Powell: Right and Wrong on Fear of Muslims

The fact is, just because someone is a Muslim doesn't mean he's a terrorist, it doesn't matter if there are 300 million Muslims who are America-hating potential terrorists - they don't all hate us, not even 5% of them do.

Why shouldn't America take the higher ground of tolerance? Why shouldn't we, at least for the sake of American Muslims, give up our hate despite our fears. If neither side is ready to be tolerant, then hate will continue on both sides. America has a tradition of being religiously tolerant and we should embrace it. Putting down our fear will only require us to have the courage to do what is "really right".

When people started asking questions about whether Obama is a secret Muslim, I thought to myself "Where is the public outrage? Where are the Christian voices speaking out against intolerance?".
When Colin Powell finally stood up against this religiously motivated character assassination of Barack Obama, it made a difference.
At least I hope it will.

This country is again facing the dilemma discussed in this commentary.
To make democratic sense of the situation,native Americans need schooling to make them understand the differences between Muslims
loyal to democratic principles and those who hate America,on a scale of willingness to do violence to us. Months ago, the NYT carried a
picture of a young Muslin woman,carrying a sign which said,"Behead those who defame Islam." And how many cry out anger over Danny Pearl,
who is an iconic victim of savagery in Islam?

Two sides to the arguments between Islamic people and Americans,
must "get real" if tolerance becomes blended with acceptance.
Let them take a rational sociological view which will help
them fulfill the democratic premise.

There were plenty of Jewish people in the US that were happy to see Izchak Rabin assasinated.
There are plenty of Christians that are fighting a crusade to convert the "Muslims" of the world.
There are many people that simply want peace and are looking to bankrupt the war efforts.
What if everyone hating altered their hatred and worked on cleaning up our planet.
What we have to fear is "hate" since when we are blinded by hate nothing seems to make sens

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, and throughout WWII (and for many years afterward) a large number of Americans, particularly men who served in the Pacific Theater, hated the Japanese. Many also hated Germans. (The Italians seemed to escape some of the deepest hatred...must be that we really like their food.) I know this because my father served during WWII (as well as in Korea and Viet Nam) and I have often heard him and his friends talk. As time went by however, much of the animosity faded. Many servicemen even married Japanese women. While the pain of the holocaust is still with us, most Jews do not hate Germans. The Germans of today cannot be blamed for the actions of their parents and grandparents.

The problem now is that on 9/11, a group of nationless Muslims attacked America in the name of their faith. There is no single nation to hold responsible, no country to retaliate against so that we can destroy those who would do us harm. In fact, the Islamic extremists terrify and harm their fellow countrymen where ever they take root! I suspect that many moderate Muslims are afraid to speak against groups who are so ready to kill anyone who opposes them and others do not want to do anything that might seem to malign their own faith, even though it is actually the terrorists who harm Islam!

So, since few Muslims have defended their faith from these extremists, and because we don't have an actual nation with an official military to fight, many Americans have come to see the "enemy" as Islam. It is too bad but it is because the crazy fundamentalists are making the most noise. When we see terrorist attacts, brutal treatment of women and hear constant words of hatred, it is hard to remember that there is a silent majority out there that is not brutal or hate-filled.

Personally, I do not have a generally negative view of Muslims. The ones I have known have been smart, hard-working, loyal Americans. It is a shame that religon, which can do so much good, is so often perverted to do harm.

What does whatever is going on in Mosul have to do with the 7 yr old American boy who is of Islamic faith wanting to be president. That is the question. The young man who died for his country should be able to be president of the country he gave his life for.

Manny,

It does no one any good to attempt to distinguish between extremists, on the one hand, and followers of the true faith, on the other hand - regardless which faith you're talking about. The two are not mutually exclusive categories. The faith of extremists is just as "true" as the faith of moderates. It is just that the extremists damage the image of their faith while damaging their enemies.

Stu,

You wrote: "I dislike muslims. I fear muslims. I distrust muslims. They kill for the sake of killing. I do not think they should be allowed in our country."

Your emotions are your emotions. So I'll not say much about your statements of dislike, fear, and distrust. You feel what you feel. But you are simply ignorant to state that Muslims (whether as a group or individually --as opposed to individuals of any other group) "kill for the sake of killing."

And when you say that you "do not think they should be allowed in our country," you are right: you do not think. Who exactly is the "we" of "our country"? If you mean citizens, then Muslims are already part of the "we" you claim to speak for in order to exclude part of "us." If you don't mean citizens, then your statement that Muslims "should not be allowed in our country" is, on its face, offensive to all citizens.

