All Things in Moderation

    In Civics class, we recently learned about Pastor Terry Jones and his threat to burn Qu'rans, the Muslim holy book. He threatened to burn Qu'rans in response to a Muslim New Yorker's plan to build a Muslim Community Center near Ground Zero. The media hype that surrounded this issue made the plan seem much more shocking and problematic than it truly is. What was once a Muslim community center to be built a few blocks away from Ground Zero quickly became characterized as a "mega-mosque on Ground Zero."
     I can see why people would object to a Muslim community center built on Ground Zero, but I honestly don't see the harm in having a Muslim community center near Ground Zero. What difference does it make if the center is built two blocks away or twenty blocks away? I don't think it is disrespectful in any way. Yes, a tragedy occurred there. Yes, that tragedy was the fault of some radical (emphasis on RADICAL) Muslims. But, should good-hearted, mainstream Muslims who wish to have a community center (which my father aptly compared to "a YMCA with a chapel added to it") be prevented from practicing their faith and increasing understanding of their faith in the community? NO! It is absolutely inappropriate for people to be so up in arms about this plan.
      Terry Jones' reaction was particularly inappropriate. Burning the holy book of any faith is already wrong on so many levels. But in Jones' case, with the war in Afghanistan occurring right now, he could have endangered the lives of people all over the world! Besides the danger of his plan, it was also just plain cruel and un-Christian of him. Christians are called to love and respect all people, and burning the Quran is blatant disrespect for people of Muslim faith. As a Catholic Christian, it would insult and infuriate me to see someone burn a Bible, and I am sure Muslims would feel the same way if they saw Qu'rans being burned. Terry Jones' plan was absolutely reprehensible. Thank goodness he didn't go through with it!
    The problem with Terry Jones ( and frankly, with many,but certainly not all, Americans today) is that he holds an extremist view of the Muslim religion and of Muslim people. I firmly believe that there are many, many good Muslims, and to act as if all Muslims are terrorists or that they all support 9/11 is incomprehensible to me. Should all Catholics be held accountable for the crimes committed by pedophile priests? Should I, as a Catholic, be judged as a sinner and a criminal because of what some priests have done? If your answers to both questions are no, then consider this: Why, then, should all Muslims be treated with suspicion and even outright hostility because of the terrible crimes committed by radical Muslim terrorists? Not all Muslims are radicals. Thus, Muslims should not be treated like radical criminals. It is better to hold a more reasonable, moderate view; one that acknowledges the crimes of some Muslims, while remembering that most Muslims are perfectly good people.
       Readers, I challenge you to think before you pass judgements of Muslims or any other group of people. See if you are stereotyping a large group based on the actions of a few within the group. Try to advocate an attitude of respect, love, and moderate views instead of extremist views.