Muslims Must Condemn Religious Extremists

by Sheila Musaji

I am reading and hearing in the media a barrage of articles and editorials demanding that Muslims take a stand against those who condone or commit acts of violence.  I would like to go on record as condemning all religious extremism, bigotry, violence, hatred, and terrorism by both Muslims and non-Muslims.  I see no difference between any of these.  These merchants of hate no matter what their supposed religious affiliation have more in common with each other than they do with the majority of individuals in their respective religious faiths.

In the aftermath of the Fort Hood Tragedy (which was condemned by every national Muslim organization, as Muslims have condemned all other acts of extremism, violence, and terrorism), there have been many who have attempted to claim that the religion of Islam is the problem, that the Qur’an is the problem,  that we are at war with Islam. 

The most commonly repeated claims about Muslims are that “everyone knows” that most or all terrorists are Muslims, and there are no Christian and no Jewish terrorists (or terrorists of any other religious stripe).  Everyone also knows that Muslims are not equivalent to real Americans, that they are the enemy within, that good Muslims can’t be good Americans, that they are all militant,  that Islam is “of the devil”, and an “evil encroaching on the United States”, and this is a Christian nation, which everyone knows the Muslims are trying to take over, starting with getting an Eid stamp which is the first step towards shariah law.  Everyone knows that Muslims are given a pass by the elite media.  It’s “us versus them”, and even those Muslims who do speak up or seem moderate are simply lying or practicing taqiyyah.  The problem is that what “everyone knows” is wrong.  These self-righteous and incorrect statement are usually followed by a demand that the Muslim community do something about rooting out such criminals from their midst or face the inevitable consequences.

I would like to point out that although this “only Muslims” claim has been repeated thousands of times, it simply is not true.  How do you explain just the few examples of such acts of violence and terrorism listed at the bottom of this article that were committed by individuals who are not Muslims.  Some of these folks attempt a religious justification (holding up their distorted interpretations of Christianity or Judaism or Hinduism, etc. to explain why what they did was right).  Whether these criminals use religion to salve their conscience, or whether they tell themselves that they are promoting liberty and democracy, or some other political cause, it doesn’t matter. 

As to the claim that Islam is the problem, or that the Qur’an are the only scriptures containing problematic verses that can be variously interpreted, that claim is also false.  Mother Theresa and Adolph Hitler were reading the same New Testament, Osama bin Laden and Abdul Ghaffar Khan were reading the same Qur’an, Baruch Goldstein and Rabbi Arthur Waskow are reading the same Torah.  The truth is you can take opposite messages from every religious book that exists.  All scriptures can be abused.  People have always done this and will continue to do so.

Sadly, history will repeat itself.  There will be future cases of violence, bigotry, even terrorism that will be committed by members of different religious groups, races, nationalities, and political groups.  Some of these acts will be carried out by individuals espousing some particular cause, and others will be carried out by psycopaths or mentally ill people.  In every case, no matter what their motivation or justification, they will be wrong, and in every case innocent people will suffer. 

Our society is whirling down a spiral of violence of which terrorism is the face, that is currently at the front of our minds.

More innocent lives are in danger today than in any previous period of history.  The entire world is in danger.  We are at the beginning of a new century and a new millenium, and it is possible that we will not complete either without destroying ourselves. 

We are in the midst of wars between the different families of Abraham - Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  Some of the family members actually define these wars as religiously required.  Even worse, there are groups within the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities that are trying to incite and create an all-out war between Islam and “the West.” Such a war would bring misery upon the peoples of all nations.  Some of these people believe that the Apocalypse is not a teaching story (about what could happen if we don’t take the heart of our religious teachings seriously) but, a goal to be achieved. 

We need to attempt to do something about this tidal wave of violence.  We can only do this together.  What we need right now is for all Americans to work together to try to understand what we can about what are the red flags that might indicate when individuals holding extremist views about religion, politics, or anything else might be ready to go from expressing those views to acting on them with violence, so that we might find a way to stop them before they act.

Instead of a violent World War III, I would hope to see a Spiritual battle, a battle for hearts and minds.  This would be the greatest jihad.  In this counter vision of war, the goals would be to see: compassion win the war over anger; forgiveness win the war over revenge; intelligence win the war over passive acceptance; truth win the war over lies; love win the war over hatred; creativity win the war over continuing on a well worn and tired path of endless violence.  The only way this can happen is if there is a real coming together of our spiritual brothers and sisters across the globe from heart to heart and spirit to spirit and mind to mind to end the madness of fighting and create a better world.

