Perspective on Islam...

I remember when I first Met Maria Khan at the Daily Cougar. She was a tall, curvaceous woman whose skin was a magnificent dusky hue. Her hair was a shimmering black and her eyes were big and beautiful and the color of pitch. One rarely meets someone whom they could describe as "arresting" but Maria fit that bill. She and I occassionaly hung out and caught a movie from time to time. I found her intellectually engaging and her personality refreshing. We weren't "Dating" or anything like that, but I simply enjoyed being seen with someone who was so beautiful in every sense of the word.
I used to jokingly say that if I HAD thought for a moment that Ms. Khan had considered me her "type" I would have happily converted to Islam. In all seriousness however, she and I had a few conversations on her faith and I can say that my view of the Islamic faith was initially formed by the occassional talks we had.
Over the course of my life I've known several Muslims and was fortunate enough to have studied Kung Fu under one who informed me that the very word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God and that "Islam" essentially means submission TO God. In 1979 there was a revoloution in Iran and several employees of the U.S. embassy in Terhan were held hostage. At the time I didn't know that the kidnappers were Muslims or even what a Muslim WAS. All I knew was that Americans had been held against their will by hostile people who hated America. Ronald Reagan (conservative icon) was elected president in 1980 and had issues with Iran and various groups in the middle east, but for all Regan's tough talk I must give him his due, he never villified Islam or Muslims in general the way many Neo-cons do today, and to that end most Americans of my generation had no opinion of Islam growing up.

I would like to say I've read the Koran I own from cover to cover, but I can't. Honestly I can say the same of the Bible which I own. Many who consider themselves "Christians" not only know nothing of Islam, but do not CHOOSE to know anything of it. Their attitude is simply that if it isn't Christianity it's not worthy of their attention, yet by some strange paradox condemn those of the Islamic faith who refuse to convert to Christianity or refuse to be bombarded with Christianity.
Recently someone proposed opening an Islamic Cultural Center two blocks away from the site where the World Trade Center once stood. The building in question wasn't to be a mosque. To be frank there already IS a mosque two blocks from where the World Trade Towers stood and it's been there since the late 50s and predated the world trade towers, but the outcry from some would have us believe that not only were they planning a mosque but some center for training terrorist agents.

Not since the Crusades and the Inquisition has there been such a wave of ill will towards Islam. Why is this? Some would argue that groups like the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Hamaas and Al Quaida show by their actions that Islam is a culture of violence. What if someone were to use the same logic to imply that the actions of the Ku Klux Klan (who considered themselves a Christian values organization) and abortion clinic bombers implied that Christianity is a faith dedicated to killing one's enemies? We have to come to terms with the fact that since the dawn of time there have been men and women willing to kill over their respective faiths. Men who blow up abortion clinics no more represent Christianity than those who strap bombs to themselves represent Islam.
America is at war with a group of radical Islamic terrorist, but we must NEVER act as if we are at war with Islam itself. Muslims like Christians are on six continents and that most get through their lives without once firing a shot in anger. We can not say that all Muslims are either "peaceful" or "warlike" any more than we can say the same of Christians. Neither religion is a monolith yet recognizing that would require us to THINK.