Dear G.N. Kashif

Sudan is one of the few countries in the world with functioning slave trades today. They are Muslim and they are actively committing genocide.

The reason that Islam is feared and hated by many is that Islam, as practiced by many, is violent, fanatical, backwards and brutal. Why is it that Muslims like you always manage to talk about everything and anything but yourselves?

Yes, the United States once had slaves. We fought a terrible Civil War and ended that. What we did to the Indians was much worse.

How does that change the fact that Muslims are murdering people everyday around the world? How does that change your silence on the genocide in Darfur?

How does that change the fact that you *you personally* do not support freedom of religious expression or freedom of speech? Those cartoons would not have been published if not for decades of Muslim fanatical violence. As to insulting the "prophet," he is not my prophet. I am free to think or say as I feel. That is called freedom of religion. It is a cornerstone of America. As an American, I certainly do *not* have to support your belief that I can't think what I please about anything.

The United States does not lead the world in head chop videos. Look at yourselves.

Dear G.N. Kashif

Sudan is one of the few countries in the world with functioning slave trades today. They are Muslim and they are actively committing genocide.

The reason that Islam is feared and hated by many is that Islam, as practiced by many, is violent, fanatical, backwards and brutal. Why is it that Muslims like you always manage to talk about everything and anything but yourselves?

Yes, the United States once had slaves. We fought a terrible Civil War and ended that. What we did to the Indians was much worse.

How does that change the fact that Muslims are murdering people everyday around the world? How does that change your silence on the genocide in Darfur?

How does that change the fact that you *you personally* do not support freedom of religious expression or freedom of speech? Those cartoons would not have been published if not for decades of Muslim fanatical violence. As to insulting the "prophet," he is not my prophet. I am free to think or say as I feel. That is called freedom of religion. It is a cornerstone of America. As an American, I certainly do *not* have to support your belief that I can't think what I please about anything.

The United States does not lead the world in head chop videos. Look at yourselves.

Dear Ghaythn Kashif,

Theo van Gogh(Dutch producer) was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri in 2004 Netherlands.

*Slave trade* was the main business of muslims from beginning to end of 19th century.The founder of islam was a slave trader.There were many *slave markets* in Umayyad,Abbasid and especially in Ottoman.

In islam,woman has no right to divorce her master/husband(in shariah law).This is a enslavement,and *headscarf* is the mark of being second class citizen.

Dear Kashif/Explorer/Discoverer,
Please,explore islamic history a little.

Islam insults the Christainity.
-*They do blaspheme who say God is Christ* 5.72
-*They surely disbelieve who say God is the third of three* 5.73 (although islam doesnt know what Trinity is.It describes Father,Son,Mary)

Dear Jihadist,

*If he had stayed home...*.That is the point indeed and that is the problem.

Most Muslims, like most neochristians abhor the word moderation like they abhor the word tolerance. Moderation and tolerance are us usually mutually exclusive with punitive, controlling religions.

"Where are the passionate moderates in Islam?"

We are too busy doing our day jobs and raising families. All the passion into that and putting up with a lot of nonsense by governments.

"Why does all the passion seem to come from extremists?"

They don't have real jobs. Either rich enough to be full time extremists, or are unemployed, or exiled or being hunted down and have all the time in the world to act out their angst in not getting what they want and being chased down to be caught dead or alive.

"What we need now is “moderates on the march, moderates with swagger.”

Swaggering moderates is a contradiction in terms. It should be assertive moderates? By which they would not be moderates anymore in being passionate and fiery and incendiary. Then they would be radical moderates? Activist moderates?

Who came out with the term "moderate Muslims" anyway? The west? Now that the west have put mainstream Muslims in such a box and categorisation, it does sound absurb when talking about "moderates with a swagger". We are not John Wayne. Or John Travolta.

Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai, going here and there talking about "dominant and very wrong impressions in the West of an extremist Islam"?

If he had stayed home more often and spoke more to his own people and be more effective in his leadership and governance , he may just be able to tame and defang the insurgents in his own country.