I know that the examples given below do not represent the ideals upon which America was founded; they do not represent the ideal of Islam, Christianity, Judaism or any other religion; they do not represent humanity.  I know that all religious groups are currently experiencing a struggle for the soul of their respective religions, and each faith community needs to whatever possible to combat extremism within their communities.  I also know that our nation is experiencing a struggle for the soul of our nation.  How we choose to respond to the many current crises facing us including this crisis of senseless violence will say much about who we are as a people.  Future generations will read about this time in their history books, and either curse or praise us.  We are the ones who must choose how to act and how to respond. 

As a Muslim, I will engage in a spiritual jihad against terrorism and extremism in my own community.  And, I base this on my understanding of the Qur’an: 

“Oh you who believe!  Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be against rich or poor, for God can best protect both.  Follow not the cravings of your hearts, lest you swerve, and if you distort justice or decline to do justice, verily God is well acquainted with all that you do.”  Qur’an 4:135.  “If anyone slays a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew all people.  And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all people.”  Qur’an 5:32.  “Believers, never let the hatred of a people toward you move you to commit injustice” Qur’an 5:8   “The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree), but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God, for God loves not those who do wrong.  But indeed, if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong done to them, against such there is no cause of blame.  The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrongdoing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice. For such there will be a penalty grievous (in the Hereafter).  But indeed, if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an affair of great resolution.”  Qur’an 42:40-43.  “Goodness and evil are not equal.  Repel evil with what is better.  Then that person with whom there was hatred, may become your intimate friend!  And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but people of the greatest good fortune.”  Qur’an 41:34-35.  “Oh mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (Not that you may despise each other).”  49;13.  “Had God willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to God and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed.” 5:48.  “O you who believe! Fulfill all contracts, treaties and covenants with God and with people.”  Qur’an 5:1

This article is written in the spirit of improving mutual understanding and respect as the basis for preventing further ‘civilisational clash’ in our already fractured world.  It must be noted that I condemn any or all statements of hate or bigotry and any and all acts of violence committed by Muslims unconditionally.  In this article I have not listed them in detail as I have been on record, as have many other Muslim individuals and organisations, in reupudiating such behavior as totally antithetical to the principles of Islam. 

1.  I condemn any religious authority or individual who praises murders as heroic, or claims that they are sanctioned by any religion!

Whether they are Muslims:  Anwar al-Awlaki is one Imam that has come to the forefront because of his possible connection with Maj. Hasan and the Fort Hood murders.  American Muslim organizations (including CAIR, MPAC, and the Dar al Hijrah mosque) have repudiated al Awlaki’s statement justifying Maj. Hasan’s murder spree.  There were also two marginal groups, the Islamic Thinkers Society, and Revolution Muslim who praised the Fort Hood shooting, and they have also been condemned by many Muslims including myself.

or non-Muslims: Chuck Spignola who said “As cream rising to the top of the milk, so the Christian terrorist rises above the huddled masses of churchgoers and the many voices which denounce their violent attempts to defend the innocent from they’re [sic] murderous assailants.  Regarding abortion the separation is clear. The CT has the Word of God and a testimony of loving, albeit terrifying (to the wicked), actions.”  Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira who said that “Jews can kill non-Jews who threaten Israel”, and that it is permissible to kill children if they pose a threat to Israel.”  Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu who called the members of the Jewish terror underground “completely righteous.”  Shmuel Hacohen  who said: “Baruch Goldstein was the greatest Jew alive, not in one way but in every way…There are no innocent Arabs here…He was no crazy…Killing isn’t nice, but sometimes it is necessary.”  Rabbi Jaacov Perrin  who said during his eulogy of Baruch Goldstein “One million Arabs are not worth a Jewish fingernail.”  Rabbi Meir Kahane.

