I had a close friend at the University of Denver Graduate School of Librarianship and Information Management in 1983-1984. Mahmood Mohammad. He was a cataloger at the University of Mosul in Iraq and a devout Muslim. He also introduced me to some of the other Muslims/Arabs at the U of Denver. Many from different Middle Eastern countries. Mahmood's brother was high up in Saddam Hussein's military. Maybe even a general.

I kept up a correspondence with Mahmood as the Iran-Iraq War went on. His views of the West became more and more intolerant so we eventually both broke off the letters exchanged. Iran-Iraq War - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com

I doubt if any of the Muslims/Arabs he introduced me to felt the same way about the West as Muslim because of his brother and the very bloody Iran-Iraq War that was going on then.

Now in Mosul where fighting rages against ISIS I will bet that a lot of the Muslims there have complicated ideas about the West especially after they have seen the medieval barbarity of ISIS.

Have no idea what happened with Mahmood and the U of Mosul Library. It seemed to have been used with other buildings of the U of Mosul as headquarters or something else --the development of improvised explosive devices-- by ISIS.

My point is it is important to take these things in their proper geographic and historical context.

Muslims fighting in Iraq are going to be for the most part extremely different from those you find in Leesburg and Ocala.

My old friend Mahmood near the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ps517040a4.jpg

Home - Garden of the Gods Visitor Center

I sure wish you people were as smart and well informed about the real world, rather than what you hear and read. Truth be known, most folks in the USA have never left the country to first hand experience the way things are in different cultures and religions of the world. Until you can say you have seen this Islamic Jihad and the way it is shunned by the majority of Islam, this is nothing but one persons opinion. If anyone wants to take personal offense to what I have to say, as the last comment, bring it on. You have no business singling me out personally and I take offense. Last time I checked, you are not the moderator.

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

What defines a religion?

Imo, Any group can legally be deemed a terrorist organization.

UK: What British Muslims Really Think

Half of all British Muslims think homosexuality should be illegal, poll finds | UK news | The Guardian

There is almost no such thing as a lone Wolf. Notice all the arrests afterwards. All that knew of the plan are terrorists as well, and it's a wide web.

The technological Advance of weapons will necessitate the reduction of certain rights in order to preserve mankind.



" tragically, in the high probability that advanced civilizations destroy themselves"

Charles Krauthammer and the Fermi Paradox | The Sensuous Curmudgeon

I found this story about a Midwestern US raised Muslim woman now living in Seattle very interesting.

What Can You Do to Broaden Your Worldview? Have Dinner with Your Muslim Neighbor - Food & Drink - The Stranger

I remember eating with Mahmood. His wife and kids were always kept in another room away from me and also from the Muslim friends Mahmood had over. If they had wives and kids they might mingle though.

Mahmood always insisted that I clean my plate and I would often leave quite full.

He would pray five times a day. Was repulsed by various things in US culture like many of the shows on TV.

Invited me to visit him in Iraq and talked about the wonders of Babylon. Babylon - Wikipedia Had a keen interest in books but not so much of things of the West.

How did he feel about dogs?

You nailed it! :BigApplause:



And along the lines of what you've said...comes to mind one of my favorite quotes. :thumbup:

More than half of Americans feel as I do.
 

He thought they were very dirty. Dogs in Islam | Animals in Islam

I have run into Muslims at Doggie Doo Run Run though and they seemed OK with dogs.

Now the other Arabs/Muslims I met in Denver would probably have different views of dogs as each one came from different countries. My Professor for Cataloging was Egyptian-- Professor M. Nabib Hamdy. Not sure if he was a Muslim though.

Prior to Muhammed coming on the scene the Arab world had a relatively advanced civilization. It excelled in mathematics, science and astronomy. We got our number system from them. As Islam spread advances came to a screeching halt.

A woman minister I know spent considerable time in the middle east. She told me some amazing stories one of which I recall vividly. She was in a village containing a deep well which was just a hole in the ground. Every once in a while a child would fall into the well and drown. When she asked why they did not build a wall around the well to prevent such tragedies they informed her that such occurrences were Allah's will. They remarkably did not build a wall around the hole to prevent such future tragedies.

That's kind of medieval thinking with respect to holding that God or whatever permeates everything that happens. Kings and other depots made great use of it in the Divine Right of Kings. Divine right of kings - Wikipedia BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, The Divine Right of Kings

The countries named in Trump's ban are;

Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen,

isis in syria 2017 - Bing

isis in iraq - Bing

isis in iran 2016 - Bing

isis in libya today - Bing

I can easily site the rest if you want to read them.

But not where Trump has personal business nor where the more sophisticated terrorists have come from like Saudia Arabia. I mean the 9/11 terrorists. September 11th Hijackers Fast Facts - CNN.com

I am satisfied that the countries in the ban are ones that should be in the ban if only the damned federal judges would let it stand.

Everyone is anti-racist until someone you don't identify with moves next door to you which comes with their visiting family and their 19-23 year old sons who visit Syria/Afghan often). There is a lot of high-horses here. None of you would move to Fuller Park in Chicago. And I really bet its a rare bird if any of you would want assimilation in THIER neighborhood.