L'Shalom,
Chaim

I say if you came to this country because your afraid of your own, and they won't let you speak out, speak up or be heard at all, if they treat woman like no class citizens and those are the reasons you came here....THEN WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO CHANGE THIS COUNTRY INTO FOLLOWING YOUR COUNTRY'S WAYS???? Live by the rules of America, stop being followers of your country's ways and live the American life style.

Ruvain seems to have his head in the sand. In a short time, we will better know what America will tolerate in terms of bigotry.

We all see that McCain is running a campaign of divisiveness and bigotry. According to Palin, there are "real parts of America," Bachmann from Minnesota calls for the media to investigate anti-American members of Congress whom she asserts are there in large numbers, and McCain perpetuates the lies about "Joe the Plumber" as a divisive wedge between Americans. and then there is the never ending lies about Ayers -- who was appointed by conservative Republican Annenberg Foundation. McCain wants to kick all Gays out of the military -- that's far to the right of Don't Ask don't Tell. Palin wants a constitutional amendment against gay marriage -- the fact she wants a constitutional amendment is an admission that gay marriage, which her religion opposes, is constitutional.

Today, McCain is having a Joe The Plumber Day -- based upon lies in order to stirs up inter-group hatreds. But let's look at Joe: He made about $40,000.00, not $280,000.00 and he would fare far better under Obama's tax plan; he was not buying his boss's business and he did not have a plumber's license and the business was worth about $150,000.00. There was no way that anyone could have a taxable income of $280,000.00 from a business worth $150,000.00. Joe has a tax lien of $1,100.00 against his home, and Joe skipped out of Arizona with $700 of unpaid parking and/or traffic tickets. Thus, the Joe The Plumber whom McCain mentioned 21 times during the debate and whom he is honoring today is a liar and a tax dodger.

Why is this relevant? Yes. The basic trick behind this type of illicit campaign is to get millions of people to believe something that they know is false. The true story behind Joe The Plumber is relevant here because McCain is counting on bigotry and prejudice to blind people's eyes to the obvious truth. McCain's policies have seriously injured the middle class,, they have been responsible for the global financial meltdown, and his economic plans would further harm the middle class as well as the world economy. The only people who benefit are the super wealthy who are making billions of dollars in these huge market swings. Just by trading in the stock of The Hartford in the last few weeks, one could triple his money. That's nice when you have an extra $100,000. If The Hartford is your insurance company and your house has just burned down, that's not so nice since it won't pay your claim.

The same type of mindless religiosity which allows most Muslims to ignore reality is operating to allow millions of Americans to ignore the reality that Joe The Plumber is a Lie. What would have happened if 70% of all Germans had objected to and taken action against the anti Jewish laws in the early 1930's? What would have happened if 70% of all Arabs had supported the two state solution in 1948? What would have happened if 70% of all Americans in 1898 had stood up against Separate But Equal?

The worldwide terrorist threat grew in Arab and Muslim communities which allowed it to grow, and within two weeks, America will see whether it supports race baiting, lies, deceit, and the turning of one American against another. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that a majority of Californians will vote to exclude Gays from constitutional protection. How far will America go to reward the hate mongers? we've already agreed to give over $1 Trillion to the crooks who caused the worldwide economic crisis and not one cent for its victims. These horrible things happen because the consciousness of the people allow them to happen. That is true for the Muslim world and for America.

By now everyone knows about poor poor poor Joe. He may be in need of a job. If you live in his city.

Steven Joseph who calls himself Joe the Plumber is living in a place where you do not need a licence to be a plumber. He has been working in another city where you do need a license and is working for another plumbing firm. Often that means the owner is the licensed plumber and those under him or her may or may not be licensed. Unfortunatly one of the media types among many looked into things and, supposidly found out that nobody in the company Joe works in is licensed. If true it may be closed by now and I bet they are all thrilled with their buddy!

As for the electon let us hope on that day or whenever the results are known the McCains and the Palins all get together to have mooseburgers and beer. Then the Palins go back to where they have been staying and pack up everything-the clothes and items that the Republican party says they bought and will want back included-and the Palins go back to Alaska to await the birth of their newest additon and he McCains go to rest at one of the many homes that Cindy inherited before McCain resumes his job in Congress. Hopefully that will take place Nov. 5th.