Krista

Submitted by K.H. Ahmed (United States), May 31, 2008 at 07:24

Krista,

You asked me how I thought most Muslims felt - and I gave you my best sense of it. Your response is to write up a chronology to support the State of Israel. Let us say that I concede, (and if my point was history here I wouldn't), but let us say that I do - it would not change how the people feel.

To say that it is a sore spot is not to say Israel shouldn't be there, I support the State of Israel, I concede that most do not. I support its existence but not for the reasons that you list. I support it because I believe it is better for the Arab world for it too be there. But in this country support for Israel has become so politically paramount that we have been unable to really address the problems of the Middle East.

The falafel maker, the copper-smith born in 1950 in Palestine knows nothing or very little of the historical background that you speak. He knows where his grandfather points out their family home was but is now Israel.

I read the things that you post and I see a person who sees a threat on the horizon, reads about it, tries to understand it, but remember each one read has their agenda - I have an agenda - I want people to be against "Jihadists" and for Muslims - I want those of us who sit comfortably in the West to recognize what the bread maker, the candlestick maker, is trying to do in his life, he/she may be a muslim but they are just men or women like us seeking to live life in some reasonable fashion. They are buffeted by the winds of powerful people and events that they at the moment have no control over.

I am an American- I love my country- I have fought for it - but that doesn't mean that it is alright for me to hate everything not American - there is much I love about Islam, about Christianity, about Judaism, but all of that means nothing if I don't understand what those people love about their own faiths.

You have written this particular piece of chronology - now I would ask you to seek other sources that give the arab point of view regarding that chronology - you don't have to believe it - it is not necessary - all that is necessary is for you to understand it - then you can understand what motivates them - then you can find ways to find things you agree on - it's not pie in the sky to understand- it used to be called diplomacy, strategy knowing your enemy as well as you know yourself.

All the hating and screaming in the world will not make you or I safer. But this piece of technology lets you talk to a Muslim in Pakistan, India, Turkey, the US. You are obviously smart, well read, use your gifts to lower the decibal level to show a muslim what you wish in life is no different that what he wishes. Read something on Suleiman, or the early Caliphs, or the History of the Moors in Spain- not Orientilist junk but good stuff, see the things they take pride in, science. math, great philosophical works - it is a history they remember and long for. A struggle over ideas is important and who wins the struggle between JIhadists and, if you will, moderate Muslims is important, but in the midst of your debate with someone, whether they remember or not, you need to remember that on the other side is a person just like you.

If you do that - the odds are that you in the long run will win.

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