WANTED: MODERATE MUSLIMS TO SHARE...HUMANITY.

Where are the moderate Muslims?

I receive regular emails from Muslim groups. Without fail they point out what they consider to be the unfair treatment of people of their faith. Oftentimes they are right, but invariably they also seem to minimize the brutal treatment of those who do not share their beliefs. Brutality often at the hands of other Muslims.

One such email arrived this afternoon.

In part, it was a reprint of a Boston Globe article.

MUSLIMS IN U.S. VOICE CONCERN ABOUT IRAQ

You can follow the link for the full story, what I've listed below has been edited by me for the sake of brevity.

Muslims on Long Island signed a petition condemning
the American bombing of mosques in Iraq, while worshippers and clerics at
Friday prayers around the United States worried that the war is getting out
of control.

After their weekly service at the Islamic Center of Long Island, 200
worshippers signed a petition to President Bush. It not only condemned
military actions at mosques, but urged the president to "bring home our
boys and girls."

At the Islamic Center of America in northwest Detroit, Imam Hassan Qazwini
said that millions in Iraq and around the world were happy to see the
collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein.

But, he added, the situation there hasn't improved and "the coalition
forces are moving from one mistake to another."

"Yes, we condemn the killing of innocent people, and there is no
justification for this kind of massacre," he said, referring to the slaying
and mutilation of four American contractors in Fallujah.

"But there's no justification for killing women and innocent children,
there is no justification for attacking mosques...We have to respect the
Muslim community."


I agree with that last statement...we have to respect the Muslim community.

But is this the best they can do?-
"we condemn the killing of innocent people......but there's no justification for killing women and innocent children."


Until perhaps the early 1970's, the Ku Klux Klan was a force to be reckoned with in the South. Brave people of color stood up against their hatred for decades. It cost thousands of them their lives. People of the Jewish faith also were quick to denounce the KKK and their courage can not be understated.

Today the KKK is not really a threat to anyone, except perhaps themselves. I don't believe many people take them seriously. Klansmen are bigots who play dress up games and wallow in their mutual ignorance.

What brought the KKK down?

Please understand, I don't want to minimize the contributions and valor of the very people these bigots persecuted, but I think what truly made the Klan a group more to be giggled at than feared, was the decision by moderate Christians to stand up and be counted. Protestant leaders boldly saying, "These are not my people. This is wrong. We not only denounce their actions, we will fight them with every tool of justice possible." Christians who held fast to their beliefs and were willing to die for them.

The Klansmen were exposed...as cowards.

I wouldn't begin to say I understand the Islamic faith, but I have seen their spokespeople.

I know this sounds harsh, but I can't name one who is a moderate.

The spokespeople I see for Islam are caught on camera mutilating Americans. They boast of blowing up Israelis. They rejoice in the deaths of innocents, and a rare few occasionally offer wishy washy statements with only passing caveats about "condemning killing of innocents" couched in messages bemoaning their own perceived injustices.

It's not enough for me.

I'm tired of it.

Where are the moderate Muslims - the ones who truly adhere to their faith and are willing to proclaim loudly their disassociation with all forms of violence?

Have you seen them?

I haven't.

Stand up and be counted if you're out there.

I understand your fear. You will pay a price.

It's a price that has been paid before by many, many others, but it's not without reward.