For American Muslims, a year of living dangerously
Today's guest blogger is Farhana Khera, the Executive Director of Muslim Advocates, a national legal advocacy and educational organization.
As this weekend's arson at a Portland, Oregon mosque perfectly illustrates, 2010 has been one of the most difficult and fearful years on record for many American Muslims, surpassing even those dark days following the tragedy of 9-11. This was the year that it became acceptable in America to openly state your hatred of Muslims and, in some cases, act on it.
Put simply, some fail to grasp the motto created at our nation's founding--e pluribus unum--"out of many, one" -- and that our nation's strength is derived from its diversity. As Americans, we are obliged to demand that our elected officials act to stem this rising tide of hate and defend our nation's founding values.
This year, Americans witnessed a perfect convergence of events for such demagoguery: ignorance, fear-mongering, and an election cycle. In addition to the hate-crime in Portland, arson, intimidation and lawsuits in a Tennessee mosque's construction, a threatened mass Qur'an burning in Florida, and an incoherent, unnecessary state law passed by Oklahomans all illustrate how irrational the fear of American Muslims has become. Anti-Muslim hatred is now a well-funded, politically useful and corrosive social malady in America.
In Tennessee, a Muslim community whose congregation has never exhibited any unlawful behavior was effectively told "go back where you came from...", first by protesters shouting anti-Muslim slurs, then by thugs who set fire to construction equipment, and finally, by opponents who tried to stop the new mosque in court. They failed.
It should come as no surprise to some that members of this community report that the protests have abated since the November elections, though tensions remain. Unfortunately, the hostile tone set by those months has left many in what was once a quiet community resigned to always look over their shoulder and avoid the public eye. Is this how we create community in America?
In Florida, pure, unadulterated religious bigotry drove one self-anointed Christian pastor to threaten to burn multiple copies of the Qur'an, while encouraging Americans to mail him more copies for his bonfire. His defiant plan brought condemnations from U.S. officials, including General David Petraeus, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It also unified many Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders in their opposition to the burning.
But the damage was done, and copycats began burning Qur'ans in places like Texas, Illinois and Michigan. The charred pages of each sacred book spoke clearly to American Muslims: "You are not welcome here."
Most recently, 70% of voters in Oklahoma decided to banish Shariah law even though there has never been a case of Shariah law--or any other religious doctrine--trumping local laws. The 'Supremacy Clause' in the U.S. Constitution has always made it clear that the Constitution takes precedent to any religion's laws. The Oklahoma shariah ban--which was suspended on November 29 by a federal judge --did succeed in doing one thing: it further demonized the state's tiny minority of Muslims. The attempted law also illustrates a divisive and self-serving opportunism that some--mostly politicians--have decided to pursue.
Such hateful acts and words have real-life consequences. Muslim advocates around the country reported that their communities are seeing an alarming spike in harassment of mosque congregants, anti-Muslim graffiti, and, in one case, in New York City, a near-fatal attack on a Bangladeshi-American taxi driver.
If history is any guide, such bigotry, especially when led by political leaders, will prove to have disastrous consequences for us as a nation.
While American Muslims are exhausted from this year of hate and ignorance, they can look to a few positive signs, such as U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's October announcement that the Justice Department was filing a legal brief in the Tennessee mosque construction case, siding with the Muslim community and defending religious freedom.
Now, the State Attorneys General need to follow the federal example. It was appalling that the State of Oklahoma's top law officer remained silent about the anti-Shariah law after its passage. With other states threatening to pass similar laws, Americans of all faiths need to let their elected officials know that we will not let hate and bigotry destroy our nation.
The content of this blog reflects the views of its author and does not necessarily reflect the views of either Eboo Patel or the Interfaith Youth Core.
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Eboo Patel
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December 2, 2010; 9:24 AM ET
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Posted by: Jihadist | December 3, 2010 12:11 PM
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Do not be dismayed at the urine drinking Hindu antisemitic, anit-Muslim, Dalit-enslaving, Datlit trafficking, Dalit raping, Dalit-Murdering Secular.
Eboo, imagine if a Jew or Muslim had committed the Gujarat genocide? That would be the Gujarat genocide in which rampaging Hindu thugs slaughtered 2,000 Muslims while Hindu police watched?
Enslaving and killing 300,000,000 Dalit is not enough for some antisemites, of the Hindu persuasion, it would appear. But, then, Eboo, NB, he went to Catholic school.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2
WOW your ad hominem knows no bounds, does it? I point out the flaws in the mythical character called Avram and I am tagged antisemite. I question the basic precepts of Islam (mind you in lot less harsher terms than you) and I get tagged as anti-muslim. I don't even ever say a thing negative about Dalits, in fact I oppose the caste system that pervades India and I get tagged as host of negative Dali-xxxxxx attributes. Keep it up, you are making a caricature of yourself.
As to a muslims slaughtering hindus, it has been going on for over 1,000 years. Case in point look at the demographics of your kith and kin's Pakistan where over the past 60 years the hindu population has just about gone extinct.
Speaking of Jews slaughtering Hindus, that is hardly likely. There has not been any direct relationships between tile some 15 - 20 years ago when India finally recognized Israel. By the way the it was the BJP government that did establish the relation ship. Neither has any reason to hate each other, when they hardly know each other.
Just a piece of free advice, the less you hurl mindless ad hominem, the better off you are. I can only pity you for being compulsively obsessed about me, in hurling invective. This is just a blog where people express their opinions - agree and disagree with each other. There is no need for such invective. I dearly hope you don't treat your acquaintances in the same disrespectful manner as you treat others on the blog mostly without any personal provocation towards you.
Posted by: Secular | December 3, 2010 11:22 AM
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"tiny isrl" is murdering Palestinians (Muslims and Christains)day in and day out since 1947...and starving them first...
the "tiny" apartheid artificial creature is an absolute evil and only brought death and destruction to the Arab East.Like the 200 year cursaders' occupation,'tiny isrl' will come to pass.
