A PLEA TO OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS

 (This is an emergency post, for our Middle East viewers, who have been conned into anti-America protests, against something for which the U.S. is not responsible!)

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”—Edmund Burke, 1797 

 People of Islam, you are being deceived.  You, the masses of normally pious, peace-loving Muslims, are being manipulated into performing the violent, dirty work of radicals among you.  And everyone—Muslim, Christian, Jew—are suffering for it.

 
I am referring to the massive protests against America (the United States), springing up across the Middle East, from Tunisia to Iran.

All over a vicious lie.

Map of flashpoints--click here for "Interactive map"

"THE INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS"

The video that has sparked the protests, “Innocence of Muslims,” (14-minute trailer here) has been used as an excuse to storm U.S. embassies around the world, and has resulted in several brutal murders, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, a true friend of the Libyan people and an innocent man who probably didn’t even know the movie existed.  

Coincidentally or not, the protest and murders began on the 12th anniversary of the senseless slaughter of 3,000 innocent civilians by extremist al Qaeda terrorists.

The film has been denounced by U.S. President Obama as vile and disgusting.  Americans who have seen it agree.  (I have seen clips of it, and can tell you it is a stupid, silly movie that should be ignored.)  Nevertheless, the lie that the United States somehow had something to do with it continues to circulate, and foment more misplaced anger and violence.

ARE THESE REALLY THE IMAGES YOU WANT THE WEST TO THINK OF WHEN WE THINK OF ISLAM?!

Many of you are angry that our president refuses to “apologize” for it.  How can you apologize for something you didn’t do?  Should I demand an apology from Izdiher, a Pakistani Muslim blogger, for Ambassador Stevens’ murder?  Of course not!  She had nothing to do with it.

Nor did the U.S. government have anything to do with this deplorable film. 

We in the United States cherish our individual Freedom.  We are free to worship God without fear.  We are free to PEACEFULLY protest against the government without reprisal, free to stand up against injustice, and free to engage in dialogue with those that disagree with us.  As a result, we have forged stronger bonds, wiser laws, and a more prosperous union, allowing people of vast cultural differences and values to live side by side as neighbors and friends, not enemies.

Freedom, however, is a double-edged sword.  It allows stupid whackos to do stupid things—like make stupid movies—even though the vast majority of the population is disgusted by them.

THIS IS HOW THE WEST SEES ISLAM RIGHT NOW.  IT IS UP TO YOU TO PROVE US WRONG!

But as we say, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”  Violent protests, murdering innocent civilians, and chanting “Death to America!”, does nothing but injure your cause and besmirch your peaceful Muslim faith.  As Izdiher has said in her blog, sadly, these violent protests are proving Islam’s critics right!

Nevertheless, I see a tiny ray of hope.  In Libya, and in other Middle Eastern countries, small counter-protests have formed.  Muslims have come out denouncing the violence and apologizing for their fellow countrymens’ behavior.  These brave souls risk “martyrdom” by the very same violent countrymen for whom they are apologizing.  In that very act, I see the solution to our world’s horrific problems . . . 

 The United States has welcomed the “Arab Spring” that has thrown off dictators and ushered in new democratic governments run by the People—an amazing movement that parallels our own history.

We applaud this momentous event, stand ready to offer billions of dollars in economic and humanitarian aid, and invite you to taste for yourselves the delicious delicacies of Freedom and Democracy.  Your countries and cultures will flourish from it!  But why would we help those who willingly  murder our citizens?

YOU, the reader, hold the key.  YOU have more power than all the might of the United States.  If you truly desire world peace, if you truly believe that Islam is a peace-loving faith (and I believe it is), you MUST overcome those that would hijack your peaceful Qur'an to justify violent destruction and the murder of innocents in the name of Allah.

 
No doubt, you have legitimate grievances against America’s policies and actions.  But the making of this film is NOT one of them.  

 So I invite you to PEACEFULLY protest for your cause . . . and then come together and DISCUSS our differences.



That is the ONLY way we can forge a better, safer, more peaceful world for ourselves and our children.

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More reading here:
—INTERACTIVE MAP of Middle East violence
—Extremists spur violence
—Anti-U.S. mobs on Rampage
—"Innocence of Muslims" actress duped into roll