As to the newspaper article, their job is selling papers, and they use multiple sources to fill the pages. Nothing wrong with the paper. We do have to realize that in other places in the world you would not see Christmas posted in their paper. Be glad we only have to read it. Everyone is also allowed their opinion, and those who post they are so welcoming should think that others truly are fearful and you should respect them. Don't throw rocks in glass houses as their may be something in your closet that others may not agree with.

Back to the Muslim religion. They are the terrorists for most part (yes, there is a rare bird who snapped). Muslims changed the world (airports, police with assault weapons, watching for bags without owners). Until it happens once, I cannot recall an 80 year old grandmother terrorist suicide bomber however that 80 year old grandmother has to take off her shoes at the airport and even be patted down to be politically correct. makes no sense at all. I believe every terrorist had a family and their family knew/knows something wasn't right. And not reporting it is as bad as actually doing it. They should be responsible also, and sadly, they may be good practicing Muslims.

How do you fix it? Probably can't but can weaken them. Its now a fact of life. Muslim isn't a nationality, its a choice, and so are radical Muslims. US and UN just needs to drone and kill the bad guys; and then soon the leaders of ISIS will not be as smart as the dead ones. Then it will be easier to catch the mistakes. Its all that can be done.

To conclude: The newspaper article wasn't bad, but it pushed buttons of those with fears and who thought is was disrespectful and it was expressed.

To each their own; I'm on the side of drones and going after their families (and they happen to all be Muslim, know matter the group of Muslim they are) and on the side of not patting down 80 year old grandmothers at the airport. Sorry if you don't like it.

Thomas Jefferson was the first American President who stood up to Muslim terrorism. In his day it was the Barbary Coast pirates who were about as inhumane as today's Muslim terrorists. He sent the US Marines who developed and used leather collars to protect themselves from beheadings by swords during battles. Thus Marines became known as leathernecks.

I 100% understand that people are afraid. And it's unfortunate. IMO their fears have grown for the wrong reasons including religious discrimination and racism.

No, I would not want to move into Fuller park. And not because of the color of the skin or religion of the people that live there. But because of the crime rate. I have the ability to separate the two.

They were pirates. Not known to be a nice class of people by in large.

No, their fear has grown because of beheadings, suicide bombers and mass shootings. They would feel the same way towards Lutherans if they were the terrorists

Just as it is unfair to judge all Muslims by the jihadists, it is unfair to blame animus towards the terrorists on "discrimination and racism"---they reap what they sow

Muslims breed like rabbits so they can gradually take over cities. As far as fasting goes, don't be fooled. They fast all day then party all night.

I've heard walk like an Egyptian and party like it's 1999-----but party like a Muslim? I guess that's just about as racist as the rest of your post

My high school graduating class on Long Island totaled 99, and 2 of them died on 9/11/01, so I have no love for jihadists----note JIHADISTS, not MUSLIMS. But to judge all Muslims by ISIS is like judging Southern Baptists by the KKK or Roman Catholics by the Spanish Inquisition or all Cambodians by Pol Pot. And " breed like rabbits so they can gradually take over cities."????? Please replace your tin foil hat-----immediately!

ditto, redwitch > Mrs. Robinson.

After 75 posts, here's my take on this:

Is there anything wrong with a newspaper article on Islam?--------NO
Do you have to read the article?--------NO
Do you have to subscribe to the paper?----NO
Do you have to like jihadists?-----NO
Do you have to like Muslims-------NO
Do you have to like Methodists-----NO

Someone compared jihadists to homophobia in the 70's----It is NOT the same thing. I don't remember any gay activists beheading people, or blowing them into pieces just because they were heterosexual.

As far as immigration from Syria/Iraq/etc. goes----
If you are a farmer, do you let a fox into the henhouse? Even if there are 100 "vegetarian foxes" for every one that thinks your hens are finger-lickin' good, you don't let it in since you cannot tell the difference until AFTER the carnage has ensued.

So to all those that advocate open borders and letting unvetted refugees into the US, would you take 5 Muslim men in their 20's into your home to live with you and your grandchildren? If so, I applaud your devotion to your principles and wish you good luck with your new "friends", odds are that you will have no problem. But if you are unwilling to do so, please don't expect the rest of the country to take the gamble that you rejected.

One day some jerk of any faith will kill some of us. How do you know who it will be?

Although it is obviously impossible to accurately predict a single seemingly random act occurring statistical analysis is valuable in predicting who it is likely to be so protective measures can be taken and an effective defense prepared.

By a little thing which has been given a bad name...

Offender profiling - Wikipedia


The actual future of mankind hinges on successfully fighting this. Being overly PC is what the enemy wants from us.

My thoughts on this discussion are similar to my thoughts on the ongoing police brutality/shooting incidents

Are some cops bad? Yes, but that doesn't make all cops bad, which unfortunately is becoming a growing sentiment.

In this scenario, many here are labeling an entire religious group as terrorists. When an unbelievably small percentage are radicals, using the religion as a guise for world domination.

Yet I bet these same people are the ones lighting up blue lights in support of police. (Which I find nothing wrong with).

This is about much more than just fear.

The Barbary Coast pirates used cutlasses at that time. The Marines also used cutlasses. The firearms of those days were single shot pistols and rifles.

The leather collars were used as personal armor against cutlass wounds to the neck.

Leather Neck always sounded better than Gyrene or Jar Head.