🚀 go-pugleaf

The following link had been provided in an effort to show something
"representative" of Palestinian sentiment following 9/11 :

> > > From outside the united states, this is video of palestinians
> > > celebrating the september 11th attack.
> > >
> > > http://www.itn.co.uk/news/20010911/video/me_reaction17.ram

In response to this, I provided a wholly relevant article, available at

http://electronicIntifada.net/coveragetrends/rejoicing.html

And, Robert Knowles -- true to form -- provided the following unrelated
link :
 
> And now from the women of Afghanistan:
> http://www.rawa.org

saying
 
> (Just so we can see how real Muslims behave in an
> Islamic Republic)

Hope you were reading carefully.  I found this statement there :

"Despite the claim of the US that only military and terrorist bases of
the Taliban and Al Qieda will be
          struck and that its actions would be accurately targeted and
proportionate, we have witnessed for the
          past seven days leaves no doubt that this invasion will shed
the blood of numerous women, men,
          children, young and old of our country." 

Mr. Knowles, an honest question :

If I, as a muslim, represent Islam and you, as an American, represent
America, then what is to stop us from coming to terms right here and
now?

If I tell you that Islam will leave you free to go about your business
provided you don't go on a murder spree or commit what most knowledgable
Americans already recognize as serious crimes, providing you with the
evidence to back my claim, and then Mr. X tells you otherwise, what
reason would you have to be so quick to accept what Mr. X says without
examining all of evidence in its proper context?

Doesn't the proper understanding of a discipline depend upon thorough
investigation thereof?  Why do you imagine a religion followed by over
1/5 of humankind, responsible for the development of algebra, calculus,
hospitals, the federal system, surveying, navigation, vaccination and
the very building blocks of modern civilization to be something that can
be understood any differently than a major field of study?

No, I'm not asking you to accept what I say.  That is beyond me.  You
can go on, like Carol, and continue to rant and rave against Islam all
you wish.  Be my guest.  It hurts me none.

As an American, however, I know something of your upbringing, and that
most of our teachers tried hard to instill skills of critical thinking
within us.

My hope is that you calm down and use them.  Know that I'm just as
pissed at 9/11 as you.  I hope we can at least both agree that killing
innocent people is wrong.

was-salaam,
iman@merr.com