Islam: Verbal Carpet Bombing vs. Verbal Sniping

It's always been my wish to see Islamic extremism eliminated, at the very least from US soil. But not like this.

I wholly and completely oppose the Ground Zero Mosque. I don't believe its organizers are naive or empty-headed enough to think such a building, in such a sensitive area, could possibly foster outreach and understanding. I am certain their intentions are malicious and driven by the very kind of extremism they profess to oppose.

But that's just the one mosque. These others, that are facing more and more opposition from what I'm seeing to be mostly conservatives and hardcore Christians, should not necessarily be put on trial. Until proven guilty, that is.

These people have realized the blasphemous and disrespectful nature of Ground Zero Mosque for the Islamic slap in the face that it is. But they've taken it too far. Not every mosque- in the US, anyways- is a hive of terrorism.

If you read my interview with OC Apostate in the post below, you'll notice she briefly discusses a mosque in Orange County. One of its former imams preached very progressive and truly (if relatively) tolerant ideals. He was later deposed, of course, but that one man is proof enough that not all practicing Muslims are evil.

These mosque protesters that are popping up all over the country are responding to Islam in nothing more sophisticated than a knee-jerk reaction. There is no thought in it, no reasoning or strategy. They learn of the one Mega Mosque that threatens to overshadow Ground Zero, and decide that all mosques must bear the same intent. These people are acting without pause for thought, and it is really very embarrassing for those of us who are committed to the fight against Islamic extremism, and not Islam as a whole. They're like the KKK showing up at an anti-Black Panthers rally.

Yes, there are definitely mosques and imams in the US that have been found to harbor weapons and/or terrorist ideologies. For the most part, they've been handled by the FBI.

But let's not jump the gun here. I've no doubt that many of these mosques being harangued by minimally-informed if uber-patriotic Americans are in fact quite peaceful, and mean no harm. Those mosques don't deserve to be harassed. In fact, they should be empowered to help us fight the real Islamic threat.

But if we blindly attack anyone with a Quran under their arm and verbally carpet bomb an entire religion, then who are we to condemn the extremist monsters that we say commit the same exact evil?

You can't hope to win a war by raking your submachine gun back and forth across a field of people. That's how civilian casualties happen, and how their civilian peers grow to resent you and turn into more enemies. It's far more effective- and ethical- to target and take out the truly hostile individuals only.

I mean, Christ. When did we become racists?