whatsoever. To point out the decency and patriotism of individual Muslim Americans is to encourage more decency and patriotism from other individual Muslim Americans. To treat ALL Muslims as if they are the same hating variety as Osama bin Laden, though, is as wrong, as evil, as it is to say that because one home robber happens to be black, it therefore follows that all black people are home robbers. This treating of all people by their group characteristics, rather than as individuals, is antithetical to the American tradition, to conservatism, to classical liberalism, and to all human decency.
I dare say it is unAmerican.
Criticize the living bleep out of jihadists; hunt down terrorists wherever they are; abhor all political correctness which would have us somehow kowtow to dangerous people just because they are Muslims. Yes, do all those things. Those are all fine. But at the same time, if we find sincere Muslims -- and there are millions of them -- who are indeed moderate, who do indeed act decently, then we are idiots, absolute idiots, if we do not encourage them, welcome them, befriend them, treat them as we treat any other American of any race, ethnicity, or creed. If you can't understand that, then go crawl under a rock.

Oldefarte| 11.15.09 @ 11:50AM

Your call to avoid DISCRIMINATION is overused and unnecessary, since most rational human beings bend over backwards to counter same. The fact is that Muslims are violent in nature [anyone doubting same should read the editorial on today's AMERICAN THINKER website concerning European Muslims hatred of their fellow European Jews], and only Muslims can change their group's behavior. Professing a POLITICAL CORRECT posture that NOT ALL APPLES IN THE BUSHEL ARE BAD is only convering up [making excuses for] the ROTTEN CORE OF SAME. A month ago, many would have expressed the opinion that Major Hasan was a good and decent Muslim because of his clandestined personae; and hopefully his true self will become exposed through thorough congressional investigation. The old hand granades of RACISM, DISENFRANCHISEMENT,GENTRIFICATION, DISCRIMINATION,etc are as worthless to this type problem as a SCREEN DOOR IN A SUBMARINE!!!!!

JimE| 11.16.09 @ 1:12AM

Why then aren't "moderate" muslims turning the radical muslims? Please spare me the jibberish about how they didn't know or suspect "XX" is was a radical.
"There is NO, NONE, ZILCH, ZERO reason to believe that just because many Muslims are extremists, all Muslims are extremists."
Let the muslim community prove it instead of accepting it as fact without proof.

zombyboy| 11.14.09 @ 1:17PM

I'm with Hillyer on this one and surprised at the venom in these comments. While we certainly shouldn't shy away from calling a terrorist a terrorist. But the vast majority of Muslims in America aren't terrorists--and it shows in the very fact that we aren't seeing IEDs on our streets and suicide bombers in our malls. The number of extremists who have targeted us here at home is minuscule compared to the number of Muslims who live their daily lives peacefully and as good citizens.

Just amazing to me to read people brutally judging the members of our society who have shown no proclivity for anti-Americanism or violence. With Nidal Malik Hasan there were signs--it was almost as if he wanted someone to notice and stop him, but our overly PC society was afraid to call the truth of the situation.

He should never have had the opportunity to do what he did; but that doesn't excuse painting every Muslim with the same brush. It's also an insult to the Muslims who have served in our military with honor and sacrifice.

If you want to say that "maybe instead of trying to find that 1 out of 1,000,000,000 muslims who isn't really all that into killing infidels we should maybe, I dunno, pay attention to the 999,999,999 who are" you are going to have to explain why terrorist acts in this country are so few and far between. In fact, a serious mind might wonder why Muslims in America are, on the main, well-adjusted, happy, and well-integrated and downright disinclined to violence as compared to their counterparts in some other nations.

Seriously, some of these comments are the precise reason that leftists continue to claim the moral high ground on race issues; and giving them that high ground is precisely why people were too damned afraid to call Nidal Malik Hasan a potential terrorist threat. If we on the right want to reclaim that high ground, we need to be honest, yes, but also fair and serious.

