It's the people, not the religion.

Submitted by Simon (United States), Mar 26, 2003 at 17:43

It is not the religious teachings that act violently. It can only be the people who carry out the violence.
Let's examine the case of the Anarchist Cookbook. This book demonstrates how to make explosives and other destructive items. Many people wanted this book banned because it offered information that could be used to cause destruction.
Does this imply that everyone who owns this particular book is going to violate the law with the information and injure others?
The answer is no.
There are others, who for one reason or another use the bomb making information contained in the book to break the law. These people are known as criminals.

The teachings of Islam alone are benign. The words can't blow up buildings. The words can't hijack airplanes nor do they engage in suicide bombings.
Similar to the above example of the Anarchist Cookbook, not everyone who reads the Koran will act the same way with the information. But add to the mix someone who is prone to act a certain way, and the book suddenly becomes fodder for violence.

My personal opinion is that the US Government should infiltrate Islamic groups in order to distinguish which ones are threats.
Does anyone object to the FBI following the activities and leaders of the Aryan movement, besides the members? No. Why? Because they have been deemed to be a threat against the people of this nation. Does this mean that everyone who is an Arian commits a crime? No. But for the general welfare of the citizens of the nation, acts of violence that are race motivated should be countered.

When an Arab group or any group crosses the threshold of law, they should be monitored to determine if they constitute a threat against the people of America.
Again, just having a certain book and a certain system of beliefs doesn't necessarily make a person a criminal not to mention a terrorist.

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