Grass-roots Movement Needed to Change U.S. Mind Set

The Western Media, conservative in particular, has been very shrewd and successful in making a connection, justified or not, between Islam and the terrorism happening all over the world.  The response to this tragic connection from the Muslim communities living In America and elsewhere is rather meek and halfhearted.

Whenever either there are cartoons in a Danish newspaper or Pope's reference to a medieval document, Muslim do not wait to reflect and chart out a sensible way to respond.  I believe someone somewhere is just waiting to incite the emotional and diehard Muslims to march in the streets, burn effigies, destroy places of worship of non-Muslims, burn the foreign franchises (symbol of "global imperialism" though owned by local Muslims), and everything parked or passing by belonging to their everyday working brethrens,   By the end of the day their own nation ends up with losing property worth millions of dollars, some dead bodies, and many injured people.  Their pictures appear all over the world instantly, which was their motive to begin with, unmindful of the fact that they have further blackened the face of Islam.  Then they wonder who in the world would do business with them.

To make matters worse what you hear from the pulpit of a mosque is only the condemnation of the "insult to Islam and Prophet Muhammad" but never a word to even mildly chastise the unruly mobs or even to appeal for calm and not malign Islam with violent acts.  As Sam Harris points out (Liberal apathy fuels the rage-AJC @ Issue, September 22, 2006) "The truth is that we are not fighting a "war on terror.'  We are fighting a pestilential theology and a longing for paradise."

I even agree with (mostly anti-Islam) Charles Krauthammer who wrote on the same page (Sense of irony overlooked amid violence.)  "In today's world religious sensitivity is a one way street.  The rules of the road are enforced by the Islamic mobs and abjectly followed by Western media, politicians, and religious leaders."   He further writes:  "The fact is that all three monotheistic religions have in their long histories wielded the sword."  So one wonders why it is only Islam's sword in the news?

Which brings to my last question.  What should the Muslims do so as not to be maligned with terrorism?  I would begin from my home and let our children know that they should long to be good Muslims and citizens and not worry about going or not going to paradise.  Fortunately, we do not have religious madrasa (schools) that teach hate and violence here but there are plenty overseas.  That will take some courage and time to change their curriculum.  We need a grass root movement to change the mindset of even the highly educated professional Muslims and those of imams of our mosques.  We need to know our neighbors, go to their cookouts, invite them to our homes for tea or something, and get in touch with politicians.  I know lot of people fussing and cussing about this and that but they do not even write a line to their newspaper editors or make a call.

So the Muslims of America and the rest of the world we have a serious problem.  Don't wait for a messiah to come to your help.  Go out and do something, like talking to your imam.  I have.

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