PETER HAMMOND: Muslim Boogerman

ANTI-MUSLIM PROPAGANDA KEEPS SPREADING FEAR

A friend of a friend wrote recently of constantly hearing from friends telling her of their aversion and dislike of the religion of Islam. She wrote, "I'm stunned that my well-educated friends are so taken in by this fear-mongering." This animosity, bordering on hate, of Muslims, is short-sighted and close- minded. These people most likely never met a real-live Muslim in their whole life.

This fear of anything foreign, the word can be translated "strange" or "outsider," is an unfortunate part of the human equation. Our nature is to like those who look like us, and are comfortable with those who talk like us. It is not wrong, just something we need to be aware of it.

In a Mesopotamia legend the skyscraper builders disobeyed the Creator God's command to spread out and replenish the earth. They ignored their God and kept building their city. This resulted in the confusing of their languages, and each group went their own way. That story illustrates how languages unite people to their own kind, their own customs, traditions and eventually to feeling superior to those strangers over the hill..

They no longer respected what was different in their neighbors and were suspicious of what others "mumbled," (languages) or how they looked (various shades of red, yellow, black, brown and pale).

This part of Texas is bi-lingual, but most of those who speak both languages have Spanish as their mother tongue. (The Texas immigrants might have won the Battle of the Alamo had they spoken Spanish. But, I digress.)

For humans of any language to oppose something they do not understand or do not want to understand is like the old saying: "A man's mind is like a parachute, good only when open."

Examples of anti-Islamic rhetoric: "Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100 percent system of life" writes one opponent of having Muslims in our country. Apparently Muslims can't be good Americans with such a lifestyle! Strange logic. I've heard many a preacher and politician proclaimed they were Christians first, and Americans second.

Another example: "Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their religious privileges," they say. What were the late Jerry Falwell's political agenda for the White House and the government? Agitate for religious privileges maybe?

Another quote from the fear mongers: "When Muslims reach two to five percent of population, they begin to proselytize other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups and push for halal ("kosher" for Muslim food), with threats if supermarkets fail to comply."

I understand why my friend is fed up with this Islam-bashing. The propaganda predicts what will happen when a country's population of Muslims reaches 20, 30 or 50 percent. And as the percentage rises Dar-es-Salaam (House of Peace) is finally formed with Sharia law controlling the world. Can't you see the feminist allowing that!

Peter Hammond's book, "Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat" goes much farther by ignoring what he doesn't understand and spreading panic with his twisted, myopic view of anything strange or different.

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