The 'tiny' racist apartheid ethno-religous amalgam of armed alien settlers invaded and occupied all of Canaanite Arab historic Paletsine in 1947/8 and 1967,ethnically clenased 70% of its indeginous Paletinian People and still 63 years later occupy the remainig 5.5 rpt 5.5 million Palestinians-the longest occupation in modern history.
'tiny isrl' has the laregst army in the region and has a fromidable nuclear arsenal-and occupies still parts of Lebanon and Syria.
'tiny isrl' has every reason to feel chronically insecure:it is setting on stolen property.
Iran has neither a nuclear arsenal nor is it occupying any one's land-and yet jews are inciting the whole world against Iran thru their centers of power and influnce worldwide especially America. No conspiracy theory here:it is done in full day light in front of a whole mute world.
Muslims are slaughtered everywhere:In Palestine,Iraq, Afghanistan,Kashmir and an act of Genocide was commited by orthodox Christains agianst Bosnian Euroepan Muslims while 'civilized' Europe enjoyed the show.
Thanks to America, thou real late,that it saved the remaining victimzed Bosnians.
Christains who claim to be secualr have:
- launched the Crusaders' wars on the Arab East for two centuries under the guise of religon-as jews now falsely claim;
- Christains invenetd the horrenodus institution of the Inquisition against Spainsh Muslims and to some extent agianst the jews;
-Christains committed the barbarities of the two Holocausts:a smaller one against the jews where several million were gazed and a bigger Holocaust of Europeans where tens of millions of Europeans including Russians were murdered by nazi germans.
Since 1947 a slow more painful Holocaust is administered by jews against the Palestinian People-which holocaust is actively aided by christains...perhaps to make up for the holocaust of jews.
There are no equivalents in Muslim history to: the Crusaders,Inquisition,both European holocausts and the Genocide of the Bosnian European Muslims.
Posted by: asizk | December 3, 2010 8:17 AM
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We don't hate muslims. We hate the cult of Islam that has been killing Christians since it's inception. The most recent example is the catholic church in Bagdad where 50 or so Catholics were martyred. The only answer for jihad is crusade.
Posted by: sudmuf | December 3, 2010 4:55 AM
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Eboo Patel,
Do not be dismayed at the urine drinking Hindu antisemitic, anit-Muslim, Dalit-enslaving, Datlit trafficking, Dalit raping, Dalit-Murdering Secular.
Eboo, imagine if a Jew or Muslim had committed the Gujarat genocide? That would be the Gujarat genocide in which rampaging Hindu thugs slaughtered 2,000 Muslims while Hindu police watched?
Enslaving and killing 300,000,000 Dalit is not enough for some antisemites, of the Hindu persuasion, it would appear. But, then, Eboo, NB, he went to Catholic school.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | December 2, 2010 11:45 PM
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Eboo Patel, when have you ever written an article chastising any of the 57 Dar-ul-islams for their dysfunction? Just imagine if there were an Hindu or Christian were to have tried to do something similar to the portland youth in say Pakistan, what do you think would have been the reaction. Easily some 10 - 20 churches or temples would have beenb razed to the ground, possibly both. So stop being so melodramatic.
Posted by: Secular | December 2, 2010 11:22 PM
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Naturally, the real problem with Islam is the personal life of its founder. Beheading no less than 500 prisoners of his jihads and having political rivals murdered isn't being a good role model. We can talk about consumating marriage to wife #12 when the child was nine years old. Reminds me of the statement from a recent Iranian mullah, "Blessed is the man who gives his daughter in marriage before 'her first blood'"
Posted by: rrpopseal | December 2, 2010 10:54 PM
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It hasn't exactly been a day at the beach over the last decade for thousands American citizens scattered around the world in their encounters with "The religion of peace".
Posted by: slim21 | December 2, 2010 9:38 PM
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The First Amendment to our Constitution give us not only freedom of religion, but also freedom to CHANGE or to GET OUT from a religion. But the Koran does not allow that. So if you are not with our First Amendment, it means you are against it.
Posted by: ThishowIseeit | December 2, 2010 9:25 PM
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Post...please find a serious Islamic voice and drop Mr. Patel. With about 30 seconds of google research I was able to conclusively falsify two of the core claims of his article from official FBI reports and major news items (see prior posts). This guy is clearly not up to the Post's generally sound standards. It doesn't help Islam to have authors writing blatant (and pretty bald falsehoods) to defend the community! Please find a real commentator!
Posted by: Drew95 | December 2, 2010 9:05 PM
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azisk types:
Islamophobes,racists,bigots and Islam haters are out en masse today-they can be easily idenfitied on this form:they smell hate and racism-they are mainly AIPAC/Mossad operative and extreme right wing xtains wed into an anomalous marraige.
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The irony is that Jews in this country are the staunchest protectors and defenders of pluralism, which, includes muslims. The unfortunate thing is that muslims such as azisk call that into question.
As I have repeatedly asked R. Hirschfield and others, where when it comes to Jews, are your muslim counterparts?
What muslim nation is taking in refugee Jews (who, of course, are fleeing muslim nations) as tiny Israel continues to allow in those Sudanese muslims who manage make it through gigantic co-muslim Egypt without being shot in the back? Nice. Also, typical.
Sorry, as a child I saw an IRG muslim murderer drag a family friend out of our house and slaughter him. HIs blood splattered on my clothes.
Jew-hating, Christian-hating, HIndu-hating, woman-hating seems to be a way with the azisks of this world. Anyone who has read his typing on this blog knows that.
And there are just too many of them. Ask the indigenous genocided peoples of his native Indonesia. There were millions. There are now 85,000. Ask the Chinese in his country. Etc. Ask about the blasphemy laws in his country. Ask about the sixty Christians his co-muslims slaughtered in a church, the three million of us Jews they deported, exiled, killed.
