Linus,
Nah; it comes down to not wanting to get blown away and recognizing the fact that those who have been doing the blowing away all seem to fit a certain physical profile.
So you honestly believe the typical Muslim (and not the hoards of people whom the ignorants would confuse for a Muslim, more often than not) is really that much of an immediate threat on the streets of America?
After hearing this, I perhaps better understand why your President is being perhaps a bit
too pacifying - everything seems to need to be written in big, crayola letters for some people to "get it" (namely, that the
typical Muslim in this part of the world is quite harmless, and shouldn't be molested by "average joe".)
No one should be mistreated simply because he happens to fit that general profile.
But neither should we ignore that profile because of the fear of appearing "intolerant."
Well, I'm sorry to inform you, that none of the men pictured by the FBI as being the hijackers on those four airplanes, had anything in their physical profile which immediately gave them away as "Muslims", let alone "craven terrorist Muslims". This is beside the fact that even the image stuck in the western psyche of what a "Muslim" looks like is way off. For example...
Abdal Hakim Murad (well known Islamic scholar)
Hamza Yusuf ("director of the Zaytuna Institute, in California, which is dedicated to the Revival of Islamic Sciences and the preservation of traditional teaching methods" - from a blurb on an online
store.)
Bosnian Wartime Leader (now deceased) Alija Izetbegovic
As far as I'm concerned the "profile" most people have in mind is, practically speaking,
useless as far as protecting one's safety or that of others is concerned. Rather, they should follow the advice of
American law enforcement officials - be wary of
anyone acting suspiciously, notify security at a given establishment if you see unattended packages or luggage being left hanging around (particularly in public areas), etc. For somehow, I doubt the man who is going to be packing explosives, will be going out of his way to look "Islamic" (in fact, I'd guess quite the contrary).
OTOH, use of this so called "profile" (while of almost no safety value) is
very hazardous to the health and well being of people who are most likely to be subjected to it! (not only actual Muslims of Middle Eastern or Pakistani origins who have no interest in hurting anyone, but the scores of other people who ignorants will simply "lump in.") The ignorance on this subject is profound - I even recall hearing a story (either here or in the U.S.) of a Hindu temple being vandalized, immediately after 9-11. Yes, a
hindu temple...as far a place as one can be, religiously speaking, from a Mosque...but this is what stupid people do, when not pacified.
Seraphim
