On Jan. 26, 2000, The Daily Helmsman published an article titled "New terrorists, bigger threat."
The article was a summary of a lecture that took place on the day before by Sabi H. Shabtai. The article mentioned that Mr. Shabtai is a former member of the Israeli Mossad.
With an open mind, I started reading the article, but unfortunately I didn't have to read much to discover that the man's intention was to attack the religion of Islam.
He said, "... It's been replaced by Black Terrorism (neo-fascists in Europe) and Green Terrorism (fundamentalist Muslims). ..."
A few sentences later, the article said, "Shabtai said the major player and host of international terrorism has become the Islamic Republic. ..."
I was astonished to hear of a person labeling a whole group of people with such an act.
I am a Muslim, but I am not a terrorist. Neither are my children or my friends. I assure you of that with a full testimony from all my neighbors.
I came to America a long time ago, and I became an American citizen.
And with time, I started to understand and respect the American system and its law.
I respect it because it respects its citizens. American dignity and respect are protected by law, regardless of religion.
Today, when I was reading the newspaper, I felt I had been deprived of this protection. Please! I am an American -- not a terrorist.
Everyone in the world agrees with me that Hitler was a madman.
And why is he a madman? Because he labeled all Jews as bad people and the origin of evil.
Then the idea grew in his head, and when he had the opportunity, he gave the order to kill all Jews.
Mr. Sabi H. Shabtai: I ask you not to go in the same path of Hitler. It was wrong to label Jews back then, and it is wrong to label Muslims now.
To the editor of The Daily Helmsman: Writing is a weapon. You can use it to promote good or to promote bad.
Please use that weapon wisely, and you will be rewarded in this life and the life after.
Your article should have been advice to Mr. Shabtai to remind him it is wrong to label all Muslims as terrorists.
You should tell him an important fact about Islam. Islam is the second fastest growing religion in the world, and different people from different countries and cultures are Muslim.
There are black and white Americans who are Muslim. There are Europeans who are Muslim. There are Africans, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, South American, Middle Eastern and Russian Muslims too -- all who are not terrorists.