Ask about 9/11. We in New YOrk had to wear masks. We couldn't breath. There was blood on the file folders, etc., on the water. Blood and ash.
And we need this azisk person because...?
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | December 2, 2010 8:57 PM
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And regarding the claim that Sharia law is not a threat to US justice, again the author is totally wrong when he claims it's never infiltrated a court case.
Note the recent case where a NJ Judge freed a husband who was shown to have repeatedly and violently raped his wife because it was okay under Sharia law.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100914114312AA9ks2r
Again, this article is total hogwash!
Posted by: Drew95 | December 2, 2010 8:50 PM
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This is total onsense! Shame on the WAPO for printing it. Actually, the offical FBI Report which can be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/november/hate_112210/hate_112210
Shows violence against Muslims is tiny and decreasing. On the other hand...
Quote "Of the 1,575 victims of anti-religious hate crimes, 71.9 percent were victims because of an offender’s anti-Jewish bias."
No mystery which major world religion (Islam) is the main instigator of anti-Jewish hate.
Total hogwash from first to last!
Posted by: Drew95 | December 2, 2010 8:42 PM
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The author gets it exactly wrong. E pluribus unum praises the triumph of unity over diversity in America, not the other way around.
Posted by: CharlesMcKay1 | December 2, 2010 6:22 PM
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This list of grievances as exaggerated as they are do not in any way shape or form compare to treatment of minorities in the societies from which those complainers hailed. These are individual acts and not a state policy as is prevalent in Muslim majority societies. How then would those crybabies react if we introduced an addendum to our constitution and called it “Obama Pact for treatment of the people of the Quran living in the USA” and modeled it after the” Omar Pact for the treatment of the People of the Book”? And for example made all Muslims wear a yellow crescent, dismount from their donkey in the presence of an infidel, and stand up in their presence etc. The problem here is the supremacist attitude of the new residents from failed societies who do not wish to integrate and yet wants the West to conform to their Stone Age customs and rituals.
http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-kills-pact-of-umar.htm
Posted by: abrahamhab1 | December 2, 2010 6:22 PM
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Many of the comments posted here are disturbing and offensive. That said, I do get very tired of vicious assaults on other religions, mostly Jews but Christians and differeing Muslim sects too, by the leading officials of many Muslim countries and in official textbooks of Muslim schools, with not one. single. word. of protest or indignance by the same muslims who ask the respect and dignity such a visible part of their world refuses to accord others. The hate against Muslims must stop. You deserve respect, dignity, and peace. But you must return the favor.
Posted by: naranja | December 2, 2010 6:07 PM
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"What if we gave a war . . .and only religious fundamentalists came"?
Really! "It would be a giant step for mankind" toward peace AND reason.
Posted by: lufrank1 | December 2, 2010 5:55 PM
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I see a few posters here who are apparently Muslims who are adept at the fine art of Muslim “outrage,” that, along with whining about how they are “persecuted” and really the true “victims,” bracing for the inevitable “backlash” against them by Americans --that never comes--after whatever the latest Muslim terrorist attack happens to be, has gotten them so much mileage; how dare we this and how dare we that, and don’t we know this or that!
All I know is that, I will be satisfied that Muslims in this country are not on the side of the Jihadis, and are not silently cheering them on, when I see even a fraction of the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Muslims who turn out, week after week somewhere in the World, to screech “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” marching down our streets here in the U.S., not carrying threatening signs saying things like “Islam Will Dominate the World” and “Behead Those Who Insult Islam,” but, instead, are denouncing Muslim terrorism, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda, and Islam’s Jihad against all us “unbelievers,” and I see Muslims in the U.S. routinely and publicly—in letters to the editor and elsewhere in print, in debates on college campuses, on TV, at town hall meetings--argue against, castigate, and turn in the terrorists among them.
P.S.--I note that the "backlash" in Oregon consisted of an easily contained fire in the Mosque office, that was apparently confined to a computer and to the chair below it, that's it. What you might think would have taken place--ugly graffiti spray painted on the walls of the Mosque, a fire that engulfed the whole building, the trashing of the Mosque's actual worship area--didn't happen, which I find curious in the extreme.
Posted by: Oserver616 | December 2, 2010 5:38 PM
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Justice Felix Frankfurter once observed that America was like a great pendulum. It swung from the truly noble to the despicable. But it was heavily weighted toward good and given time would always swing back in that direction.
Some elements in our society propagate fear and hate for their own profit or self aggrandizement. It has always been so. However give it time and they will dwindle to a small petty voice seeking after petty people. That is also how it has always been.
Posted by: kchses1 | December 2, 2010 5:09 PM
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This article is just par for the course at the Post, which infamously ran numerous, baseless articles speculating that Ft. Hood shooter Nidal Hassan had somehow contracted a communicable form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by listening to people who had actually been deployed, while at the same time running zero (0) articles about any of the unarmed Americans he killed while screaming about the supremacy of Islam. Of course when it came out that -- sure enough -- he'd instead come down with a pretty bad case of "the Islams" and was in contact with the deported former head of the Dar Al-hijrah mosque right here in Falls Church, the Post couldn't drop the whole line of inquiry fast enough.
Muslims make up 0.06% of the U.S. population. The vast majority seem to be good people, and are treated fairly in society. However, it is completely and utter BS to run article after article trying to pretend there is some sort of backlash against Muslims when every other religions/ethnic group suffers more hate crimes, including Jews (by a factor of 4). While it may be accurate that people are now more wary of Muslims because of the, you know, repeated murderous terrorist attacks thing, if Muslims want to complain about it they should start first with the Muslims actually performing the attacks in the first place.
