The Washington Post plucked it's headline right from the thread header. A few more who aid and abet the enemy...
Hall of Shame
Thursday, November 22, 2001; Page A46
IT SEEMS a small thing to ask of our religious and political leaders that they refrain from expressing outright bigotry in these sensitive times. Muslims in this country have been attacked. Passions are running high, and American troops are on the ground in a Muslim country. President Bush has responded to the crisis by emphasizing consistently that this country's battle is not with Islam but with terrorism. By and large, this country's leaders have followed suit. The exceptions, however, have been beauts -- and they should not be forgotten.
"We're not attacking Islam, but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God," the Rev. Franklin Graham, who spoke at President Bush's inauguration, said recently. "He's not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God, and I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion." Meanwhile, Rep. Saxby Chambliss -- chairman of the House subcommittee on terrorism and homeland security, and a Senate candidate in his native Georgia -- has a modest proposal for combating terrorism: "Just turn [the sheriff] loose and let him arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line."
If people can't restrain themselves for the right reason -- that such expressions are wrong, irresponsible and dangerous -- they might at least consider how they undermine Mr. Bush's position. Comments that cast the current struggle as a battle between the West and Islam, or that cast Muslims as enemies, get noticed both here and abroad. They make the White House's laudable efforts at outreach look false. Mr. Chambliss, to his credit, had the decency to apologize, describing his remark, which he said was "taken out of context," as an off-the-cuff joke. Mr. Graham, however, didn't apologize. In fact, he made matters worse, issuing a statement saying that he had "concerns about the teachings of Islam regarding the treatment of women and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels." The minister noted that he had expressed these concerns "in the past" but did "not intend to comment further." Here's hoping.
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