As for the frustrated complaints:

"that the moderates do not speak out with force and conviction"

Well, that would depend on what the west wants to hear said with "force and conviction". Not on Israel-Palestinian conflict. Not against invasion and occupation of Iraq. Only on issues expected and decided that "moderates" to speak out against, especially against terrorism. Not before 9/11, when Muslims are killed by acts of terrorism, but especially after. Is this is another complain?

And to speak with vigour and conviction, well, some of us are too vigourous in "speaking" - assembling dramatically in front of TV cameras with placards calling for death of this and that, calling this and that great satan or little satan, making a fuss over a plagiarised book, venting over some silly childish cartoons, foaming over some stupid naming of teddy bears, overturning cars, burning flags and buildings to make a point with conviction. I don't think most in the west have the stomach for this kind of "speaking with vigour and conviction" anymore. Too sixties, too Watts. Too Muslim irrational.

"United States political discourse and its decisions on future leadership are not just about the United States; they affect the world."

Yes, but we don't pay taxes and we can't vote in the US. Only in the US are candidates for presidency expected not only to pass a "religious test", but a "support for Israel test" to be a credible, acceptable candidate and future president. No other country has this requirement except in Israel.

Yes, “the whole world is watching”, but more often than not, what Hollywood churns out. Only when some marines land on their shores, or their country is sanctioned, do they peel their eyes away to see what is happening, and end up mostly as bystanders caught in the middle.

Ms. Katherine Marshall. Good essay in relating the current naivety of the people you wrote about and quoted here.

Thank you and best regards

"J"

G.Kashif:
You say: "Then we have here a typical refrain: "Why don't you "moderate" Muslims speak up?"
When the record of the "excessive" responses in cadiance by all of the Major Muslim entities in the US, the follow retort is stated: "Yes but your don't say it enough.""
I have not heard any "moderate Muslim " speak up. What I hear is "We are the fastest growing religion" and "We shall soon take over", and "Christians are pigs, and they are the ones who went astray and the Jews are monkeys and who are accursed"
As for slavery,it was and still is the Muslims who capture and sell the slaves till this day. The most prolific slave trader the world has ever known is Muhammad Ali, the founder of the last Egyptian Royal dynasty , who invaded Sudan for the sole purpose of monopolizing the slave trade. That trade is still going on to this day.
Below is some of what is said in your mosques and I do not hear any condemnation of terrorism in there. Do you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlV-6-FihFg

Dear Recipients:

Before one can justify a given criticism of others,they must be able to acknowledge the "moral equivelance" of their on country and of their selves, based on historical documentation.

The arguments should consider the following. The President and others of European descent ask " Why do they hate us?" But when they receive answers, they never listen and they never render the answer in the Press. Rather they give their own version, i.e.: "They, Muslims, hate us because of our wealth and power, etc and they want to destroy us." (so the theme "justifies," the attacks on Muslims and can be seen in the extremist attitude which results in the mocking and slandering of Prophet Muhammad in places like Denmark and bootleged here in the US.

Then we have here a typical refrain: "Why don't you "moderate" Muslims speak up?"

When the record of the "excessive" responses in cadiance by all of the Major Muslim entities in the US, the follow retort is stated: "Yes but your don't say it enough."

When the facts are further shown (and documented), the continuing retort is: "Yes, but you but you didn't say it yesterday. When this is proven false, the retort is: "Well, yes, but you didn't say it Loud enough."

And so on and on and as it is said in slang on the inner city streets; "that what you call the "Oki-doke" (IE, the Racist Mentality derived of years of ancestrial racial hatred, when racial murder, hangings and killings gave birth to the Neo-cons today. (The audacity to make any kind of moral equalivance of the reactions to the Holocaust of Slavery with what is called hatred against America by people of the third world, is hardly justified.

The former Secretary of State is disingenous to speak of such things against Muslims, or African American when she knows that America can never expect to avoid the "Wrath of God," (spoken of in the Torah and the Gospel, until the President and the Country, "apologize" and agree to some restituton for the 400 years of slavery and it's continuing undeniable discrimination against Blacks and other "coloreds" in this country.

The Secretary, we all recall, discovered that she was of Jewish deescent (long after she had become secretary of state...or at least until it was "ok" to do so. Actually, given her status, it does appear difficult to imagine that one of such standing would not have known her lenage.