Posted by: zippyspeed | December 2, 2010 4:47 PM
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The victim card by Muslim "experts" is so overplayed. It's annoying. And here are some reasons:
Flying has become such a hassle because of Muslim extremists. Every now and then we have Muslim people trying to blow up a place in America to kill Americans. American soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan to make the life of muslims better.
I mean the list goes on and on to say that I find it stupid and arrogant when a Muslim expert starts saying that American Muslims have had a bad year.
Posted by: trumeau | December 2, 2010 4:11 PM
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"Two Muslim men in Afghanistan have been charged with converting to Christianity, and face a possible death penalty if they are convicted. They were videotaped being baptized at a ceremony in a private home, and someone leaked the tape to the authorities. Converting from Islam to any other religion is against sharia, which was installed in the Afghan Constitution when it was written by the United States."
Hat tip: gatesofvienna
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 3:55 PM
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American Muslims are here to stay and they love America-at least they do not spy on it and don't habitually nor they have ever exhtort its treasure and shed the blood of its men and women to serve their narrow intersests.
Posted by: asizk
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Asizk is correct, you guys lay off him. American Muslims have done a very good job of protecting America from foreign extremists. The 9-11 plotters were aware of this and were told specifically to have zero contact with American Muslims.
Who do you guys think turned in on the most recent wannabe bomber? Who do you guys think played the roles of foreign terrorist to trap the idjit? American Muslims did, that’s who. Almost every mosque in America has organized, voluntary and regular contact with the FBI.
America is at war with FOREIGN Islamic extremists, not our own people.
.
Posted by: ZZim | December 2, 2010 3:50 PM
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Its dangerous for all in America now. We are no longer the United States of America. We are servely devided by Out of Control Government & Big Business & Elite against the New Poor In America, its soon to break out in a war against them an us!
Posted by: JWTX | December 2, 2010 3:45 PM
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The religion of Islam does not advocate violence, but asks to surrender.
Posted by: jayrkay
= = = = = = = = = = = =
The religion of Islam doesn’t “ask” for submission, it demands it. And the demand is backed by violence. Muhammid spent most of his adult life committing violence against people who refused his domination.
Oh yeah, you forgot – in order for there to be “submission”, there must also be “domination”. They go together, you can’t have one without the other. I personally prefer NOT to be dominated.
I’m okay with you wanting to be dominated, just don’t do it around me. Ick.
.
Posted by: ZZim | December 2, 2010 3:43 PM
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Turkey is blaming the wikileaks scandal on Israel. They believe Israel is behind it so Israel can embarrass Turkey and weaken the Turkish government. This is so utterly comical, paranoid, and so smelling of desperation.
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 3:42 PM
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rexreddy wrote: In Islamic ideology the USA is the great Satan.
If you are a Muslim in America you can only be here for one of two reasons:
1. You are here to support the global Jihad against the Great Satan.
2. You are a weak faith, infidel of a Muslim who likes the US and has embraced the Great Satan.
What’s it gonna be?
=================================
Considering how many Muslims came to the U.S. for the same reasons many immigrants do (opportunity and freedom from oppressive totalitarian regimes), I'm putting my money on the latter.
Personally, I am pleased to welcome all of these weak, Satan-embracing Muslim infidels to this country. They seem to make great Americans.
Posted by: carlaclaws | December 2, 2010 2:51 PM
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For an American , a year of living dangerously,the reason, almost inevitably a Muslim Name pops up.The author does not recognise that entire Federal Government and the nation is held hostage by a few literate, wayward Muslims.
The religion of Islam does not advocate violence, but asks to surrender.Global leaders and like your organisation, should not only condemn and but also, send these muslim terrorists to new school and not to Madrassas.The education is needed to remind them that they are living among people in Secular Democracies who have followed peaceful living.Yes,crimes are committed, which the law will take action.
Muslims in all countries should and must speak out against the few who are bent on practicing Terrorism, even among themselves. Where is the voice in Iran? In some countries like India, silent majority,including Muslims, are afriad to voice,lest it starts a mass hysteria and violence-some of these countries,there is deep religious beliefs, a spark may ignite a war. Practically, in every country, the foot prints of muslim terrorists are their.
Your article has shut the door for peaceful dialogue, even in a country like USA, the people are increasingly trapped.I agree with you, that only small number of muslims are responsible, but the rest of the USA is cluless , how contain these viruses.Bewilderment has given way to antagonism and at times irrational acts. Times call for rationality and responsibility.
Even now there is no hatred and only facts stand out on both sides of the divide,not just across the pond
Posted by: jayrkay | December 2, 2010 2:49 PM
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asizk,
Your statements would have some credibility if you could resist ranting against the jews for a second. Calling who question the hate in Islam for the Non-muslim as "Islam haters ... are mainly AIPAC/Mossad operative and extreme right wing xtains".
Where does this hate for the jews come from? Maybe your Koran where Allah spends about a third of his last message to mankind railing against the jews?
Islam hates the Kafirs. Muslims demonstrate that across the world in every muslim country every day. And the Kafirs should believe the claim of victimhood that Eboo wants to wrap himself and the american muslims in?
Posted by: AKafir | December 2, 2010 2:43 PM
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I know of no “religion,” other than Islam, whose practice is that it is perfectly fine--and sometimes mandatory--for its members, Muslims, to employ deception, the “Holy Deceptions” of Takiyya (dissimulation i.e. lying) and Kitman (withholding facts, partial truth) against all those who are not members of that religion, i.e. unbelievers, if to do so will safeguard or advance the cause of a Muslim or Islam; not Christianity, not Judaism, not Buddhism, not Hinduism, not any religion that I know of.
One you know of the Muslim’s religiously sanctioned “Holy Deceptions” of Takiyya and Kitman, when any Muslim speaks, the question then becomes, is he telling us “unbelievers” “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” or, is he feeding us a line of bull, is he employing the deep deceptions of Takiyya and Kitman in his service, or in the service of Islam?
