An awakening

Submitted by Larry (United States), Sep 11, 2003 at 13:50

My first "awakening" about Islam came many years before Sept. 11th. I learned that a fatwah had been ordered against Salman Rushdie, the Egyptian writer. I had always believed up to that point that Islam was just like Judeo-Christianity. They preached love of God and peace. I was shocked to learn that an order for a man's death came because of a fiction book. But surely I thought this was just a crazy few? I soon learned that most Muslims felt strongly that Rushdie should die. I had to question the sanity of many adherents after that. Then September 11th happened and I remember thinking "oh those poor Muslilms. They will all be blamed for the actions of a few. Then the interviews came. Not just from abroad but from my own country-- with people who shared their opinions with journalists. One man I will never forget said, "well, if America would just stop supporting Israel things like this wouldn't happen." I was outraged and very angry. Not once have I heard a Muslim person ever say that what Al Qaeda did was monstrous.

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