Madeline,
et al,
There are many non-Muslims that are listening.
I am still trying to learn from the non-Mulsims here who, like you, abhore Islam but it is virtually impossible not to discount what you say as irrational fear. And frankly, all the name calling helps not one little bit.
Normally --- you would be correct in the concept of "irrational fear;" divorced of normal mental clarity and sound judgment. But in this case, in this time in history, Islam (the religion) and the Muslim (the practitioner) have created a reputation in reality; demonstrated by deeds, actions and words. It wasn't always like this. There was a time when America and
(at least a portion) of the Muslim World had an understanding and peace (
Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Signed at Tripoli November 4, 1796: ).
When I was young (before I went to war in Vietnam), I grew-up with a completely different notion of the Muslim (mostly from the movies of Hollywood). I had the impression that they were valiant warriors, men of Chivalry from the Middle Ages, who were honorable in peace and in war. I remembered the images of Baghdad and the ethics and bravery of Prince Sinbad; how he saw the wonders of the world. I remembered many of the ethos that emerged in the stories of 1001 Arabian Nights and how Ali Baba was so much more than a thief. But by the time I actually got to Baghdad, my image had changed. Hollywood didn't change it, the Muslim did.
The reputation that the Muslim has built for them is collective. Yes, I recognize that there are many Muslims that have spoken against the current rain of terror, wrapped in the cloth of Islam, but I (and much of the world) also have seen its effects. The practitioners have not made a concerted effort to change their image.
It is a very dangerous world out there today. And it is affecting more than just America. Entire countries have fallen to a radical interpretation of the faith. Every nation in the Western World is being slowly intimidated by the faithful. And there is no real effort on the part of the Islamic Leadership to clean-up the reputation and the faith of the reputation they have built over the decades.
Freedom of Religion is a double-edged sword for America. Those of us that serve our nation must fight for the right of the Muslim to practice Islam. But at the same time, we must detect and neutralize the Muslim wave that is attempting to spread the more extremist ideology
(known as Deobandism); and others that are actively working to overthrow Middle Eastern Regimes
(which they believe have been corrupted by the west alliances) and establish a pan-Islamic caliphate. Yes, there is a very inactive moderate Muslim segment that does condemn Jihadist activity, but that is not the same as actively working to suppress hostile activity.
"Islamophobia" implies that there is an "irrational fear." It suggests that no one should fear that a Muslim is, all of the sudden, going to start shooting people, or that a Muslim soldier might not frag his commander. It is saying that it is irrational to keep an eye on the Muslim that boards your plane, because it is unlikely they would take it over and crash it into a populated area. It is irrational to worry that a Muslim will detonate a car bomb in Times Square, Attack on the US warship in port, drive huge bombs into civilian building and Embassies, or light-up a shoe bomb aboard a plane.
The reputation is built and reinforced on a continuing basis; and these are not the normal crazies or criminals. These are believers who think in there martyrdom they are going to be rewarded in the mass murder of the innocent.
I submit, that it might not be unreasonable to assume that it would be almost impossible to put these events out of their mind.
Most Respectfully,
R
