Ignorance isn't Bliss

by Richard Trotsky

                                                                              

After last weekends terrorist attacks in Paris, I knew what would happen. Almost instantly, the presidential candidates, and even several state governors, began stating that they did not want any Syrian refugees being allowed into the US, or severely restricting their access to entry. We had analogies of refugees and rabid dogs, compiling a database of Muslim Americans, that selective acceptance based on religious belief should be followed, and even that Syrian refugees should be banned outright from entry. All in response to a horrendous action by a monster that our government helped to create.

Throughout my life I’ve known, and worked with quite a few Muslims. So from my personal account there is really nothing any different between a Muslim or anyone of any other faith for that matter. We all want to take care of our families, have a happy and successful life, and have safety and security. There are some individuals who would declare that all terrorists are Muslim, this is simply untrue.

Interestingly enough, when you search for the definition of terrorism, according to 18 U.S.C. § 2331 has three separate categories for it. I’ll quote verbatim the definition of domestic terrorism according to the Code:

"Domestic terrorism" means activities with the following three characteristics:

• Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
• Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and
• Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.

With that information stated, let’s examine the allegation that all terrorists are Muslim, on a strictly domestic scale. Since the passing of Roe v Wade in 1977, there have been many attacks against facilities that provide abortions. I won’t state my personal stance, as my personal views are irrelevant here, I’m merely using this as an example. However, to my knowledge, all of these attacks were carried out by individuals who were in fact not Muslim.    (blog ed note: The attackers have been mostly fundamentalist Christians.)    

      

For example Ralph Lang, who called abortion “intrinsically wrong” and “evil” and said he follows the Ten Commandments with the exception of killing abortionists. Then we have Scott Roeder, who murdered abortion provider George Tiller while he was in the back of his local church attending service. Roeder told the jury he was born again in 1992 after watching an evangelical television show. He stated “That day I knelt down and did accept Christ as my saviour.”    

                                                                                              

To present there have been numerous bombings, and arsons of these facilities, along with the murders of several providers. Each and every instance was undertaken by domestic terrorists. I’m not supporting or endorsing any specific religious belief, simply presenting evidence that there are terrorists who happen to be other than Muslim. If you don’t agree with a decision made by government, then protest, speak out, don’t bomb, burn and kill.  

           

There are 1.7 billion Muslims in the global population, and the percentage of those who actively condone terrorist activity is a very small percentage. Many people don’t know that after the attacks of September 11, many Muslims, because of the heinousness of the attacks, would not even speak the name of Osama Bin Lade. He was referred to simply as “the third name.”  Therefore to paint all Muslims as terrorists in one broad stroke is not only wrong morally, but also factually wrong.                                                      

My chiropractor is Muslim, and a former member of the US military. At one of my former jobs the manager and a few cooks there were Muslim. I took the time to get to know them and I assure you that all they wanted to do was live their lives, raise their children, go to work and relax at home after. Muslims are people just like you and I, with the same values that we have. 

Stop just believing what you hear in the media, or other “sources” of information. If you want to know, ask questions. Start a dialogue to learn, you don’t have to change your religion, but at least educate yourself. I can almost guarantee you’ll be surprised by what you learn.

Blog editor note:  Not all Christians are opposed to abortion or believe that abortion can be ended by the use of terrorism or violence.  When you hear/ read /see abortion clinic violence, please understand that those people are extremists.