Many of the comments here are certainly honest, but they are neither serious nor fair.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.14.09 @ 1:38PM

"""I'm with Hillyer on this one and surprised at the venom in these comments. While we certainly shouldn't shy away from calling a terrorist a terrorist. But the vast majority of Muslims in America aren't terrorists--and it shows in the very fact that we aren't seeing IEDs on our streets and suicide bombers in our malls."""

YET! (see below)

Crusader| 11.14.09 @ 11:50PM

I guess I'm wondering how many attacks on American soil are enough for some people. Lessee here, seems there was one, oh, the date 9/11 is ringing a bell for me. Oh yeah! They flew two planes into the WTC and killed 3000 and destroyed the buildings! Silly me!

So I guess you can live with the terrorist attacks that are "few and far between." Tell me, is that any consolation to the families of the 3000 killed on 9/11? The ticket agent killed in LA? The Jews killed in Seattle? The students, where was it, NC where that kook muslim drove through a quad? The families of the 50+ hurt and killed in Texas? The parents of the recruiter killed in Arkansas? I guess you are OK with all that, seeing as how they were "few and far between."

This doesn't take into account the girl who is in hiding in FL for converting to Christianity, the guy in NY who chopped his wife's head off, or the muslim in TX who killed his daughters for acting "too Westernized." Yeah, few and far between so its OK.

Anyway I'd rather be a "hater" than a dhimmi.

Word for the day for zombyboy: taquiyaa. Look it up.

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.14.09 @ 1:27PM

Quin, I am not a "hater". Further, I have cheered you on for your brilliant thought for us here so often, that I must often sound like a groupie.
So
I suppose my question to you here is: "Does this site henceforth demand silence on this issue?"

Then that question creates a whole cascade of questions. (Please read my posts above before banning me.)
Look,
I have tried to be honest, and rational, and balanced, based upon 35 years of interfacing with all shades of Muslim, both here and in their countries.
Have you ever worked with them and lived in Indonesia and the greater middle east?
I have.

Let's turn the the entire discussion upside down.
Let's talk instead about "moderate Christians".

Let's define a "moderate" Christian. Must a moderate Christian turn away from the core tenants of the New Testament to be "moderate"?

My understanding is that the New Testament is the views of the men and women who actually knew Jesus, whom we believe is the unique Son of God.

Should we discard "Love your neighbor as I have loved you"? Should we burn the pages where Jesus said, "...Turn the other cheek."
Should we forget ".....forgive seventy times seventy."

Should we laugh at Jesus' naivete in the parable of the "Good Samaritan"?
OK, enough!

Sir, I believe I am saved by grace...for eternity. I would lay my life down rather than deny Jesus.
Hmmmmm...I suppose that makes me not a "moderate" Christian.

Sir, when push comes to shove, and it may very well do so, do you expect the Muslims throw out the core principles and demands of their "scriptures"?
We Christian scholars have a concept called "exegesis". It simply means we examine every jot and tiddle of our New Testaments...in as many translations as we can find...to think and pray about. Islam is ONLY one language...Arabic, and it must NOT be thought about....."OBEY".

See, Sir, what you are terming "moderate Muslims", we "committed" Christians would simply term "back-sliders"...or "reprobates".

I shall NOT crawl under a rock!
You are going to need 6 feet of earth, Dihimini.

Crusader| 11.14.09 @ 11:58PM

Ken, maybe dear ol' Quin should chew on this. Does he ever wonder why the American Left, which DESPISES everything overtly, covertly, openly or remotely "Judeo-Christian" seems to lovingly embrace islam? I mean wouldn't it stand to reason if islam is a "Abrahamic religion" wouldn't they despise it as well? What is it about islam the Left loves so much? The anti-individualism? Misogyny? Death? The hatred of Christians and Jews? The unthinking rule of law over every aspect of an individual's life? Or all of the above?

Bottom line is anything the Left embraces I INSTINCTIVELY call into question and examine. Islam? Piss on it. Anyone who calls themselves a "Christian" or even "conservative" and is worried about the future of America should chew on that before spouting off about these mythical "moderate muslims." I got a better chance of finding a leprechaun at the end of a rainbow than a "moderate muslim."

