For Maxx part 2

Submitted by Kim (United States), Jun 16, 2007 at 20:00

Dear Maxx,

I appreciate your comments. I must admit I am rather ignorant regarding JT Muslims. The intention of my blog was to point out that in fact Islam does not wish to see itself as dominant in the sense that you intended in your blog. Like all other religions, it does believe itself to be the true religion, much like most devout Jews and Christians who believe their religions are the true religions.

I have travelled to different Muslim countries with my Jordanian/Palestinian husband. I was greeted with warmth and treated like a member of almost every family I encountered. I would be a liar if I said no one treated me with suspiscion or prejudice, just like I would be a liar if I said no one here in America has treated my husband with equal suspiscion or prejudice. The reality is that the prejudices do exist, which is why it is important to continue the open discussion of all issues. On this point I agree with you. (And no, I do not think Shari'a law is the answer, although I agree that there are some points that could beneficial to any society. My other point was to introduce the idea in this forum that our president misrepresented his invasion of Iraq and in my humble opinion, which seems to be shared by a fair precentage of my countrymen and women, he is milking it for all it is worth.

You say that the safest place for a Muslim to be right now is in America. Are you aware that as a result of the war in Iraq and this vague-yet-fear-inciting "War on Terrorism," Muslims in America are feeling more and more threatened in their day-to-day lives? Women have been physically accosted for wearing hijab (veils) in public. Innocent families' homes have been raided by the FBI, only to uncover absolutely nothing. The prejudice and outright racism here in America aimed at Arab or Muslim people continues to grow in post-9/11 America.

As to the discussion of Al-Qaeda: If Al-Qadea is truly the vast super-network of terrorists that we are made to believe it is, why did my husband (a young, Arab Muslim male of Palestinian origin) hardly know anything about it? Not until he met me did he begin to hear and learn more about this "Al-Qaeda" idea. Doesn't that strike you as a little bit odd? I lived overseas in a European country where the media rarely spoke of Al-Qaeda and when they did, they spoke of it in reference to what the American government was saying about it. We're fighting an invisible enemy here, a shadow on the wall that doesn't exist. I know that there are people who are extremists and plan to do harm, but they are not the efficiently organized and highly sophisticated network that American media has led us to believe exists.

Do you remember Northwoods, Maxx? Thank God that Pres. Kennedy had the wherewithal to strike that plan down. What makes you think George W. would be so discriminating? I have a friend who is a journalist. He sat in a room where heads of state were present many years ago and heard George H. Bush tell Saddam Hussein, "I'm gonna get your oil, Saddam." He wagged his finger at Saddam as he spoke. Saddam replied, "No, you will not." To which Bush Sr. replied, "Oh, yes I will. Yes I will." And here we are today, 4 years embedded in a war that was supposedly about WMDs. Let's be logical here and stop pretending.

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