To those that are guilty of this attack, you are no better than the extremists of Islam. You endangered innocent children and innocent Americans. Your outrageous acts are no different than the ignorant acts of Islamic extremists rioting over the Pope.

I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, I’m kinda disappointed in that they’re only considering a charge of “shooting at or into an occupied structure.” Does this act not constitute terrorism?

Again, it isn’t suprising. The best way to stomp this kind of stuff out is for the mainstream Muslims to start standing up and speaking out loudly against the extremists defining Islam to the majority of Americans.

I understand your point: Yes the moderate Muslims can and should do a better job of differentiating themselves from the extremists, but in this particular case the onus is on us, as moderate Westerners, to loudly differentiate ourselves from our extremists. You have done that, and I applaud you, but I would caution you to be careful not to blame the victim.

This reminded me of an exchange from Remember the Titans.

Boone: I will not be intimidated. That’s just the way it is.

Yost: If you want to carry your sinful pride with you to your grave, that’s your business, But when your sins endanger my little girl, it becomes mine.

Boone: My sins? You think my sins
had something to do with what happened last night?

It’s not a perfect analogy, but it seems somewhat relevant.

I took exception to your statement “people that have convinced themselves that Islam itself is the enemy” … and then equated THAT VIEW with the assumption that it must lead to violence.

I DO think Islam is the enemy, not only as a Christian, but as an American. The ideological source that drives terrorists is the Koran. But random acts of violence like these are NOT the answer EXCEPT when certain Muslims conduct themselves as an invading military force. Then we MUST deal with it, or suffer the consequences. And that is precisely the situation we face.

The Koran ITSELF IS the source of the ideology that drives “jihad” and its high time we in the West FACE THE FACTS. When read chronologically and in context, the Koran radicalizes the student.

Not only that, but the Koran ITSELF specifically and unequivocally REFUTES the main doctrines of Christianity (e.g. the triune nature of God, deity of Christ, His death, resurrection) and declares us “polytheists” and infidels to be killed unless we convert. That happens every day in some Islamic country the world over. There is nothing “moderate” or “tolerant” about that — just because 80% of what you call “moderates” don’t bother to read and study the Koran any more than most “christians” bother to read the Bible! Most just mindlessly follow the rituals and demands of their religious culture, and go about their daily business.

That’s why there is only ONE purpose in bluntly exposing the truth of Islam, instead of sugarcoating it and lending it an aura of respectability. That purpose is to confront the conscience of each every Muslim with the reality of the content of their religion, and its consequences. They will either reject it and be delivered from its spiritual, emotional and political bondage, or they will embrace it wholeheartedly, as jihadists have, and pursue it to their destruction. Only then can they be decisively and unapologetically DEFEATED. This is the only rational way to achieve PEACE.