2.  I condemn any individual who encourages others to commit violence, murder, or terrorism

Whether they are Muslims:  Abu Hamza al-Masri, Sheikh Omar Bakri, Sheikh Hilaly of Australia, Shaikh Omar Abdul Rahman, Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri or anyone else espousing violence.

or non-Muslims:  Jim Rudd in The Covenant News who said “Civil officials have a God ordained duty to execute sodomites.”  Rev. Pat Robertson who called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez, and who said it might be “practical” foreign policy to assassinate some other international leaders. Rev. David Trosch, who publicly advocated violence against abortion providers.  Former Sen. Fred Thompson who said  “Twelve million illegal immigrants later, we are now living in a nation that is beset by people who are suicidal maniacs and want to kill countless innocent men, women, and children around the world.”  Pastor Rod Parsley who believes that the U.S. can’t ”... truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion (Islam) destroyed.” and who called for “eradicating” the “false religion of Islam”.  Rev. Fred Phelps and his series of hateful websites - GodHatesAmerica.com - JewsKilledJesus.com GodHatesFags.com - all of which spew nothing but hatred.  Jerome Corsi who said “Islam is like a virus—it affects the mind—maybe even better as an analogy—it is a cancer that destroys the body it infects… No doctor would hesitate to eliminate cancer cells from the body.”  Rabbi Hershel Schachter who called for the murder of the Israeli Prime Minister.  Rabbi Yovadia Yosef (former Israeli Chief Rabbi) who called for the annihilation of Arabs and declared “it is permissible to kill” anyone who “thinks evil thoughts about yeshiva students.  Rabbi Yaakov Teitel who gave Jews permission to kill Gentiles who threaten Israel.  Rabbis of the Yesha Rabbinical Council who said that “according to Jewish law, during a time of battle and war, there is no such term as ‘innocents’ of the enemy.”  Rabbi Marzel who called on his supporters to kill journalist Uri Avnery, and called for a religious war against homosexuals.

3.  I condemn anyone who plots or commits an act of violence or terrorism, no matter how they justify their action!

Whether they are Muslims:  We know that there have been too many Muslim names connected with extremism and terrorism (one would be too many) including: Osama bin Laden, Khalid Yasin, Richard Reid, James Williams, Dawud Salahuddin, Mir Aimal Kasi,  Rashid Baz, Ali Hassan Abu Kamal, Mazen Asi, Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar,  Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Fort Dix plotters, the 9/11 murderers, Ramzi Yusuf, and each and every individual and group act of this kind are all to be condemned.

or non-Muslims:  All non-Muslim extremists and terrorists are also to be condemned including: Charles Whitman, James Oliver Huberty, George Hennard, Eric Harris & Dylan Klebold, Jeffrey Weise, Charles Carl Roberts IV, Seung-Hui Cho, Sgt. William J. Kreutzer, Jr., Pvt. Steven Green, Master Sgt. John Hatley, Jomar Falu Vives, Scott Roeder, Timothy McVeigh, William Krar, Demetrius Van Crocker, Eric Robert Rudolph, Theodore Kaczynski, Terry Nichols, William Cottrell, Linda Evans, Jeff Fort, Irv Rubin, Earl Krugel, Victor Vancier, James Earl Ray, Buford Furow, Stephen John Jordi, Edgar Ray Killen, William Klar, James Charles Kopp, David Robert McMenemy, Gail Nettles, Dena Schlosser, Arthur Shelton, Sam Melville, Jane Alpert, Karleton Armstrong, Dwight Armstrong, David Fine, Leo Burt, Zvonko Busic, James W. von Brunn,  Bruce E. Ivans, Lucas John Helder, Leo V. Felton,  Erica Chase, Jim D. Adkisson (suicide attack on a TN church), Wenneker von Brunn, Rev. Paul Hill, and thousands more.  Here are links to relatively comprehensive lists of Christian and Jewish extremists and terrorists.

4.  I condemn any organization which encourages extremism, bigotry, or violence

Whether they are Muslims: Hanafi Movement,  Jamaat ul-Fuqra, al Qaeda, Black September or any other such organization or group.

or non-Muslims:  DINA, Nat’l Liberation Front of Tripura, Nagaland Rebels, Lambs of Christ, Concerned Christians, Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide, Armed Resistance Unit, Rajneeshee Group, Tamil Tigers, IRA, Army of God, B’Nai Elim, Gush Emunim underground, Haganah, Irgun, JDL, Jewish Task Force, Kach and Kahane Chai, Lehi group, Settler Terror Groups, Temple Mount Faithful, Stern Gang, Zionist Action Group,  Children of God, Christian Identity Group, Ku Klux Klan, Courageous Christians United, Elohim City, The Order, Greater Ministries International, Kingdom Identity Ministries, Westboro Baptist Church and hundreds of others.

