This is in response to Robert Azzi’s, “Let the Fourth be a reminder of who we are,” (Monitor, June 26).
Robert, you begin your monograph with a peripheral aspect of the Declaration of Independence, pointing out that to be American means to be inclusive of “the other,” including Muslims, Native Americans, African Americans, etc.
To be sure, when the Declaration was written in 1776, there were many Natives, Africans, and even Muslims. Robert, you then begin a diatribe stating, “…we must be vigilant in repudiating the demagogues and nativists who’re putting our families, friends and neighbors at risk,” which you assert have hijacked “the party of Lincoln,” by describing Islamophobia as blaming “Radical Islamic Terrorism.”
Robert, would you please educate those of us who are not Muslims. Start with explaining what, exactly, are “mullahs,” imams, and how they can “radicalize” a Muslim? You tell us we “…clearly know nothing about language, Islam religion or American strategic interests.”
So, if we don’t know, and you apparently do, why don’t you proceed to share your knowledge, instead of belittling us? I’m not an Islamophobe, but when Omar Mateen kills 49 innocent Americans, then pledges his allegiance to ISIS, who are Sunnis and who have fought Shia for many generations, maybe you could explain how this American born in Florida could have hatched such an onerous idea, unless he was ‘radicalized’ by his religion?
And, since you think Christians could be “radicalized,” please give an example?
Walt Carlson
Concord