The Other Side

[netviper13]

Yes, the one the Right doesn't want to let you know exists. It's out there...

The Associated Press gives us the story:

Beheadings fuel fresh backlash against Muslims

Saturday, June 26, 2004 Posted: 8:35 PM EDT (0035 GMT)

EAGLESWOOD TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (AP) -- The recent beheadings of two Americans in the Middle East have added fuel to the angry backlash against Arab-Americans and Muslims that began after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The murders of Paul Johnson and Nicholas Berg triggered hate mail, verbal attacks and anti-Muslim signs. Muslims received death threats and their mosques were vandalized.

"Since 9/11, every time there is an incident overseas attributed to Muslims or Arabs, we go on orange alert ourselves," said immigration lawyer Sohail Mohammed.

"There are individuals here who are off the wall, who think that every woman who wears a hijab or every man named Mohammed is out to blow things up."

Al-Qaida-linked militants in Saudi Arabia decapitated Johnson, an American engineer, after warning that they would kill him if the Saudi government did not release jailed comrades. Berg, a businessman, met a similar fate last month in Iraq.

Following Johnson's death, anti-Islam signs surfaced around the rural New Jersey neighborhood where he once lived. One read "Stamp Out Islam" next to a drawing of a boot over a crescent and star. Another, hung on a mailbox next door to Johnson's sister's home, was more detailed.

"Last night I wasn't a racist, but today I feel racism towards Islamic beliefs," it read. "Last night Islamics had a chance to speak up for Paul Johnson, but today it's too late. Islamics better wake up and start thinking about tomorrow."

The New Jersey attorney general sent bias crimes investigators to the area, along with stepped-up state police patrols. The signs are gone now, replaced with hand-lettered placards on utility poles that say "Our prayers are with the Johnson family."

But more anti-Muslim graffiti appeared Thursday on a Muslim man's home in Egg Harbor Township.

"It's really our fear coming true," said Faiza Ali of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It indicates a hatred that could turn into something violent."

Relatives of Johnson, in a statement made through a church pastor after a memorial service Saturday, said that they hope his legacy is one of peace in the land he grew to love during more than a decade abroad.

"When history is written on the war on terrorism, let Paul's death be the catalyst that led to thousands more Westerners working in harmony with people in the Middle East to ensure fear and barbaric acts against free peoples come to an end," the Rev. Kyle Huber of Greentree Church said.

The day after Johnson's death, a coalition of Muslim groups held a rally to condemn the killing in Paterson, the heart of New Jersey's Arab-American community.

A few days later, vandals tossed empty liquor and beer bottles at a mosque in Union City as congregants inside mourned a teenager who died in a car crash.

"If they are throwing empty bottles today, they could be throwing rocks, or worse, shooting at us tomorrow," said Aref Assaf, president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's New Jersey chapter.

Two mosques in Florida were vandalized in the days after Johnson's killing. In the Tampa suburb of Lutz, someone broke into the Islamic Community Center and scrawled "Kill All Muslims" on the mosque's interior walls, then smashed windows. In Charlotte Harbor, someone vandalized a mosque's sign and left threatening phone messages.

In the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin, Missouri, vandals painted a swastika and the word "Die" on the wall of the Dar-Ul-Islam mosque.

In Texas, dead fish were dumped near the entrance sign to a mosque under construction in a suburb of Houston.

And in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, residents urged officials this past week to reject a mosque's building application. A Baptist pastor told a public hearing he feared it would attract Islamic extremists and violence. The center was approved over boos and catcalls from the audience.

"I believe the time is coming when Muslims will not be safe inside the U.S. borders," one man wrote to the Washington, D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. "I see nothing wrong with us doing the same things to them that they are doing to innocent people."

"It is high time you people wake up and smell the blood," another man wrote to Assaf's group in New Jersey. "Turn in the terrorists. They are your relatives, in a lot of cases. Cousin Omar. Uncle Mohammad. You know what I mean. Until you come forward to help us stamp out this vermin, you are as bad as they."

[Drumphil]

yeah, and now we can wait for another debate over wether islam is bad that doesn't actually feature ANY references to islamic scripture.. No one put up anti christian signs and banners when hittler was in power in germany, but if bad things are done by people who come from mainly muslim nations, it must be their religion.. And if its all islams fault, then what the hell is america doing setting up a new iraqi government of mostly muslim men.

"Last night I wasn't a racist, but today I feel racism towards Islamic beliefs," it read. "Last night Islamics had a chance to speak up for Paul Johnson, but today it's too late. Islamics better wake up and start thinking about tomorrow."

er, technically, is it possible to "feel racism" towards a religion? And what about the muslim victims of these terrible acts.. If this is islams fault, then are the victims not really islamic?? or is it the terrorists who aren't.

The day after Johnson's death, a coalition of Muslim groups held a rally to condemn the killing in Paterson, the heart of New Jersey's Arab-American community.

A few days later, vandals tossed empty liquor and beer bottles at a mosque in Union City as congregants inside mourned a teenager who died in a car crash.

its hard to wage war effectively if you don't know who your enemy really is.. Many people in America seem to be confused and afraid, and that leads to this type of behavior.

And in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, residents urged officials this past week to reject a mosque's building application. A Baptist pastor told a public hearing he feared it would attract Islamic extremists and violence. The center was approved over boos and catcalls from the audience.

people love freedom of religion, so long as its their religion thats free.

It saddens me to see things like this, because its evidence that the terrorists tactics are dragging us down to their level, and then the battle really is lost.

ok, I'm done ranting now.

[Riptide]

Originally Posted by Drumphil

yeah, and now we can wait for another debate over wether islam is bad that doesn't actually feature ANY references to islamic scripture..

