Last week the Shreveport Times editorial page printed a provocation from the Jewish World Review's Michelle Malkin under the title "Post 9-11 Pop Quiz." It was far from a quiz. It was an inflammatory piece of extremism.
The middle way does not pump you up like the way of righteous indignation. Nor does anyone think the way of reason and inquiry will save the mass media from falling subscriptions.
I think every teacher and professional group in the city should take it upon themselves to pursue the middle way in regards our worries about Muslim terrorism. I suggest a small forum - in every work place - to recognize the growing world of Islam. Our workmates and neighbors are Muslims who are usually far, far from confrontational or embittered by the west.
In my classes at Caddo Magnet High School I was fortunate to have 2 Muslim teens who spoke to my classes about Islam and life in Lebanon. Both students' families were evacuated from Lebanon this summer. I think their talk and responses to questions resulted in a positive experience for all.
Just because we're not NYC doesn't mean that we can ignore the bridge building and educational efforts that will lead, we hope, to common cause in our diverse society.
4 comments:
You can't bridge the gap with terrorists. We're not talking intercultural relations here, we're talking about a group of people that want everyone, who does not believe as they do, dead. Geez... wake up.
Who said anything about bridging the gap with terrorists? I think the point is that people are associating Islam with terrorism, and that is bad. There are plenty of Muslims who don't want everyone who doesn't believe the way that they do dead.
Merci, Jenny.
> Who said anything about bridging the gap with terrorists?
Uh... the title of the blog post, maybe?
> What can we do to help bridge the gap somewhere
> between Islamic terrorists and US nationalists?"
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