Trinity, I only mentioned wife’s race because it was relevant to the issue. Who care! No, there are lots of great Muslims, and some even have a sense of humor. I make it a hobby to observe others. I watch Islam closely (because it is a major problem!), and Brazil (I love it!), the World Ecominic Forum (personal reasons) and even US politics (hopeless!).

I make it my business to read Islamic sites (Altmuslim.com is the best!), and well as Islamonline, Cair-net, Alinaam (try
http://www.alinaam.org.za/misc/STATUES.HTM) and many others. I even read the Quran (always the 8 translation site at http://quranbrowser.com/) . Lately I have concentrated on Muslim blogs. I actually enjoy some of them immensely. Maybe not the more militant ones (http://www.arrihlah.blogspot.com/), but some are great! For example Saudi jeans (http://saudijeans.blogspot.com/) is great, with lots of small news about life at the heart of Islam. Other common views are provided by http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog, http://egyptianperson.blogspot.com, http://egyptiansandmonkey.blogspot.com, http://www.jadedsaudi.blogspot.com, and http://classic-diva.blogspot.com, and http://sentiments.blog-city.com. I love the irony od a person takes risk just to get a photo of men and women lining up TOGETHER at McDonalds.- oh horror (http://farahssowaleef.blogspot.com/2005/07/kudos-to-new-wave-of-saudi-mavericks.html). There are bloggers that do great things in everyday life (http://www.20six.co.uk/awblogger) and comment of very human issues such as http://blog.somah.com/detail.php?id=612) and even http://q8gal.blogspot.com.

I love the humor of big Pharaoh (http://bigpharaoh.blogspot.com/). Check out his photos of what is happening to women in Egypt. The fact is that Arabs and Muslims are the same as us. Check out the lady (an American in Arabia) and her description of the perverts that wonder around in shops. (http://nzinghas.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_nzinghas_archive.html) . The fact is that I love the stories about the idiots called “Religious Police” (reminds of comedy shows) and how kids in Arabia make monkeys out of them, exchanging phones and meeting right under their eyes. You always find the local issues (women driving is big!), family issues (shopping, traffic, dress) or the more tragic ones (violence, rape, etc… )

Continuing….

So what I am trying to tell you Muslim folks is that I don’t hate you! (I don’t know about the others here!). You may even consider me a friend (Ha, right!). I try to be informed and consider the facts. If I have a problem with Islam (I do) it is because Islam is problematic. If I tell you that things need to change in the Muslim world for Islam to solve its ‘quote’ PR ‘unquote’ problem, it is because I think that is the only way things are going to get better.

Listen carefully. Muslims condemning violence by Muslims is not working. Duhhh.. Muslims have been condemning violence in the name of Islam for years. And what are the results?
1. Muslims condemn violence, violence continues.
2. Nobody believes Muslims. (see item 1)

You have to try something different! Plan A is not working! Does that make sense? Try condemning the inequality and discrimination that exists in all the Muslim world. Make them change the face of Islam. Let women drive and vote. Abolish and/or criminalize violence against women. End discrimination against other religions and foreign workers. Let Other religions preach and sing and dance in the streets of Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Libya, etc… Try it! That is my plan B. It won’t hurt! It can’t make things any worse. Or else suffer the consequences of doing nothing (but the same old things that haven’t worked).

This is old Kactuz signing off…

Irfan
I wonder if the comparatively large responses may have something to do with your having become a "model ethnic" in this instance - urging (possibly) fellow muslims to do the "right thing". And could it be that ethnics should not really meddle with mainstream issues like unfair dismissal laws?

I agree with one poster that not only Muslims should stand up and be counted. We all should.

The reverse side of that coin is that by calling on "moderate muslims" to do the right thing you may be unwittingly branding all muslims, most of whom would in all likelihood be non-political, as is the case with most people in western nations.(By the way today Bob Carr in London called on Muslim leaders in Australia to seek out the extremist elements amongst them. From London!! Was he trying to outdo John Howard, I wonder.)

But sanctimonious urgeings will do not a great deal of good in the long run. As one other poster asked: why have we not talked about the reasons why these people do these wretched things? Surely it can't be just the Koran.

chek

kactuz and BOAZ_David,
Thanks for your continuing apologetics and defense of our values influenced by Christian thought. Australia was never so united as a Nation than in the 1940 - 50's as we had just survived a war. The primary value of that time was national survival, we were poor but we were free of a totalitarian idiology. We each need to be free to make personal choices rather than have religious police dictating our lives; what clothes we wear, what music we listen to etc.

Kactuz, I love you for the sake of Allah. Now will you allow the love of Allah's Messiah, Jesus Christ, to remove the hate from your heart toward me?

Kactuz; unlike the far more forgiving Irfan, I think your last post was simply a waste of space.

Chek agree with your last post esp. "The reverse side of that coin is that by calling on "moderate muslims" to do the right thing you may be unwittingly branding all muslims, most of whom would in all likelihood be non-political, as is the case with most people in western nations."

With that in mind I agree that all (regardless of religious POV) should stand united in the face of terrorism. I agree this psychopathic behaviour is not primarily driven by the Koran - I believe it all gets back to power - who has it and who wants it.

I am sure that there are Christians who would like to work with Muslims in ending this pointless violence - I just wish they were on this forum - the extremists are simply fostering further hatred and achieving nothing but contempt.