Posted by: Oserver616 | December 2, 2010 2:39 PM
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SynchRoss writes: "For all of those who seem to be comparing the United States to other nations...REALLY?"
No one is comparing United States to other nations. It is useful to see how the 57 countries of the OIC treat their non-Muslim minorities and what are their laws for the non-Muslims. Why is it that ALL these muslim countries discriminate against the non-muslims? Does it tell you anything? These discriminatory laws against the non-muslims flow directly from Sharia. The comparison is not to the United States as you think, but it is to evaluate the validity of the claims of the victimhood that Eboo wants to claim for the Muslims.
Posted by: AKafir | December 2, 2010 2:37 PM
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For all of those who seem to be comparing the United States to other nations...REALLY? We are not any other nation that allows persecution of groups based on religion or gender or race. WE ARE THE UNITED STATES based on freedoms to which we must hold tight or we will become just like them. Not that any of you will read this nor will it change your minds. But for those who need to know, there are people out there who believe "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"
Posted by: synchross | December 2, 2010 2:26 PM
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Mr. Patet cites arson at the mosque in Corvalis as evidence of anti-Moslem hostility. If jumping to conclusions, were an Olympic event, he would be a gold medalist!
The police are investigating. We don't know who or why the fire was set. We do know the only thing damaged was a chair and a computer.
Maybe the motive for the arson was to destroy the computer, not to burn a mosque.
So what was on the hard-drive of the computer, located at the mosque where the Portland Christmas Tree bomber worshipped?
Posted by: danhossley | December 2, 2010 2:20 PM
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In Islamic ideology the USA is the great Satan.
If you are a Muslim in America you can only be here for one of two reasons:
1. You are here to support the global Jihad against the Great Satan.
2. You are a weak faith, infidel of a Muslim who likes the US and has embraced the Great Satan.
What’s it gonna be?
Posted by: rexreddy | December 2, 2010 2:15 PM
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Islamophobes,racists,bigots and Islam haters are out en masse today-they can be easily idenfitied on this form:they smell hate and racism-they are mainly AIPAC/Mossad operative and extreme right wing xtains wed into an anomalous marraige.
Fortuantely the article which is positive and calls for respect of US the constitution and freedom of conscious and unity-is not in the first place directed at or addressed to those above who beleive that defaming and attacking American Mulsims is good for and a net benefit to the racist apartheid jewish ethno-religous entity occupying all of Arab historic Palestine.
Let you war mongers and Islam bashers be on notice: American Muslims are here to stay and they love America-at least they do not spy on it and don't habitually nor they have ever exhtort its treasure and shed the blood of its men and women to serve their narrow intersests.
Posted by: asizk | December 2, 2010 2:12 PM
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Muddy_Buddy_2000 writes:
"There is a constant stream of violence and threat against abortion providers from the Right, along with the terrorist attacks against Muslims. I will to bet its at least 10 to 1 attacks by right wingers as compared to attacks by Muslims."
http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_viol.htm
You lose your bet. You compare radically different type of intended violence. One is to kill as many Non-Muslims as possible anywhere around the globe, and to treat the muslims killed as incidentals (check the jihadi explanations) and the other is targeted to a minuscule fraction of the Americans (abortion providers).
The attacks on the non-muslims are being carried out as a matter of religious policy by a fraction of the muslims around the world. A turkish archbishop is killed by someone who yells Allah hu Akbar as he stabs multiple times and then beheads the archbishop (the head was hanging by a bit of skin to the rest of the body) and the press is unable to tell the Kafirs the facts. It had to be a "mentally unstable" person according to the New York times dhimmis. Leave telling the truth to others: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=7951
Major Hassan kills American service men and women and the Kafirs have to suffer stupidities like Pre-post stress trumatic disorder from the press.
The simple truth is that Islam hates non-Muslims. Muslims have implemented that hate in their laws in muslim countries around the world, and non-muslims are killed in muslim countries if they dare to step out of the dhimma laws and complain. Those who want to kill Americans are motivated by that hate for the non-Muslims in Islam. That is according to their own words.
Posted by: AKafir | December 2, 2010 2:02 PM
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Twice, I posted a comment in which I condemned a recent Pakistani court verdict of sentencing a Christian woman to death because she had verbally protested at being insulted by her Muslim co-workers, but it was removed both times. Looks like, the Washington Post is afraid of Pakistan’s fanatics.
Posted by: SiddiqueMalik | December 2, 2010 1:53 PM
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“This was the year that it became acceptable in America to openly state your hatred of Muslims and, in some cases, act on it.”
Yeah, rash of sectarian violence. I bet we have almost 0.001% of the amount of sectarian violence that the Middle East does now. We’re savages, let’s berate ourselves and wallow in guilt.
“This year, Americans witnessed a perfect convergence of events for such demagoguery: ignorance, fear-mongering, and an election cycle.”
Yep, those are all the possible reasons for disliking Muslims. This year’s various attempted Islamic terrorist attacks certainly do not belong on this list. There’s no possible way that real attempts at maiming a killing random Americans would have any emotional impact on any American.
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Posted by: ZZim | December 2, 2010 1:48 PM
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Recently, in Pakistan, an innocent Christian woman was sentenced to hang. She had committed the crime of protesting verbally – I repeat, protesting verbally – when a group of Muslim women, her co-workers in a field, insulted her for dipping her bowl in a bucket of water – others were dipping their bowls in the same bucket, too – and thus making the water unworthy of consumption by Muslims. She was arrested, tried, and found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death by a regular court of law. When international outrage ensued, Pakistan’s president hinted that he might pardon her. Upon hearing that, the country’s fanatics – and there is no shortage of them – took out processions in which they made venomous and hateful speeches against Pakistan’s non-Muslims and threatened to launch a civil war, if the woman was saved from gallows. This is just one example of bigotry and hatred that afflict the Muslim world, and to which even some Muslims in the West including America subscribe. And then the writer of the above article wonders why Westerners are opposed to the dangerous illusion of “Shariah”.
