A lot of dialog has gone on recently about the greater Muslim community and their public reactions to the Islamofacists.

What we in the public too often are witness to is violent riots such as the most recent ones against the Pope.  That one is ironic, by the way.  The Pope used an ancient quote to illustrate some of the violent practices in Islam, and how violence begets evil.  The response?    How dare you call us violent, and to protest you, we are having violent protests, and murdering your priests and nuns.

Truly the religion of peace.

My friend Father Ron, a Catholic priest had this to say (in the course of a debate about it):

If I read the Pope’s speech correctly, this is all taken out of context. But when all is said and done, Muslims should, by now, be  getting the feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way the ENTIRE WORLD perceives Islam, and do something about it  somehow. Whether it is editorial cartoons or popes, all the Muslims  seem to be able to do is get outraged and protest. In the same way that a person who is married and divorced 6 times should realize that  they are probably need major counseling, when Islam is repeatedly and incessantly equated with indiscriminate violence, it’s time to do  some PR. I agree with Karl that Muslims better keep an eye on what they are protesting against. 

He was referring to this comment that I made:

From what I have read so far, in order to find fault with the Popes comments, you have to advocate violent spreading of the faith as it  relates to Islam.  If the pope said spreading the faith through violence is bad, then are the muslims so advocating that?

Is that the doctrinal statement they want to make?

And the peaceful Muslim world at large is strangely silent.  Not totally.  There are many places where the Muslim people speak out against extremists.  But I have yet to see a demonstration against the Jihadists that was really in proportion with the acts of violence.   At least, outside the US.  Here in the US, they are fairly vocal about it, with a qualifier:  Their comments are less about condemnation then they are about association.  They insist they are not part of the bad guys, and fight not to be treated in the same class.

They are less concerned with peace and condemning the Jihadists then they are with civil rights. 

Outside the US the peaceful Muslims face a harsher existence.  In Iraq, for example they are targets.  The police and US troops are no longer the targets of choice, innocent men, women and children are blown up frequently by the suicide jihadists.

Well since the Muslims in the US are so concerned with equality, Al Qaida has accepted their request.

Al-Qaida warns Muslims: Time to get out of U.S.

The new al-Qaida field commander in Afghanistan is calling for Muslims to leave the U.S. – particularly Washington and New York – in anticipation of a major terror attack to rival Sept. 11, according to an interview by a Pakistani journalist.

Abu Dawood told Hamid Mir, a reporter who has covered al-Qaida and met with Osama bin Laden, the attack is being coordinated by Adnan el-Shukrijumah and suggests it may involve some form of weapon of mass destruction smuggled across the Mexican border.

"Our brothers are ready to attack inside America. We will breach their security again," he is quoted as saying. "There is no time frame for our attack inside America; we can do it any time."

So let me lay it out for you. 

Muslims in America:

If you love the freedoms of America, and judging by how angry you get at any perceived violation of your constitutional rights, you do, then Al Qaida says you are a valid target.

So be prepared.

Sure maybe this is bluster.  Maybe the leadership of Al Qaida is just trying to influence the elections.

Well, in a sense I hope so, because i would hate to see more death.

But if they are serious, maybe the US Muslims will have to decide where they stand.  And maybe that would galvanize the world Muslims to take a look at the cancer in their faith that threatens to kill us all.