TO THE EDITOR:
In response to the letter “Unfair to analogize YMCA with mosque controversy,” (Sept. 12) I think the author missed the point of Rachel Gagg’s letter (“If no mosque allowed, then YMCA should be banned,” Sept. 10). Her point was that it is unfair to equate the Islamic center with the extremism behind the September 11th attacks.
It’s a leap of logic to connect the two groups as a single enemy just because they are both Islamic. Kronk and the opponents of the Islamic center must keep in perspective the fact that the enemy is not, and should not be portrayed as, Islam. The enemy is the extremism that motivates such horrendous acts. Islam is the tool. Just like Christianity isn’t the problem when considering the KKK and their terrorist acts in the name of Christianity. The problem is the extremism that uses Christianity to achieve such vile ends.
Why should an Islamic Center, a positive place to build positive camaraderie, just like the YMCA does, be punished for deeds of extremists that represent only their own extremism and not the collective feelings of the Muslim world? We cannot hold an entire group responsible for the acts of a few just because we fail to see the difference between them.
Ian McDiarmid
Senior
Anthropology