This same sectary was also very much involved in the case of Iraq's oil, purported being "stolen" from underneath by Kuwait for years and it's rumoured that she had given "Saddam" a kind of green light. She knows best about all of these things, and it is actually unethical and over the top to try to put the onus on innocent Muslims who are now the fastest growing religious grouping in America.

Finally she has to answer the question why so much is said about the genocide by Adolph against the Jewish community (as reflected on American sacred moument grounds---far from Germany where the atrocities occured---even while there is no such Holoucst Mummorial of Slavery, and no "apologies" by the Government, and no United Nations condemnation can get pass the Security without a veto from the US.

Persons such as the Secretary needs to use her influnce to speak of these things in tandem with unnecessary calls for Muslim to "do more." Really the shoe of hatred, slavery and terrorism is on the other foot, (for it is evident that in all of this anti-Muslim hatred is "planned," as well as it is taking every effort to carry on what seems to be a plan to make war against Islam, the faith of equal or more numbers when a true demographic study is carried out.

The issue is Why do not these persons (who keep chiming "you're not doing enough," go take a look in the mirror, and take to the new works to condemn the racist neo-cons and radio jocks in this country. Why do they not speak out against the Soviets and their killing of chesnyns, and the anti-Muslims (including Republicans (and some democrateed) deliberately saying at every debate the words Muslim or "Islamo-facist." It is so "deliberate," that it is rediculous and "hateful." Remember the sons and daughters can tell a "racist" by not only his or her statements, but by their "body language," as did the slaves, particuraly those who "escaped."

With due respect, those of you raising these demands, stop doing so, until you can justify yourself and your people. With regards to weapons of Mass destruction, you should cease to do so much talk till you justify being the only people who have used weapons of mass destruction (i.e. Atomic and hytorgen (and cobalt) booms on thousand innocent people---and no apology to date.

Sorry to speak so terse, but really, do you people know that they know "the game" (so to speak) and that you do not serve yourself well when you have all of this terrible history behind you. Further, as an elder, I am an American who served in foreign war and received medals (even today, from the Secretary of Defense for such service. Further I am an American, double the ages of those in Congress, and I feel I havee a right to speak of the ills of my country, and feel you should consider what I am saying and stop the propaganda. (you could start in talking to the Netherland states about the danger of continuing to insult the religion of Islam---these people (Muslims in their midst have done nothing against them, but live good lives. And why do you attack their Prophet while they do not make mockery of Jesus nor the faith of the Jewish people in any such way?)

Frankly, I think you need to "apologize" to me as well, or at lease acknowlede the truth of what I've stated.

G.N. Kashif
Washington, DC (forgive the typos)

Haloscel:
I very much agree with the gist of your thesis. The Spaniards do not seem to be impressed by that period in their history either. The reasons why there were no greatness in Andalusia in the present sense of the word is in my opinion the following:
1.The Caliphs were distracted by the orgies with their harems and occupied their spare time in trivial pursuits, such as falcon hunting, visiting with the court jesters , conspiring with the Spaniards against other ruling families.
3. The rivalry that bordered on animosity between the Arabised people from the Middle East and the Berbers of North Africa.
2.The Caliphs' many sons scheming and intriguing along many channels to seize power from their father or the ruling half brothers.
3. Men wasting their time breaking fights between their many wives and also between their concubines.
4.The so-called scholars occupying themselves arguing and debating about how many wings the angel Gabriel has or how many nymphs each true believer in Allah and His Prophet will have in Paradise.

How much greatness can come out in such an environment?

*The Golden Age* of Islam in pre-1492 Spain.

What do we have from the golden age.

-The Palace in Granada.Of course,for the pleasure of Sultans.
-2 or 3 mosques(Cordoba).
What else ?

Where are the Universities of golden age ?
Where are the Libraries of golden age ?
Where are the Scientific Books of golden age ?
What was the Woman situation in golden age ?
Who knows all of them ?

Alcazars ? What were they ? Palace-Fortess that had been built versus looting.
Was that *Golden Age* ?
Where are the Civil Law Books of golden age.