|
In response to Falwell's remarks, Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council
on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, said Friday: "Anybody is free
to be a bigot if they want to. What really concerns us is the lack of reaction
by mainstream religious and political leaders, who say nothing when these bigots
voice these attacks."
--------------------------------------
We always thought that religion was supposed to foster brotherhood
and kindness - not turn people against each other through hateful
name-calling. Maybe Falwell and his colleagues have a different view.
(Charleston Gazette, 10/5/02 http://www.wvgazette.com/news/Editorials/2002100426/
)
---------------------------------------
Mr. Falwell, Pat Robertson, Frank Graham and the like need to hang
the Ten Commandments around their necks and recite "Love Thy
Neighbor" hundred times a day. They also need to read the following
daily: Matthew 5:9:"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be
called sons of God." James 3:18:"Peacemakers who sow in peace
raise a harvest of righteousness." They missed these important
lessons from the teachings of Jesus Christ (peace be on him).
(islam101.com)
---------------------------------------
EDITORIAL: DEFAMING ISLAM The Washington Post, 10/6/02 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45764-2002Oct4.html
ONE OF THE high-water marks after Sept. 11 last year was President
Bush's leadership in urging Americans not to condemn Islam because of
the actions of extremists in the name of their faith. He set aside his
war planning to visit the mosque at the Islamic Center of Washington,
where he reminded the nation that "Islam is peace" and
admonished Americans not to take out their anger on innocent American
Arabs and Muslims... The same, however, cannot be said of some key
leaders of the religious right in America who are counted among
President Bush's closest political allies. And on their noxious mix of
religious bigotry and anti-Muslim demagoguery, Mr. Bush's silence is
deafening. We have in mind several religious conservative leaders who
count Mr. Bush as one of their own. There is the Rev. Franklin Graham,
Billy Graham's son and successor and a participant in the president's
inauguration, who has declared Islam a "very evil and wicked
religion." And there is Christian Coalition founder and television
evangelist Pat Robertson, who said that "to think that [Islam] is a
peaceful religion is fraudulent." Mr. Robertson, in full attack
mode himself, called the prophet Muhammad "an absolute wild-eyed
fanatic . . . a robber and brigand . . . a killer." And, in an
appearance on the CBS program "60 Minutes" to be broadcast
tonight, the Rev. Jerry Falwell completes the demonization of a religion
by smearing the prophet of Islam as "a terrorist." These are
not just the words of a fringe movement. The speakers are leaders among
the religious right in America, a movement close to a president who
speaks their language. Their embrace is mutual. It therefore falls to
the president to break his silence on their gross distortion and to put
some distance between their rhetoric and his own professions of
tolerance. To avert his gaze from their actions is to permit the
Falwells, Robertsons and Grahams to legitimize their own perverse
teachings through their association with the president of the United
States. If their words are not his, then the president must say so.
|