5.  I condemn any attempt to change the United States from a secular democracy to any kind of theocratic state or to require any religious test for citizenship, or to deny any rights granted by the Constitution to any citizen because of their religion, race, or sexual orientation, or to favor one religion or race over others, or to remove the barrier between church and state (and any statements that would encourage such an actions)

Whether they are Muslims: Islamic Thinkers Society, Muslim Brotherhood, Revolution Muslim or any other such group.

or non-Muslims:  Rev. Jerry Falwell who suggested that Muslims be excluded from federal faith-based initiative money because the religion is “bigoted” and “teaches hate.”  Gary Potter of Catholics for Christian Political Action who said “When the Christian majority takes over this country ... pluralism will be seen as immoral and evil and the state will not permit anybody the right to practice evil.”  Rev. Pat Robertson who said  that “those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims”  Judge Roy Moore who objected to a Muslim being elected to Congress and compared the Qur’an to Mein Kampf.  Bishop Carlton Pearson who said “We are going to remove the mythical separation of church and state.”  Rev. Jerry Fallwell who said “Atheistic secular humanists should be removed from office and Christians should be elected…Government and true Christianity are inseparable.”  And, also said that “Most American children do not know that this is a Christian nation… [O]ur Constitution won’t work in Russia, won’t work in Haiti, won’t work in Iraq. It only works where the people believe in the Christ of the Bible. The United States of America.”  Gary Cass, executive director of Reclaiming America who said  “The most humble Christian is more qualified for office than the best-educated pagan. We built quite a little grass-roots machine out there [in San Diego]. Now it’s my burden to multiply that success all across America.”  Rev. D. James Kennedy who said  “Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors—in short, over every aspect and institution of human society.”  Gary North who said “This is God’s world, not Satan’s. Christians are the lawful heirs, not non-Christians.”  Randall Terry of Operation Rescue who said “America is under the judgment of God. And if we are ever going to rebuild this country, it must be under God’s law. Our goal must be simple: We must have a Christian nation built on God’s law, on the Ten Commandments. No apologies.” and who said  “I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you,  I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good ... Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty; we are called by God to conquer this country. We don’t want equal time. We don’t want pluralism.” John Rutherford who said  “The [Supreme] Court, by seeking to equate Christianity with other religions, merely assaults the one faith. The Court in essence is assailing the true God by democratizing the Christian religion.”  Rev. Jeff Fugate who said “If you don’t want a Christian nation, then go to one of the many nations that are heathen already, rather than perverting ours.  You’re welcome to come, but leave your religions, your bibles, all your other things back where you came from.”  Rev. D. James Kennedy who said “This is our land. This is our world. This is our heritage, and with God’s help, we shall reclaim this nation for Jesus Christ. And no power on earth can stop us.”  Rev. Jimmy Swaggert who said “‘We ought to tell every other Moslem (sic) living in this nation that if you say one word, you’re gone.’ “  Paul Weyrich, founder and president of the Free Congress Foundation who said “We are talking about Christianizing America. We are talking about the Gospel in a political context.”  Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore who said “Buddhism was considered a false religion by the forefathers.  It is not my definition of religion, no.  It was not their definition of religion under the First Amendment of the Constitution.”  Rev. Franklin Graham who said “This country was not built by Hindus, nor Muslims, nor atheists. It was built by Christian men and women.”  Rev. David Chilton who said “The Christian goal for the world is the universal development of Biblical theocratic republics”  Former Atty. General Bob Ashcroft who said that America has “no King but Jesus”.  Sen. Inhofe who believes that “our religion” guides our foreign policy, and that for example, Israel has a right to the land because God said so.  The Family Research Council who believes that ”[W]hile it is true that the United States of America was founded on the sacred principle of religious freedom for all, that liberty was never intended to exalt other religions to the level that Christianity holds in our country’s heritage. Our Founders expected that Christianity—and no other religion—would receive support from the government as long as that support did not violate peoples’ consciences and their right to worship.”  Gary North who said “The long-term goal of Christians in politics should be to gain exclusive control over the franchise. Those who refuse to submit publicly to the eternal sanctions of God by submitting to His Church’s public marks of the covenant - baptism and holy communion - must be denied citizenship, just as they were in ancient Israel.”  Rev.  Joseph Morecraft who said “Nobody has the right to worship on this planet any other God than Jehovah. And therefore the state does not have the responsibility to defend anybody’s pseudo-right to worship an idol.”  Beverly LaHaye, President of Concerned Women for America who said “Yes, religion and politics do mix. America is a nation based on biblical principles. Christian values dominate our government. The test of those values is the Bible. Politicians who do not use the bible to guide their public and private lives do not belong in office.”  Robert Simonds, founder & president of Citizens for Excellence in Education who said “Atheistic secular humanists should be removed from office and Christians should be elected…Government and true Christianity are inseparable.”  Rep. Don Davis of NC who forwarded a message to all of his colleagues in the legislature that read in part “Two things made this country great: White men & Christianity. Every problem that has arrisen (sic) can be traced back to our departure from God’s Law and the disenfranchisement of White men.”  Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association who said “It is time, I suggest, to stop the practice of allowing Muslims to serve in the U.S. military. The reason is simple: the more devout a Muslim is, the more of a threat he is to national security.”  John Sobieski who said “We have several million Muslims in the US and all of them are terrorists, some use the tonque and the pen, not bombs, but all are scheming liars deceiving the naive infidels and our stupid leaders. Why don’t we BAN ISLAM and deport all Muslims? Political correctness and multiculturalism will destroy the West.”  Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee who said  “I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that’s what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than trying to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family.”

