During an interview on NPR this morning, I heard that 49% of Americans have an unfavorable view of Islam. American Muslims are treading carefully on the eve of this 9/11. The end of Ramadan ushers in a three-day holiday. Because it includes 9/11 this year, Muslims are toning down their holiday celebrations.
Thursday vandals wrote racist graffiti on the wall of the Hudson Islamic Center. People immediately said "They must have been from outside the city," or "They are probably mentally challenged." The instinctive reaction was only outsiders would behave so badly and a refusal to confront the potential for darkness within their own community. This morning three young men were arrested for the crime. They were residents of Hudson. No mention was made of their mental condition.
We live in a media-fueled climate of racism and extremism - against Hispanics, against Muslims, against non-Christians, against less fundamentalist Christians. Interaction between Democrats and Republicans reflects intolerance rather than a will to wisely govern.
Nurturing discord benefits those who would keep the American people weakened and underfoot. It's working far too well.
Here's what I think...
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