Posted by: SiddiqueMalik | December 2, 2010 1:44 PM
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How are non-Muslims treated in Islamic countries, yet barely any tears for them? Instead, we are constantly subjected to endless articles about how these dear, precious Muslims are suffering. They are fortunate, so far, to not be treated the way they treat others who refuse to follow their slave religion.
Posted by: garrafa10 | December 2, 2010 1:44 PM
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Oh gee, give me a minute while I weep for American Muslims. First off, lets see if the so called "attack" at the mosque does not turn out to be a Tawanna Brawley style hoax. Secondly, no islam is NOT like other religions, if it even qualifies as a religion. Islam is a militant reactionary movement that seeks to return us ALL to the 13th century or so, especially you ladies (and most especially you poofs). There is NO separation of mosque and state in islam. There is no such thing as compromise, respect or even decency towards non-muslims in islam save for the sake of deceiving them into easier prey. So to screw islam, screw allah, screw mohammed and every little pederast named mohammed walking around today. You have declared yourself my enemy. That's cool because I sure as shootin' the enemy of you savage, baby-raping scum.
Posted by: megapotamus | December 2, 2010 1:40 PM
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C'mon -- have a little perspective. As a Muslim in America you are far less likely to be discriminated against or threatened than if you are Jewish in America. And Americans are far more likely to have Muslims declare that they are hated and to be under terrorist threats than the other way around.
God -- or Allah -- forbid you are a christian in a Muslim country -- now THAT is a scary proposition.
I would ask the good Muslims of America -- and the world -- to forthrightly address the significant cancer within your religion. Only YOU can put an end to the hundreds of millions of Muslims who embrace the radical jihadist terrorist element that threatens your religion. You do not do enough to deal with it and you must. Please get your heads out of the sand and do something. The rest of the planet and the other religions of the world would forever be in your debt if you do something. Please stop making yourselves victims and end the victimization of the rest of the world by your fellow Muslims.
Posted by: RBCrook | December 2, 2010 1:35 PM
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LeeH1
None of those attacks you mention were made targeting Christians, they were targeting AMERICANS, who may or may not be Christians.
There is a constant stream of violence and threat against abortion providers from the Right, along with the terrorist attacks against Muslims. I will to bet its at least 10 to 1 attacks by right wingers as compared to attacks by Muslims.
Posted by: Muddy_Buddy_2000 | December 2, 2010 1:34 PM
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I am confused why Mr. Patel feels there can ever be a valid legal scenario for "Shariah" law in any situation. There is only the law of the localities, states and Federal government of the United States.
Hence, his accusations that any formalization of that well-defined standing for the interpretation of law within this country would somehow represent an issue for Muslims. There is no accommodation for Shariah law, and arguments otherwise reveal a dangerous scheme being advanced by Mr. Patel.
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Posted by: matthewbolcer | December 2, 2010 1:30 PM
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Blame CAIR. When Muslims aren't killing us they're suing us.
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 1:18 PM
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By one estimate, as of this hour there have been sixteen thousand, four hundred, and sixty terrorist attacks—and counting, committed by Muslims in virtually every country on Earth, and those just since 9/11 (http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/), and an increasing number of these attempted and/or successful terrorist attacks by Muslims are being directed at us “unbelievers” here in the U.S; not attacks by the Amish, or by Catholic nuns, Buddhists, or Evangelical Christians, but overwhelmingly and almost exclusively attacks by Muslims, who are usually screaming the Islamic war cry “Allahu Akbar,” as they try to blow us up or mow us “unbelievers" down, in what our “authorities” keep reassuring us are “inexplicable” attacks by losers, loners, and psychos, whose being Muslim really has nothing to do with their murderous attacks.
Hopefully, the end to the days when some slick Muslim apologist could sell us—despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary we see with our “lying eyes” each day—on the idea that Islam is the “religion of Peace,” are coming to an end. Hopefully, the days when our attention can very easily be diverted away from the fact of the terror attacks themselves, from the fact that it is Muslims who are carrying them out, and from the ideology of Islam that drove and justified those attacks against us "unbelievers," and onto feeling, instead, so anxious and concerned about Muslim’s whining and cries about how they are “fearful” of a “backlash” and, thereafter, our placatory scramble to make them feel all “safe” and “warm,” “cherished” and “welcomed,” are coming to an end, as well.
Virtually inassimilable Muslims here in the U.S. are the source of increasing danger for the U.S. and its citizens. We should urge them and make it very easy for Muslims to return to the countries of the Muslim world, and very hard and onerous for Muslims to stay here.
Posted by: Oserver616 | December 2, 2010 1:13 PM
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http://mnnonline.org/article/15028
Five Christians murdered in a week under Pakistan's blasphemy law
*******************************
Eboo that is hate. Why don't you compare the statistics you cite with hate against the hindus, the jews, the catholics, or any other religion? How many muslims were killed and beheaded in the non-muslim countries around the world in 2010 because they were muslims? How many non-Muslims were killed by muslims for merely being non-muslims in muslim countries? Why don't you compare those two statistics and then tell us why the difference?
Your Allah hates non-Muslims, and those who submit to that hateful deity kill Kafirs around the world. You freely choose to worship that hateful deity, and that freedom is available to you in America, but don't expect the non-muslims to not speak their minds about the hate that is in Islam. That is the freedom that America provides them.
Posted by: AKafir | December 2, 2010 1:10 PM
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It has been a terrible year for America's Christians. This year a Moslem soldier, a naturalized citizen, turned against his fellow soldiers and America, and shot and killed Christians at Ft Hood in Texas.