6.  I condemn anyone who attempts to degrade or insult the religion of others!

Whether they are Muslims:  E.g., some who have made anti-Semitic remarks.

or non-Muslims:  David Chilton who said “The god of Judaism is the devil. The Jew will not be recognized by God as one of His chosen people until he abandons his demonic religion and returns to the faith of his fathers—the faith which embraces Jesus Christ and His Gospel.”  Bailey Smith, a founding father of Robertson’s Christian Coalition who said  “With all due respect to those dear people, my friend, God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew.”  Rev. Maury Davis who said ’‘I want to go on record as telling you that I believe the greatest threat to the American way of life, to the Constitution of the United States of America and to the gospel of Jesus Christ, is the religion of Islam as it stands today.’‘  Rev. Franklin Graham who said  “We’re not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He’s not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It’s a different God, and I believe it [Islam] is a very evil and wicked religion.”  Rev. Albert Mohler who claimed that Buddhism, Hinduism, and Marxism are “demonstration[s] of satanic power”  Canon Julian Dobbs who said that “so-called moderate Islam” was a myth.  Rev. J. Don George who said ”Our faith is in Jesus Christ, and the Muslim community does not accept Jesus and God, and therefore we’re at odds with Muslims ... Any religion or ideology that refuses to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ could be typified as a war against Satan.”   Christian Broadcasting Network News who said  regarding the Ramadan celebration at White House “The Bible teaches that leaders who embraced, tolerated or celebrated foreign gods brought suffering and disaster upon their nation.”  Dove World Outreach Center Church that posted a sign on their lawn (and sent children to school wearing tee-shirts) that read “Islam is of the devil”.  Rev. David Clippard of the Southern Baptist Convention who said “Islam is an evil encroaching on the United States. ... ”  Operation Save America statement that said “If we love our brothers and sisters who claim the Name of Christ, we must love them enough to tell them that Islam and Christianity cannot peacefully coexist. They are at war”  Rev. Pat Robertson of CBN’S 700 Club who said that there is “... a veritable infestation of America with violent subversive Muslims…”  Rev. John Hagee who called Catholicism ”“A Godless theology of hate that no one dared try to stop for a thousand years produced a harvest of hate.”   Rev. Reza Safa who said “Islam is not a religion; it’s a political system. That political system, just like communism, is a threat to our existence. ... [Unless the church realizes] this religion is evil in its core beliefs [and], the American public realizes this, we will continue to have problems with radicalism.”  Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri who called the Arabs “donkeys and beasts”.  The Clarion Fund who produced and mass mailed 28 million copies of the film “Obsession”.  Rabbi David Batzri who said, “...  The nation of Israel is pure. The Arabs are a nation of donkeys. They are an affliction, a demon, a pestilence.  Why, one may ask, did God not create them to walk on all fours, since they are donkeys? The reason is that they must build and clean, but must always understand that they are donkeys. There is no room for them in our schools.”, Oriana Falaci who wrote that “Muslims “breed like rats.”

7.  I condemn anyone who thinks that collective punishment, group responsibility, ethnic cleansing, or genocide is the solution to anything!

