I know many Arab Americans, but few Muslims. Still, they don't worry me nearly as much as the people who would alter laws involving freedom of speech and action that would assist in finding the dangerous ones.
Dangerous people will always be with us. It is our duty to root them out and punish them, and (if possible) prevent them from doing damage. But I don't believe that Ashcroft's methods are best. I'm from a long line of Republicans, and I wholeheartedly support this Administration. But I'm a Libertarian and I believe the best way to deal with these problems (military action aside, as that is obviously necessary) is to address them in the countries where they are starting.
Bush has erred in one major way. He has treated the Mid East like it is full of these terrorists. They have tried to go after Al-Jazeera as the "standard" for Muslim journalism. It isn't. In fact, it only reached about 2% of the Muslim population prior to 9/11.
This administration needs to make a better effort to get the Mid East nations to improve their educational structures. Kids in those countries are taught a fundamentalist form of Islam that is dangerous. While most drop its more extreme tenets as they get older, some do not. All, however, hang on to minor notions of it as they rationalize away the behavior of the suicide bombers.
We can win the immediate, minor battles that involve military action (as we are now). These, unfortunately, are the battles that make headlines. The issues that really need to be addressed are not addressed by our media in any meaningful way. |