This year a Moslem man with a load in his shorts tried to bomb an airplane in order to kill as many Christians as possible in Illinois.
This year another Moslem man, another liar just recently made an American citizen so he would get full rights, turned like a viper on his country and tried to kill as many Christians as possible in Times Square.
This year another Moslem man just tried to kill as Many Christians as possible at a Christmas service in Oregon. But only after he was made a full American citizen first. He lied when he took his oath of loyalty.
The Christians in America have responded with forberance by only ostrasizing the Moslems, and telling them they are not wanted in their communities.
We Christians know that eventually, other Moslems, men and women, will succeed in their aim of killing many innocent Christian Americans. Probably by another Moslem who was just made an American citizen, and was probably allowed to enter the US from some third world toilet state because of their plea of rufugee need.
Gee. Are your feelings hurt? Do you feel that we don't respect your religion of peace? Are you not treated with all the kindness and courtesy that you deserve?
Please walk down the hallway and go find someone who gives a damn.
The ignorance and evil and intolerance that I have seen have mostly been on the side of the Moslems. Certainly the killers have mostly been Moslem. Many of these evil doers are refugees taken in from the storm out of Christian mercy, who have been offered the equality of full citizenship and trust in a free society.
Evidently, apologists like Eboo want even more for the Moslems.
Posted by: LeeH1 | December 2, 2010 1:05 PM
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"As Americans, we are obliged to demand that our elected officials act to stem this rising tide of hate and defend our nation's founding values."
* * *
Unfortunately, that would involve removing from our shores every last follower of the Religion of Terrorism and preventing their return. We've seen too many acts of terrorism and plots to engage in the same coming out of the mosques of this nation to even pretend that the values of Islam are compatible with the founding values of this country.
Posted by: RhymesWithRight | December 2, 2010 12:52 PM
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Mr. Patel, you are a hater.
Mr. Patel, you are stirring up ethnic and religious hatred.
Mr. Patel, you are a propagandist using the tool of the big lie.
One Mosque is damaged and Mr. Patel talks about Muslims in America "living dangerously." Sarah Palin's church was set on fire shortly after the 2008 election. People were insuide the church when the church was attacked. Conservatives are used to "living dangerously."
America, like the world in general, is a dangerous place. Muslim terrorists are intent on making America even more dangerous.
Another of our "peaceful" Muslims just tried to kill hundreds of people at a tree lighting celebration in Portland. The only thing that has kept Muslims from killing thousands of Americans this year was their own incompetence. American self restraint prevented Americans from killing Muslims. Self restraint is a virtue being practiced every day by Americans as we see people tryingto kill us any time we let down our guard.
Sunnis Muslims blow up Shiite Mosques. Shiites reciprocate. Both Sunnis and Shiites persecute Christians, Hindus, Bhudists and atheists.
Mosques are safer in the US than in the Middle East, but Mr. Patel's hatred toward the US causes him to overlook the failings of others and focus solely on US imperfections.
No, Mr. Patel, Americans don't "hate" Muslims.
Muslims trying to kill thousnds of Americans every year are causing Americans to fear Muslims.
Convincing Muslim terrorists to wear uniforms like the US military so we can tell peaceful Muslims from enemy Muslisms would do more to protect peaceful Muslims than any other single measure, but the terrorist Muslims prefer to hide until they strike. Blame your fellow Muslims for the distrust that causes.
The stated purpose of some Muslims to bring Sharia law to the US is causing people to take legal action to prevent that from happening. People acting peacefully in legislatures, ballot boxes and courts is a good thing. If opposing Sharia law in the US is your standard for defining hatred, then under that carzy definition maybe you have a case. It's safe say the vast majority of Americans oppose bringing Sharia law to the US.
Mr. Patel, people don't like you for writing propaganda like this article, but don't confuse the reaction to your obnoxious writings with Americans hating Muslims.
Posted by: jfv123 | December 2, 2010 12:46 PM
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Mr. Patel, yes, there have been several recent unconscionable acts committed against Muslim-Americans. Yes, I can agree that all persons should be safe and secure within the confines of our nation.
But, statistically speaking, I can find little to differentiate the unconscionable acts committed against Muslims from the unconscionable acts committed within our nation against other religious, ethnic, and political groups. As Americans, we happily, and collectively, seek and benefit from our nation's multiple blessings. Conversely, as Americans, we also compulsorily share and endure a seemingly never ending portion of our nation's curses.
Muslin-Americans do understand that sharing, both good and bad, is expected, don't they?
Posted by: jamesls | December 2, 2010 12:38 PM
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You're damned right it's getting more and more dangerous to be a low life muslim in America. GTFO.
Posted by: adrienne_najjar | December 2, 2010 12:36 PM
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Muslims play the victim faster than Muhammad could conjure up another revelation.
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 12:35 PM
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A little less self-pity and a little more self criticism from the Muslim community, please. No where in the Islamic world do Muslims enjoy as much freedom and tolerance than here in the US. Members of your religion act out in violent, crazy ways and instead of focusing on how to stop these radicals from continuing to highjack your religion and culture, you turn to whining about how Americans don't appreciate being terrorized. There is an enormous problem within the Islamic world. You Muslims need to address it and fix it. In the meantime, stop whining.
Posted by: eleanor92 | December 2, 2010 12:29 PM
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This was the year that it became acceptable in America to openly state your hatred of Muslims and, in some cases, act on it.
Hate? You know what I hate?
I hate flying airliners into skyscrapers, killing thousands of people. Or blowing them up with explosives hidden in one's luggage, shoes or underwear.
I also hate blowing up trains in Spain, subways in London or Times Square. I hate shooting up airports or Army bases or Mumbai.
I hate executing adulterors, gays and apostates. Or killing nuns in riots over cartoons. And assassinating authors and filmmakers.