Whether they are Muslims:  Idi Amin or Sadam Hussein, or those who carried out mass murders against the Kurds, Armenians,  or against civilians in Bangladesh, Darfur or anyplace else.

or non-Muslims:  Ann Coulter who said that “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”  Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu who proposed “hanging the children of the terrorist who carried out the attack in the Mercaz Harav yeshiva from a tree.”  Rabbi Yousuf Falay who called for the “extermination” of all Palestinian males over 13 years old.  Rev. J. Grant Swank who said “It’s time to erect the internment camps worldwide.  Put Muslims into those camps. There is no safety for the planet unless we lock up every potential killer. Every Muslim is just that. The Koran states that deity has commanded every non-Muslim be slaughtered by Muslims. That makes every Muslim a potential warrior on the loose.  ... Therefore, for America for example to tolerate the Council on America-Islamic Relations (sic) ((CAIR) organization, satellite offices, and web site, is to invite killers into our back and front yards. This has to stop. It can only stop when all Muslims are put inside gates and behind fences, when hell-sponsored public relations efforts such as CAIR are closed down completely, and when Congress sees to it that this World War III is won by the non-Muslims.  There is no other answer.  ...  We are faced with idiotic, insane cultish killers who belong to no religion recognized by world religions researchers. Instead, non-Muslims are confronted by members of a persistent murdering cult.  Civilized nations immediately close down killing cults. America does and has. Therefore, its time to do that now.  Put Muslims in internment camps. Shut them out and off.”  David Atkins who said on WND “In the event of any WMD attack on America or Americans government policy should be to immediately use nuclear weapons to destroy the 100 largest Muslim cities.”  The writer of a letter published in a Tuscon newspaper which said:  “Whenever there is an assassination or another atrocity, we should proceed to the closest mosque and execute five of the first Muslims we encounter,” the letter said. “After all, this is a ‘Holy War” and although such a procedure is not fair or just, it might end the horror.”    NOTE:  In a 5-0 ruling, Arizona’s highest court found unanimously the Tucson Citizen was protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and could not be sued for printing the letter.  All of those who carried out the genocides in Bosnia, Germany, Rwanda, the Congo, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Tibet, Sabra & Shatila, Azerbaijan or anyplace else.
 
8.  I condemn specific statements of otherwise respectable religious teachers

Whether they are Muslims:  Yusuf al Qaradawi who made a “Palestinian exception” for suicide bombers.

or non-Muslims:  Martin Luther who wrote an anti-Semitic book “On the Jews and Their Lies”  in which he argues that their synagogues and schools be set on fire, their prayer books destroyed, rabbis forbidden to preach, homes razed, and property and money confiscated. They should be shown no mercy or kindness, afforded no legal protection, and these “poisonous envenomed worms” should be drafted into forced labor or expelled for all time. He also seems to advocate their murder, writing “[w]e are at fault in not slaying them.”  Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson who said that “Rather, we have a case of ‘let us differentiate’ between totally different species. This is what needs to be said about the body: the body of a Jewish person is of a totally different quality from the body of [members] of all nations of the world…A non-Jew’s entire reality is only vanity. It is written, ‘And the strangers shall guard and feed your flocks’ (Isaiah 61:5). The entire creation [of a non-Jew] exists only for the sake of the Jews…”  Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook who said  “The difference between a Jewish soul and souls of non-Jews—all of them in all different levels—is greater and deeper than the difference between a human soul and the souls of cattle.”

9.  I condemn anyone who thinks that membership in their faith group makes them superior to other human beings

Whether they are Muslims

or non-Muslims:  Rev. Jerry Falwell who said “If you’re not a born-again Christian, you’re a failure as a human being.”  Pat Buchanan in a speech to the Christian Coalition who said  “Our culture is superior. Our culture is superior because our religion is Christianity and that is the truth that makes men free.”  Former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.)  who said “Ladies and gentlemen, Christianity offers the only viable, reasonable, definitive answer to the questions of ‘Where did I come from?’ ‘Why am I here?’ ‘Where am I going?’ ‘Does life have any meaningful purpose?’ Only Christianity offers a way to understand that physical and moral border. Only Christianity offers a comprehensive worldview that covers all areas of life and thought, every aspect of creation. Only Christianity offers a way to live in response to the realities that we find in this world—only Christianity.”  The Christian Identity Movement statement that “We are going to build the Kingdom of our God on this continent if we have to turn it into a Bosnia first! Death may find you in front of your one-eyed church of Satan or in the filthy bingo parlors where you worship your devil god, but be sure that you will not escape the consuming fire that is the real baptism of the Holy Ghost, The God of Racial Israel”  Rabbi Yitzhak Ginzburg who said  “If every simple cell in a Jewish body entails divinity, is a part of God, then every strand of DNA is part of God. Therefore, something is special about Jewish DNA…If a Jew needs a liver, can you take the liver of an innocent non-Jew passing by to save him? The Torah would probably permit that. Jewish life has an infinite value.”  Rabbi Saadya Grama who argued that gentiles are “completely evil” and Jews constitute a separate, genetically superior species. 