JP| 11.14.09 @ 2:01PM

The problem non-Muslim nations with Islamic minorities face are numbers. If 99% of Muslims are good citizens, that leaves the 1% who are not. The 1% are willing to kill, maim, and terrorize in order to achieve thier long term goals. Also, Islam knows no ethnic boundaries. It is truely a cross-ethnic religion (just like Catholicism and Anglicanism). In the US, if the 1% are attracted to Islamo-fascism, that is still 150,000. It is this tiny minority that cowers the majority of peacefull Muslims, recruit younger people, and who have access to billions of dollars worldwide via Saudi and Iran. There has been a track record of moderate Imans in other places (like Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, as well as Europe). But many of them have been murdered. Like the old Costra Nostra, the Islamo-fascists use violence to quiet the majority. And the Saudis have billions of petro-dollars to fund Wannabist schools and mosques, out-reach centers, hire lobbyists, and public relation centers. And unlike the Catholic Church, there is no Magersterium in Islam. There is no central authority to weed out the heretics. That is why to this day, several factions within Islam can declare they are the true followers.

The case of Major Hasan continues to give evidence that one does not have to build a sophisticated terror cell to be effective. Hasan more than likely was acting on his own, and used the Wannabist theology as inspiration. What angers many is that fears of being labeled a racist has frozen our intelligence agencies as well as much of our defense bureaucracy. How can we accuse peacefull Muslims of cowardice when our own Army Secretary is apparently just as fearfull(it matters not if one fears bad PR, or fears death -the results are the same)?

We are quickly going the route of Europe. We lack the will to find, arrest, or deport the crazies, and as a consequence we shall see much more of these kind of actions in the future.

JP| 11.14.09 @ 2:15PM

I think another question should be put out for discussion. Its' a question that is censored by people of all political persuasions because to ask it opens up many painfull memories.

Should the US actively encourage people to emigrate here whose theology and life styles undercut the core tenants of our society? Even peacefull Muslims do not share a civic culture with our own. The greater non-Islamic culture here is consdiered to be Infidels by Muslims. This is different from they way Orthodox Jews look at non-Jews (I think the Yiddish word Goyim is used).

The Europeans came up with a solution a few decades ago. There are currently hundreds of "No-Go" zones in Europe. The No-Go zones are not patrolled by the local police, and are essientially run by Islamic Imans. They've run out other ethnic minorites (such as Hindi), as well as the natives.

Of course, the Europeans have a much bigger problem. Cities such as Amsterdam, Mamlo, and Brussels no have Muslim majorities. Look at the evolution of these cities to get a glimpse of the future. London, Brimingham, Marsailles, and Leuven will probably have Islamic majorities in the near future.

Can our Constitution survive wiht large Islamic minorities in this nation?

Quin| 11.14.09 @ 3:25PM

To Ken (old Texican): Of course you, my friend, are not one of the "haters" to whom I was referring. You did not refer to Muslims as "fecal matter," or any tommyrot such as that. Indeed, the last two sentences of my comment (in response to the other comments to my post) were entirely in line with the first six sentences of your first comment above. You made distinctions between some very kind Muslims and other, bad ones. So did I. You were thoughtful. Haters aren't thoughtful. You are welcome here anytime.

Jeff Perren| 11.14.09 @ 4:04PM

Quin,

You make some good points (particularly the one about judging individuals as individuals) but your timing might be a little imprudent. A few days after Pearl Harbor isn't a very propitious moment to point out there are peaceful forms of Shinto. Not when most of the major media figures - and, tragically, some high ranking military officers - are lined up to obscure the ideology that produced the outrage.

And by all means let's recognize that many Japanese are horrified by the unprovoked an unwarranted attack. Feel free to highlight those who join the armed forces to combat the kamakazis, but consider the moment.

We're still chest deep in the most difficult war in the nation's history - made so not by lack of power but by a will sapped by political correctness - and the head of the DoJ, with the CinC's approval, has just exposed us to the enemy. Now might not be the best time to try to detail subtleties, unless you think your friend help can turn his fellow Muslims into anti-jihadists (or at least neutralize or marginalize them). In all sincerity, good luck with that.

