What I do know is that when you start calling people treasonous without any evidence whatsoever, you look more and more like Senator McCarthy (McCarthyism). Perhaps that's what Peter King is trying to accomplish. Go out and make a name for himself. After all, the elections are coming up next year, and with the radical shift in the base of the Republican Party he needs to make nice with the new base. And who is this new base you ask. Well, they are non other than the Tea Party, who have shown little regard to anything that is not white, Christian, and conservative. They have driven a clear stake in the ground with an "us" against "them" mentality.
The alarming trend of labeling and fear mongering seems to be gaining steam. Of course, all of this fits into the 8 Stages of Genocide that Gregory Stanton identified in this 1996 article.You will be shocked at how far along in the process we have gotten in 10 years. Now, I am not saying we are all going to be lined up and killed; however, our identities as Muslims are under overt attack. This is not a fight that is happening quietly anymore. There are elements in this country that want people to hate you because you are Muslim.
I don't like standing on this soap box for very long, but it is our duty as Muslims to show everyone what we are about. I don't think we need committees and organizations to do that. A simple act of kindness to your neighbor is a great start. There is no better way to change public opinion about yourself, then show people who you are through your actions. We can talk all we want about how Islam is the religion of peace and all that other good stuff we like to toot our own horn about. But the real difference only happens when you show someone who you really are.
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