Well, it's been posted here before but you weren't present for it so here goes:

http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevaja...errorist1.html
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevaja...errorist2.html

I'm not going to talk about it again but if you want to be my guest. Yes, I think we're aware that the old testament has things in there pretty much akin to this. But as some may/could point out, Christians aren't bound to old testament law. They have their new covenant. Someone will correct me if I'm mistaken.

[UDawg]

I just love the way the left defends the terrorists. Why don't you guys put the blame where it belongs, on the terrorists? Oh why don't you, because that would actualy make America look good.

Let me get this straight. Some Islamic terrorists cut off the heads of Americans and Americans get mad and say some racial stuff and that is worse that the heads being cut off and the left calls patriotism in to question by the left. Call me silly.

When the Muslim community stops talking out of both sides of its mouth wrt terrorism then maybe I'll listen untill then they really need to clean up their act.

[Sazar]

hatred is the reason the terrorists are cutting off peoples head...

[UDawg]

So you are equating reationary hatred towards a group that wants us ALL dead to the terrorists? Good poin /rolls his eyes.

[evilchris]

Originally Posted by Drumphil

yeah, and now we can wait for another debate over wether islam is bad that doesn't actually feature ANY references to islamic scripture.. No one put up anti christian signs and banners when hittler was in power in germany, but if bad things are done by people who come from mainly muslim nations, it must be their religion.. And if its all islams fault, then what the hell is america doing setting up a new iraqi government of mostly muslim men.

http://www.secularislam.org/testimonies/index.htm

http://www.secularislam.org/testimonies/index.htm

http://www.secularislam.org/testimonies/index.htm

http://www.secularislam.org/testimonies/index.htm

Have a read. Go to the main page when you are done with the testimonials and LEARN. If I had nothing to do today I could post THOUSANDS of references to Islamic scripture showing mohammed was a P O S wife beater, bigot, and racist and SUPPORTS terrorism as a means to end. Screw the MYTH of allah and the horse he rode on in. Read up Drumphil. That site was created by a former muslim too. It isn't some "right wing" site.

...and as some have pointed out, combating those links with:

"but in the bible it's violent too!"

doesn't cut it as EVERY OTHER relgion in the world has MOVED ON and CIVILIZED themselves. muslims *still* believe in following their stupid religion to the "T" regardless of rationale. Islam is a religion of DEATH, DESTRUCTION, INTOLERANCE, and HATRED, not "peace" as they'll have you'll believe. Everything Al Qaeda does is completely called for and justified in the qur'an. They have not strayed from their religion one bit and are literally "better" muslims than anyone else!

Personally as you can tell, I *hate* islam and everything it stands for and I think muslims are complete idiots for following such a progress inhibiting doctrine. If I find out someone is muslim I lose all respect for them and will not deal with them in any capacity as I cannot stand such ignorance.

[Sazar]

Originally Posted by UDawg

So you are equating reationary hatred towards a group that wants us ALL dead to the terrorists? Good poin /rolls his eyes.

if you see hatred as a good thing so be it... it is the lack of education people have on other cultures and the like the leads to the ignorant hatred in the first place... many people have died because of that hatred in this country post 9/11... I spose though thats perfectly fine for you... it was just reactionary hatred... so what if the ignorant louts can't tell the difference between a sikh and a muslim, it'll all be fine...

[UDawg]

Where did I say hatred it good? Oh I didn't. Nice way of trying to triangulate the argument. My point is you are saying that those people who hate the terrorist because of them chopping of the heads of Americans is the same as their hatred of us while chopping of our heads. That is obsurd. Believe it or not there is a right and wong in this war and we are the ones who are right and they are wong and need to be killed off or do you disagree?

[Sazar]

it was clearly implied in your post

Let me get this straight. Some Islamic terrorists cut off the heads of Americans and Americans get mad and say some racial stuff and that is worse that the heads being cut off and the left calls patriotism in to question by the left. Call me silly.

When the Muslim community stops talking out of both sides of its mouth wrt terrorism then maybe I'll listen untill then they really need to clean up their act.

you know... the same way I am supposedly supporting terrorists and giving them my sympathy and stuff like that... except I don't espouse going round nuking and killing people left right and center coz I think I am right about something...

btw yes i think we are right and the terrorists are wrong...

[netviper13]

Originally Posted by UDawg

So you are equating reationary hatred towards a group that wants us ALL dead to the terrorists? Good poin /rolls his eyes.

Something tells me most Muslims living in the US don't want us all dead. Or could you point me to the last car bombing, or hostage beheading, or even hostage taking a resident Muslim citizen of the US has undertaken? It hasn't happened.

When David Koresh (sp?) and his wacko "Christian" buddies took hostages in Waco, I didn't see the entire Christian population of America jumping out to condemn the wacko as not being representative of their belief system. But that does not mean they agreed with such action. No difference, except the religion of the wackos.

Guess what happened the last time a large group of people convinced themselves their reactionary hatred was justified? One word: Holocaust.

[UDawg]

Originally Posted by Sazar

it was clearly implied in your post



you know... the same way I am supposedly supporting terrorists and giving them my sympathy and stuff like that... except I don't espouse going round nuking and killing people left right and center coz I think I am right about something...

btw yes i think we are right and the terrorists are wrong...

No it was not clearly implied in my post. In fact it was not even a thought. You only read what suited you.

I don't question that you are against teh terrorists. I question your way of dealing with them. I think you way will lead to us being attacked and in a bigger way. I as you know take the opposite view. I say we take out all those who who support the terrorist with the appropirate means necessary for each individual country. If we need to take out a country's leader in one area then so be it. If we need to work with a country that has not been helpfull or even against us in the past but now is will to help, so be it.