Respectfully,
Jeff

[P.S. In case it isn't obvious enough, tenses mixed intentionally here to make a point.]

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.14.09 @ 5:49PM

JP, Jeff, Quin, Olde Farte
All important points above. Thank you all. I dare say, there has been a better airing of the dimensions of the dilemma we face, right here in this discussion than in our federal government departments and military leadership councils.
Quin, perhaps you might want to wire the entire discussion here to selected officials of your acquaintance.
I commented here a couple of days ago that we truly are engaged in a "holy war" whether we like it or not.
Militant Islam has declared the war in no uncertain terms, and it seems to me we either fight it, or bow our heads in surrender.
I shant.

Oldefarte| 11.16.09 @ 11:52AM

Ken, etc,

Here's and interesting link, which I think 'splains the [Muslim] problem' [copy/paste to your search engine] :

http://rubinreports.blogspot.c.....rs-at.html

Oldefarte| 11.16.09 @ 11:55AM

Let me try again: rubinreports.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-i-murdered-13american-soldiers-at.html

Oldefarte| 11.25.09 @ 3:12PM

Here is another link whose writer thoroughly explains the dispicable problem of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS----I suggest everyone read same:
http://www.newsmax.com/herbert.....90532.html

SC Mike| 11.14.09 @ 6:04PM

The notion that all Muslims follow some strict interpretation of Islam is about as valid as holding that all Christians are either Opus-Dei-ed Catholics pining for the Latin mass, fasting during Lent, and avoiding meat on Fridays or strict Southern Baptists who spend half their week in church, look down on their weak brethren, and who recognize neither the Pope nor their fellow church-goers in a liquor store.

I think ya gotta allow for Episcopalian-style Muslims. Indonesia and Malaysia are but two nations that function pretty well in the modern era with home-grown talent; they too are plagued by the Sunni wackos from the Arabian peninsula who push the better-than-thou kind of old-time religion that makes one’s enemies lose their heads.

There is the special case of the Shia and their home state of Iran, but there too, most Iranians are not the blood-thirsty sort.

Yes, there are those who proselytize the particularly noxious fundamentalist versions of Islam that are dangerous to any country, and yes, they are doing their best in this country to attract a motivated following of whom we should be suspicious and keep a guard up.

But there are certainly Muslims who don’t cotton to the Arab or Shia fundamentalist brand: that’s not their Kool-Aid, and we should not assume that it is.

Margie| 11.14.09 @ 8:34PM

I just think that we we all know that Islam is not a good thing. We know it says to kill the "infidels." I don't think that's what anybody's arguing about. Right?
It's just that there are individuals who have been born into it and don't leave it but they stay because that's what they know, not that they want to kill anyone. They have human hearts that only God can change and He does. There are Christians all over the world in the underground churches risking their lives for the sake of the gospel so that Muslims can come to a knowledge of the Truth.
Islam is a jihadist "religion." Their "God" is a false god. But there are individuals who need to be rescued from it too.

MattSwartz| 11.15.09 @ 1:31PM

I agree with Quin. Islam is a flawed ideology, but individuals have a right to be taken at face value, and when you take your Muslim neighbor at face value, you'll almost certainly find a lot there to like.

I think that we should cut our immigration quotas pretty sharply, but that's a separate issue.

It's simply unAmerican to disrespect other people's Freedom of Religion.

Clifford Truesdell| 11.15.09 @ 4:44PM

CATR4
Scott Roeder, Eric Rudolph, Michael Griffin and John Salvi are (were in the case of Griffin) Christians (and terrorists), but this scarcely means that all Christians murder doctors who perform abortions.

Margie| 11.15.09 @ 8:11PM

In the Bible, God states that if you are a murderer you cannot enter into Heaven, but are cast into Hell. You must pay the price.

The Koran tells Muslims to kill the infidels. (Anyone who isn't one), and that by so doing you will go to meet "Allah", etc.

False god, false religion.

Penny| 8.23.10 @ 2:58PM

I would like to believe this article. But as others have mentioned the american loving muslim voice is not heard anywhere - if they love this country so much let them be heard and not be ashamed..until then I don't trust any of them.