Refreshing words of clarity and common sense from an American Muslim:
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I am embarrassed when I read the names of the terrorists in the newspaper. What must non-Muslims think when some criminal claiming to act in the name of Islam and bearing the same name as the Prophet Muhammad is arrested?
I am also embarrassed that not all American Muslims do all they can to expose those in our community who would commit mayhem or would give succor in any way to those who would cause harm. Too many American Muslims hold back from publicly speaking out against extremist ideologies that threaten us all because they fear being stigmatized by their coreligionists for cooperating with security agencies.
Why is this? In part it is because some Muslim immigrants are relatively recent arrivals from nations in which security forces were corrupt and could not be trusted. Some shy from cooperation because of their immigration status or the status of those around them. Still others hold back because they disagree strongly with American foreign policy. They truly believe that the current administration is fighting a war against Islam under the guise of fighting terrorism. Regrettably, this sentiment is widespread among Muslims, more so abroad but to a substantial degree in America as well.
Our government may act incompetently and unwisely. But I'm confident that it holds no animosity toward Muslims simply because they are Muslims. Sadly, it is Muslims who perpetrate most of the worst terrorist attacks today. As we approach the fifth anniversary of September 11, this reality must be acknowledged by all Muslims.
2006-09-05
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This guy additionally opposes "racial profiling" at airports. The overall context of his commentary opens me to this criticism of his, since the rest of what he says coincides with my own assessment.
"Our government may act incompetently and unwisely. But I'm confident that it holds no animosity toward Muslims simply because they are Muslims."
Sadly, I disagree with this assessment.
"The overall context of his commentary opens me to this criticism of his, since the rest of what he says coincides with my own assessment."
So, Paul, you're saying that you'll only listen to him because he said something you agree with? Not because he offers valid reasons that racial profiling is unjust?
Among Blacks in America there is a common belief that you should not turn other Blacks into the police. This "stop snitching" movement takes on stupid proportions when someone like Busta Rhymes refuses to turn in the guy who shot his friend and bodyguard. However, Lil Kim gained tons of credibility when she served time in jail for refusing to rat on her friends.
Most Muslims are taught that the religion is more important than country and even family. Their loyality to other Muslims might prevent them from ratting on a friend.
However, I think Siddique is disingenuous unless he really believes that most American Muslims are aware of terror plots in their midst. Most family members and friends of accused terrorists claim that their loved one could never be involved in a terror plot. If he was, they had no idea.
That's because any such plot is necessarily kept a secret.
I don't want to insult this very respected man who has served this country, but Siddique's commentary is meant for people like Paul and Six. That's why it was published in the Washington Times, a right wing newspaper that is read most often by white men.
I would ask him, if he really wanted to send this message to American Muslims, did he have it published in Islamic Horizons or some other Muslim publication? Did he deliver it as a kutbah (sermon) at Jummah (Friday) prayers?
I don't disagree with what he is saying, but I think you guys should certainly be aware of who his audience is. It is you.
What he says about racial profiling in airports is correct too.
Nadir: When somebody who sees racism absolutely everywhere, including places where I am absolutely sure it does not exist, insists that racial profiling in all cases constitutes unfair, counter productive racism, I pay little heed. But when somebody who agrees with me that America is not inherently racist in 2006 asserts that racial profiling against Arabs and Muslims at airports, yes, I give credability to that assessment.
Nadir: If I overheard some white guys at a corner store talking about a plan to kidnap some black men and lynch them, and if I went straight to the police with my information, would you consider this "ratting" on them? If I went to church and heard some christians talking about fire-bombing a mosque during Friday services, would you call me a "rat" for informing on them?
Nadir: The only blacks who have any notion of "not ratting" on "other blacks" are either thugs honoring age-old thug rules, or non-thugs living fearfully in neighborhoods terrorized by thugs.
The muslim terrorists are a different bread than the black thugs. They operate under the secret auspices of some communit leaders, and claim to serve the highest possible purposes of that community's religion. Furthermore, some sizable fraction of muslims support this terror, whereas zero non-thug blacks support black thugsterism. You will not find black community pillars donating money to street gangs, as we have socially prominant Arab-Americans donating money to Hezbolah and Hamas. Support for these groups in any form hypothetically enhances an enviornment that encourages people in this community to join the armed war against civilization. I am unsure to what extent Muslims in America are participating in that effort. But one group conducted the spectacular 911 attrocity; similar groups in England, Spain, and Holland have made similar strikes in those nations.
I do see similarities in that these deplorable monsters, in that if the people around them stand up to them -- as Sicillions recently did to the mafia there -- they can make strides to advance their communities forward.
Nadir: Do you have any sympathy for a Muslim who considers himself to have "loyalty" to a "fellow muslim" who wants to blowup your daughter's school? Even if that muslim is his "friend"?
Nadir: Would leftist newspapers like the NYT print this commentary? I don't know. You could be correct, that this guy is trying to impress people like me and Six, and secretly supports the war against civilization.
It amuses me that when Nadir encounters an Arab muslim who disagrees with him he simultaneously suspects that the guy is disengenuous, and takes careful pain not to accuse him of what he would accuse me for issuing the same statements (racism, religious intollerance, ignorance).
"(but) Siddique's commentary is meant for people like Paul and Six. That's why it was published in the Washington Times, a right wing newspaper that is read most often by white men."
So then, what about all the biased, slanted articles you post from online publications such as Alternet, Commondreams, Truthout, etc.? Who is their target readership?
According to you, we're supposed to accept everything they espouse as gospel truth.
What a crock.
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