10.  I condemn anyone who thinks that their country, race, ethnic group, etc. makes them superior to other human beings

Whether they are Muslims

or non-Muslims:  Ron Pisaturo who believes that “The rights of one American, whether a soldier or a civilian, are worth more than the lives of all men, women and children in all these nations combined. Over time, pioneers, with the paid support of our military, can go into these isolated territories, subdue the remaining savages, install a civilized, colonial government protecting the rights of both the pioneers and the savages, and settle the land—as American pioneers subdued the savage, murderous American Indian tribes and settled America.” 

I condemn all of these purveyors of bigotry, religious exclusivism, prejudice, and hate.

Pointing fingers at any community as being the source of all the evil in the world and all of the problems we face will not help us solve the problem, it will only exacerbate the problem.  There is certainly enough blame to go around.

Somehow we need to find a way of coalescing our mutual desire to do better so that together we can give voice to our needs: to bring light to our hearts instead of vengeance; pray instead of beating war drums, and to send love into the world to fill it with healing, caring, and kindness, rather than the current hate that will only continue to increase the darkness and Godless, soulless actions.  If we were all to focus the enormous energy of our shared sorrow about our current predicament into building a better world, we could accomplish something.  We keep making the same mistakes over and over, and one of the most dangerous of these mistakes has been to define the problem by its manifestations rather than its causes.

Because I know that in order for the voice of reason to be heard, the facts need to be spelled out.  Here is a list of some terrorist or violent incidents carried out by non-Muslims.  There were lots of such incidents before 1970 including the incident in 1966 when Charles Whitman killed his wife and mother and then went up to a tower at the University of Texas in Austin and killed 14 people and wounded 32 others before the police killed him.  Or the March 1, 1954 Capitol shooting incident when Puerto Rican nationalists, led by Lolita Lebrón shoot and injured five members of the U.S. House of Representatives during an immigration debate. 

But, even if we just look at extremist violence and terrorism in the U.S. from 1970 and after committed by non-Muslims, it really isn’t possible to hold to the claim that all terrorists are Muslims.  If we add to this brief list all of the KKK and white supremacist violence over the years and all of the hate crimes like the hate crimes motivated by a hatred of immigrants, or gays, or African-Americans, or a particular political group, etc.  Then this list would number in the thousands.

1970’s  -  Sterling Hall bombing at the UW–Madison, JDL bombings of Aeroflot office and Soviet offices in NYC, Weatherman bombings at U.S. Capitol in D.C. and Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh,  shooting of Governor George Wallace of Alabama,  Croatian terrorist hijacking of a TWA airliner,  car bomb murder of Chilean gov’t officials by DINA,

1980’s  -  Armed members of FALN raid campaign headquarters of Jimmy Carter in Chicago and George H. W. Bush in NYC,  Reagan assassination attempt, bombings at Pan Am terminal in NY by the Puerto Rican Resistance Army,  FALN explodes bombs outside of the FBI office in NY and the US courthouse in Brooklyn,  James W. von Brunn attempted to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., Turkish diplomats in CA and MA killed by members of the Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide,  U.S. Senate bombing by The Armed Resistance Unit,  James Oliver Huberty went into a McDonald’s in San Ysidro, CA and killed 21 people and injured 19 others before being killed himself,  Rajneeshee bioterror attack in OR, 751 became ill, The Order murders Alan Berg in CO, JDL murders Alex Odeh in CA, George Hennard drove into Luby’s diner in Killeen, TX and killed 23 people and wounded more than 20 before committing suicide,  Dr. David Gunn murdered in Pensacola, Florida,

