A Cry from an Arab American in Response to the Russian School Massacre

Last updated on: September 14, 2004 at 7:29 am by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

A Cry from an Arab American in Response to the Russian School Massacre 2004-09-14T07:29:00-05:00 Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I tried to say something similar to this in my remarks on Sunday. A caveat to the following article: The author seems to use the words Arab and Muslim interchangeably. However, there are many faithful Arab Christians who, needless to say, do not support the actions of their radical Muslim brethren.

By Nonie Darwish

FrontPageMagazine.com September 14, 2004

Several Arabs were among the terrorists who recently murdered over 350 people in a Russian school. I’m not surprised. But how many Arabs in the Middle East even try to connect the dots that link their current radical culture of Islam to these unspeakable deeds around the world? They simply do not see the connection, and unfortunately the world media are not doing their job of informing the Arab world. CNN clearly believes that being “objective” means never blaming Arab culture –and supporting Arab views in its delivery of Mid-East news.

Until age 30, I lived as a Muslim in the Middle East. Horrible news such as that from Russia and other incidents in the Philippines, India, the Sudan or Pakistan was always covered up and twisted to portray Muslim terrorists around the world as victims of terrible discrimination. They were always portrayed as “freedom fighters” in the minority who needed to rise against the majority Christian or non-Muslim populations in their midst. The larger picture in these countries and the reasons behind the turmoil were never explained in any other way. I will never forget the prayers that many gave in support of minority Muslims all over the world who were believed to be the frontier for Jihad in spreading Islam to the “lost” world around them, Dar-el-Harb — the land of war, to be conquered by the sword.

I once had a guest from Egypt in my home. He was the kindest, most wonderful man you will ever meet. While watching Chechnyan rebels on TV, I saw him cry and pray for their success against the Soviet Union. Praying for killing has never seemed holy to me.

The world has been watching Arab terrorism grow with little international outcry for half a century. I saw many men and women in my culture of origin turned into robotic monsters with a wish to destroy life on Earth to get into heaven. Many believed their hatred was against only Israel and its interests and therefore ignored it.

The world and its lazy media continue, like ostriches, to stick their heads in the sand, and even after 9/11, the U.N. and many in the West still find excuses for terrorism. The Arabs’ best friends, the French, even thought they would get special treatment from terrorists by selling out the U.S. and supporting Saddam Hussein. But to the terrorists the French were just temporary friends until the right time came to strike. One enemy at a time.

Where are Muslim demonstrations against terror? All I noticed in the Arab world after 9/11 were celebrations. The very few courageous Arab writers who think and speak independently are often attacked and terrorized for their views, accused of being puppets of the Zionists. Apparently, standing strong against terrorism and for reformations in the Muslim world is viewed as a “Zionist” conspiracy no matter how heinous the murders carried out by militant Islamists.

Since 1967 there have been thousands of Arab terrorist attacks. There has been only one Israeli terrorist attack against Arabs, by a crazy man who was condemned by almost all Israeli citizens, and the Israeli government never tried the Arabs who beat the attacker to death after he surrendered. Yet I hear apologists for terrorism here cite that one incident as justification for the thousands of terrorist attacks against Israel and the U.S. over the years.

Even worse, how many resolutions by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights condemning an Arab country for human rights violations have ever been proposed or passed? The answer is zero. But the number of Human Rights Commission resolutions condemning Israel for human rights violations is 26. Imagine that.

Is there any doubt that the state-sponsored and culturally encouraged terrorism all over the Middle East perpetrated by the Arab states is not a violation of human rights? Could it be that the U.N. is contributing to the problem? When I saw the horror on the faces of the Russian children, I decided to take a stand against the Islamic culture of terror I grew up in and the madness resulting from its teachings. The intense and repetitive teaching of hate produces inhuman robots. Make no mistake about it: My motivation is out of love for the goodness that I know exists in the Muslim world and a fervent desire for this goodness to prevail.

It is time for the world media and the U.N. to take a serious stand against Islamic terrorism. The U.N. should immediately issue a strong resolution condemning Muslim terror, with serious consequences to oil-rich Arab countries that finance terrorism or teach that terrorists are heroes going to heaven. There must be no “ifs,” “ands” or “buts” and no diluted language by the international media. The out-of-control culture in the Middle East needs a wake-up call and a dose of reality.

I cannot defend the cruel teachings and hate speech of my culture of origin, and no other Arab with any integrity should. There is no cause in the world that can justify this insanity. I lived within it and know what will end it. What is needed immediately is a united world stand against the Arabs’ stagnant and barbaric view of the world and of themselves. The world must no longer stand by, confused and equivocal about 9/11 and Islamic terrorism.

Please, America and the good people of the world, save my Arab culture from itself.

Please.

——————————————————————————–

Ms. Darwish is an American of Arab/Moslem origin and a former editor and translator. Her e-mail is [email protected]

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 13, 2004

Beslan Aid Update ...

Next Post

September 15, 2004 Pious Acts, Dark Heart

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 May 2016 April 2016 January 2016 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many Beatitudes are in the Sermon on the Mount?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 7 8 10