Dear Editor:
Concerning Joyce Croul’s letter calling for a boycott of a
postage stamp honoring the Muslim holiday season, I’d like to ask a
question.
Dear Editor:
Concerning Joyce Croul’s letter calling for a boycott of a postage stamp honoring the Muslim holiday season, I’d like to ask a question. If Muslims bombed the World Trade Center, then did Christians bomb the Federal Building in Oklahoma City?
How about the Christians who are murdering doctors and terrorizing abortion clinics? And the Christian terrorist organization known as the Ku Klux Klan?
The fact is, radical extremists exist in just about every group, religious or otherwise. That does not define the group as a whole.
I don’t think that we should boycott Christmas stamps because of the actions of some Christians, either.
Ms. Croul also seems to assume that Americans and Muslims are two different groups. There are, in fact, many Muslims who are also Americans, and are proud to be both. Her remarks are an affront to millions and millions of peace-loving Muslims. I think that a postage stamp honoring the Muslim holiday is a fine way to show respect for them.
This “us” vs. “them” mentality is the crux of the problems we are facing in this world in the first place. If we all had more respect and appreciation for our differences, and concern for the welfare of everyone on this planet, regardless of religion, nationality, skin color, gender or any other distinction, we wouldn’t have the kind of strife going on in the world that we have today.
Our problems will only be exacerbated by adding more prejudice, xenophobia and hatred to the mix. What better way to honor the Americans who died in terrorist attacks than to rise above that kind of thinking.
Patrice Lemon, Gilroy
Submitted Wednesday, March 12 to ed****@****ic.com