I hate shutting down schools for girls, or throwing acid on their students, or driving them back into a burning one for removing their headwear. Or marrying them at nine or selling them as wives at eight to settle a family debt. I hate female genital mutilation.
Ok, I'm a hater.
I hate Islam, and sincerely hope someday to release its adherents from their imprisoning philosophical system.
Posted by: WmarkW | December 2, 2010 12:28 PM
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I guess this year was much more dangerous for Pakistan's non-Muslims. An innocent Christian woman was sentenced to hang. She committed the crime of protesting when her Muslim co-workers insulted her for being Christian and dipping her bowl into a bucket of water -- like everyone else was doing -- making the water unworthy of consumption by Muslims. That's right: she was arrested, tried and sentenced to death by a regular court of law. When the word got out that she might be pardoned by the country's president, Muslim fanatics took out processions, making venomous statements against non-Muslims and threatening to start a civil war in case the innocent Christian lady was saved from the gallows. And then the writer of this article wonders why Westerners look down up the dangerous illusion of "Shariah."
Siddique Malik
www.courier-journal.com/muslimblog.
Posted by: SiddiqueMalik | December 2, 2010 12:26 PM
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The Religion of Grievances is whining again.
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 12:24 PM
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The Moslem religion demands that the faithful spread the faith with the sword. Mohammed told his followers to conquer those of different faiths. The people of the book or jews and christians just had to submit and accept domination by the Moslems. Others were put to the sword or enslaved. When your God and the religion he established calls for this offensive behavior why do you complain when others mistrust you.
Furthermore look at how the Moslem faith is practiced in Moslem countries. They are almost uniformly ruled by dictators. No freedom. Nor rights. Many Moslems believe they have the right to murder their political opponents including their women and children. Look at what they do to people praying in church and in religious processions. As practiced the Moslem religion has no moral scruples. Many moslems seek to impose sharia law in the USA. This is an abomination. It is a de facto call for the overthrow of the USA government and spits in the face of loyal Americans.
In WWII many Moslems favored the Nazis and admired their treatment of Jews. Today moslems are seeking the final solution to their Jewish problem. Believe it or not there are quite a few Moslems who changed their last name to Hitler. I had to work with one. Moslems teach their children to hate jews. They cultivate this hatred in kindergartners. The fact that moslems admire one of the most evil men who ever lived and desire the murder of millions is sickening. It illuminates the evil nature of their religion.
Now look at how mosques have been used as recruitment centers for terrorists and to raise money to support terrorist. We are at war and the Moslems in this country are providing aid and comfort to our enemies. We hardly every hear of Moslems standing up to the Moslem terrorists and fighting against them.
It light of these facts it is amazing how well Moslems have been treated in the USA and they have a lot of gaul to complain.
Posted by: ConradCA | December 2, 2010 12:17 PM
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Eboo, playing the victim is not going to work. Trying to make the American non-Muslims feel guilty is not going to work.
Americans are merely learning the facts about Islam. Your Allah hates the non-Muslims. The Masjids where this hateful deity is worshipped teaches hate for the non-Muslims. These are facts that the American non-Muslims better grasp thoroughly. I have been asking you and other Muslims here: What have you ever done to address the hateful and discriminatory laws in ALL muslim countries against the non-Muslims? These laws and the treatment of the non-muslims in Islamic countries is the evidence that Muslims implement the commands of Allah towards the non-muslims?
Your bowing to a hateful deity is no one else's fault, and is it reasonable on your part to want those that your Allah hates to accept that hate? Under dhimma they suffer in silence but why should they not speak their minds when they are free of Islamic rule?
Posted by: AKafir | December 2, 2010 12:16 PM
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The only hatred I saw, read, or heard this year and for the past couple decades came from Muslims visiting violence on everyone else on earth. When you add in Muslim penchant for bomb plots targeting innocents, female genital mutilation, torture and death for gays, female subjugation, honor killings, the stated goal to either conquer or kill everyone who is deemed an infidel, strapping bombs to your women and children, I'd say we could make a case for Muslim hatred rather than the other way around.
Posted by: BernardL | December 2, 2010 11:57 AM
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Shut up you big cry baby.
We are tired of hearing you whine when you don't say one word nor try to control those among you who trying to kill us.
But we are supposed to see you as victims?
When you and your fellow Muslims man up and help us defeat these enemies then you will see us help you, until then STFU, jerk!
Posted by: Mikey10 | December 2, 2010 11:44 AM
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Muslims, you reap what you sow.
We have a new hero. Austrian MP Ewald Stadler, watch the youtube video.
Shahla Jahed may you rest in peace.
Posted by: shewholives | December 2, 2010 11:34 AM
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Saudi Arabia: Foreign maid faces death penalty
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/saudi-arabia/101128/saudi-arabia-foreign-maid-faces-death-penalty
Posted by: jeeemusna | December 2, 2010 11:22 AM
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Iran hangs footballer's mistress Shahla Jahed
Posted by: jeeemusna | December 2, 2010 11:21 AM
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At home, Abid Saddique and Mohammed Liaqat, both of whom were married with young children, were considered clean, upstanding family men as well as devout Muslims.
Two respectable Asian family men trawled the streets, picking up, raping and sexually abusing up to 100 young girls over 18 months, police believe.
Posted by: jeeemusna | December 2, 2010 11:17 AM
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Indonesia's Islamic laws are 'abusive', report says
Posted by: jeeemusna | December 2, 2010 11:15 AM
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Ms. Farhana Khera,
Burning mosques/other places of worship? Not talking about Pakistan, Malaysia etc are you?
Laws against Shariah? Not talking about Turkey are you?
Never knew non-Muslim American extremists are trying to keep up with and compete with Muslim extremists (both secular and religious sorts) in third world countries for either assertion and implementatation of specific religion-based Constitution, or for Constitutional church/state seperation.