Not just Muslims

To the editor:

Like Hugh Wentz (Public Forum, Jan. 15), I decry violence against Christians (or anyone), whether done by Muslims or anyone else. (Think of the Christian-on-Christian violence in Northern Ireland for years.)

When acts of violence by Muslims occur, Muslims, he says, say they were not personally involved, that the violence was by another sect, or that the persons were not really Muslims.

I know Hugh Wentz for a devout and compassionate Christian. But what can he or I say about Tim McVeigh, Eric Rudolph, the man who killed George Tiller in his church? We weren’t involved, they belong to another sect, they are not really Christian?

He requires Muslims to close mosques and depose imams who promote violence. Come, Hugh, shall we run off and close the Christian identity compound? Or, if you want to stay closer to home, let’s depose Fred Phelps. Westboro Baptist hasn’t killed anyone, it’s true, but they promote hatred and an atmosphere of violence. (Note: I don’t think Westboro Baptist is Christian, but isn’t that just the same excuse that Wentz accuses moderate Muslims of making?)

How can we call on our Muslim brothers and sisters to do what we can’t do for our own faith? Instead, let us all join against hatred wherever found.