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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ?Muslims should speak against terrorism

TO THE EDITOR:

At Christians United for Israel’s 9/11 gathering, a Palestinian Muslim girl humbly apologized for the activism of Muslim terrorists. Her brave acknowledgement of sins committed by members of her faith drew sincere appreciation from the crowd. In that moment, I empathized with her apparent frustration, offense and embarrassment.

As a Christian, I, too, have been offended and embarrassed by some hateful, destructive actions of other Christians, like the Westboro Baptists. Most Christians know that such factions do not represent the tenets of our faith. 

So we condemn their hypocrisy and try to be better representatives ourselves. Nevertheless, liberals still pass judgment on all of Christendom for the sins of minority factions.

For 13 years, only a handful of notable Muslims have been speaking out against radicals. Just one month ago, 50 additional Muslim leaders spoke out, yet their meeting was not covered widely in the news. 

Muslim incidents have occurred at Fort Hood and Boston.  In June, a 19-year-old collegiate was shot dead in New Jersey by a Muslim who did it as “vengeance” for U.S. actions in the Middle East. Domestic terrorism is here. So why are liberals outraged by the critics of radical Islam, rather than the perpetrators’ evil deeds?

When honorable members of a faith community fail to exhort their brothers, then criticism from outsiders should be a wake-up call, especially when atrocities are committed against those outsiders. 

More American Muslims should follow the lead of this lone UNC student who stirred compassion in my heart for her own sufferings.

Kathy Arab

Chapel Hill

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