1990’s  - Dr. John Britton and an assistant murdered in FL by Rev. Paul Jennings Hill,  Frank Eugene Corder attempted to hit the White House witha single-engine Cessna, Francisco Martin Duran fired at least 29 shots with a semi-automatic rifle at the White House,  Two receptionists were killed in two clinic attacks in Brookline, MA by John Salvi, Ted Kaczinski, the Unabomber, Sgt. William J. Kreutzer, Jr.  killed one officer and wounded 17 other soldiers when he opened fire on a formation at Fort Bragg, NC.,  Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, Centennial Olympic Park bombing and abortion clinic bombing in Birmingham AL by Eric Robert Rudolph,  Dr. Barnett Slepian was shot to death at his home in Amherst, NY by James Kopp,  U.S.  Capitol shooting by Russell Eugene Weston kills two,  Eric Harris & Dylan Kleboldat Columbine H.S.  killed 13 people and wounded 24 before commitng suicide, Arson attack on Agriculture Hall of MSU by Earth Liberation Front

2000’s  -  millennium attack plots, plan to bomb LAX Airport, former leader of the Texas Militia plot to attack the Federal Building in Houston, A Catholic priest drove his car into the Northern Illinois Health Clinic and pulled out an ax before being shot at by a security guard, JDL plot by Irv Rubin and Earl Krugel to blow up the King Fahd Mosque and the office of   Congressman Darrell Issa in CA foiled,  Anthrax attacks by Bruce Ivins kill five across the U.S. with politicians and media officials as the apparent targets,  Clayton Waagner mailed hoax letters containing a white powder to 554 clinics,  Robert Pickett discharged a number of shots from a weapon in the direction of the White House,  Lucas John Helder rigged pipe bombs in private mailboxes to explode when the boxes were opened, white supremacists planned to bomb a series of institutions associated with the black and Jewish communities including the U.S.  Holocaust Memorial Museum,  Two members of Project 7 are arrested plotting to kill judges and law enforcement officials in order to kick off a revolution,  An Idaho Mountain Militia Boys plot to kill a judge an a police officer and break a friend out of jail is uncovered,  William Krar is charged for his part in the Tyler poison gas plot, a white supremacist related plan,  Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and his grandfather’s girlfriend on the Red Lake, MN Chippewa reservation, then went to Red Lake H.S. where he killed 7 people and wounded 5 others before committing suicide, Patricia Hughes and Jeremy Dunahoe threw a Molotov cocktail at a clinic in Shreveport, LA,  Two officers were killed at Forward Operating Base Danger in Tikrit, Iraq by a deliberately placed mine.  Staff Sergeant Alberto B. Martinez was charged, but was acquitted in a court martial trial at Fort Bragg, NC, The Animal Liberation Front targets a UCLA professor with a firebomb due to her research on animals, Charles Carl Roberts IV went into an Amish school in Lancaster County, PA and killed 5 girls before committing suicide,  Demetrius Van Crocker a white supremacist from rural TN attempted to acquire Sarin nerve gas and C-4 explosives that he planned to use to destroy government buildings,  A man rammed his car into a women’s clinic that he thought was an abortion clinic and set it ablaze in Davenport, Iowa,  Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded many others at Virginia Tech before committing suicide,  Five members of a Birmingham, Alabama area anti-immigration militia were arrested for planning a machine gun attack on Mexicans,  A bomb was left in a women’s clinic in Austin but failed to explode,  Staff Sgt. Brandon Norris killed Spc. Kamisha Block and then committed suicide in Iraq.  The military first reported this as a death by “friendly fire”,  Spc. Jody Michael Wirawan killed 1st Lt. Robert Bartlett Fletcher at Fort Hood and then committed suicide,  Jim D. Adkisson opened fire in the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville TN killing two and injuring seven (a note found in his SUV indicated this was intended as a suicide attack and said the church was apparently targeted because of its support of liberal social policies),  UC-Santa Cruz molecular biologist David Feldheim’s home was firebombed. A car belonging to another researcher from that University was destroyed by a firebomb in what is presumed to be related. FBI is investigating incidents as domestic terrorism related to animal rights groups,  plot by two white power skinheads to target an African American High School and kill 88 blacks and decapitate 14 more (the numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic to white supremacists) and although expecting to fail try to assassinate Barack Obama,  Jomar Falu Vives a Fort Carson, CO soldier and Iraq war veteran accused of killing 2 people and wounding another in drive-by shootings, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum shooting by James Wenneker von Brunn,  Assassination of Dr. George Tiller by Scott Roeder,  bombing of a Starbucks in Manhattan’s Upper East Side by Kyle Shaw, shooting at Muslim home in Oregon by Vadim Ignatov, 

Here are links to incidents targeting Muslims, and a list of Mosques in U.S. That Have Experienced Violent, Prejudiced, or Racist Incidents.  The ADL has a collection of materials on anti-Semitic and racist incidents and violence.