I've stayed out of the fray so-to-speak of the cartoon debacle so far. I knew I wouldn't for very long when I began agreeing with Tucker Carlson last night on Hardball.
When I start finding myself agreeing with Tucker Carlson it's definitely time to dig a bit deeper and figure out just what the real deal is.
So I did....I went right to my Muslim friend...and asked the questions the guys on TV News won't.
My good friend is from the Sudan and yes he is a hard core Islamic and there is no doubt about that in my mind. He is my best and most honest source. He has relatives actually living everywhere in the middle east. He no doubt get's his telephone tapped all the time.
I'm going to call my friend Al....so I can reference a name. His name is a bit more than that but Al will work just as well.
I will put all of Al's answers in blockquote grey.
My first question to Al today was:
So, what's the big deal with these cartoons?
He states that as he understands it the cartoons were published five months ago in a Danish News Publication and wasn't even noticed at the time. He did say that in the Islamic culture the Profit Muhammad is not characterized in any form out of respect.
Are you aware that in the U.S. and many other countries that cartoons and pictures are published of Jesus and God all the time with no backlash or killing of people?
I'm very aware of this and so are my Muslim brothers and sisters. This is very extreme actions that you see being played out in the news. There are 1.3 Billion Muslims around the world. They are mostly businessmen, teachers, artists, intellectuals, poets and very calm and very good people. The few that all you and the rest of the world see on TV and in the newspapers are very small but vocal and militant groups located in Afganistan, Iran and other more militant middle eastern countries. These people are on the edge and will demonstrate at the drop off a hat. Just give them a reason and it'll be blown out of portportion and they will show their fists and destroy anything that is from the West.
We here in the U.S. will actually call out our religious trouble makers and have no-problem in making certain that they are held accountable for anything they do that is unlawful (fires ,destruction and killing). If they were to riot and kill anyone the religious movement in the U.S. would suffer greatly. We take our freedoms very serious and we also enjoy our security and comfort in not worrying about getting killed or having our property damaged just because a religious group is having a hissy fit. So...are we so different than your culture in that way?
The cartoons are dis-respectful as is jokes and pictures and cartoons about Jesus Christ is dis-respectful in your culture. We are not different at all. The Islamic people around the world really do hate what they are seeing in the actions of those who call themselves Muslims. We ... I am standing here speaking with you and feel very powerless to do anything. We regular people...just like you...believe strongly in our religion but we do not condone any of this ever. Our religious leaders actually have a respsonsiblility ,which in my personal opinion they have failed to do, and that is to condem the actions of all terrorists and extreme Arab people who say they speak to my beliefs but lie about that. Because they do not. Our religious leaders in the Muslim culture must stand up and be heard loudly that this is not the Muslim way and belief...When that day comes the world will know and understand that Islamic people are just like yousrelf.
So...we kind of agree about this don't we?
Yes...you see...men are not so different....but neither is extreme hatred...and that is what you and I are seeing today.
I get some great comfort in talking with Al...he's a good guy. I wish the TV and newspapers would talk to more Al's