I read this article, and here’s what I replied to Dennis:

by GordonWilson

Posted to Poetry and Politics on 2004-06-29 07:55:00

Parent message is 669694
Dennis,

A person on an internet discussion forum posted your column, so I had a read…

I think your view is entirely too “black and white”, and you are preaching a whole new kind of hatred and only breeding more misunderstanding.

The hatred of America out there isn’t only about relgious intolerance (although you truly don’t get into ANY specifics of WHY those people hate America), it’s also about economics and foreign policy. America is hated by more than just those muslims- it’s hated by many countries worldwide, for its arrogance and greed and utter corruption.

Yes, it’s a country full of many good intentions, but it’s got many flaws, too.

By invoking the word “evil” so often in describing another culture, you are limiting yourself the ability to become enlightened and understanding.

The muslim extremists, the Taliban, and the like are cruel and uneducated fools, I agree. And nothing exonerates them from the horrific acts they’ve done.

However, Jews and Christians and Americans have done some bloody awful things too. Many people look at the activity in the middle east as nothing but a profit grab by the Americans. I know Palestinians who certainly don’t share your outlook of world history, either.

My point is simply that you do no good by writing articles like this one. You are demonizing an enemy without any serious attempt to understand it. Your article seeks to lump arabs into easily understandable groups, while the truth is that those cruel extremists hardly represent the attitudes of their populations. They need our compassionate help and wisdom, not our hatred and criticisms.

You use the word “Evil” entirely too often when describing human beings.

I ask you to examine the underlying lessons of every religion in the world, including yours:

-LOVE your brothers and sisters
-RESPECT the world you live in
-DO NOT KILL

I would ask the terrorists to do the same.

Tolerance, acceptance, peace, and kindness are the roads to salvation and enlightenment, Dennis. As a prominent, influencial member of your Jewish community, I would say you’re behaving entirely too arrogant and conclusive, without considering true human rights.

One final point: You consider the hatred for America a “badge of honour”? This is a particularly close-minded, self-righteous, and ignorant stance to preach. Wouldn’t you rather be part of a community that is generally admired and appreciated than hated? A good start down that road would be to truly learn the reasons for the hatred, instead of just defending and justifying.

Peace,
Gordon Wilson