Pig Heads

I have had an ongoing discussion via my comment box about a recent article that talks about a pig's head being rolled into the midst of praying Muslims. I found it funny and make no apologies about it. I frequently find things funny that 90% of the population would never consider laughing at. That is just the way I'm put together. This isn't the first time I've been called into question about something I have (seemingly inappropriately) laughed at.

However, the discussion has some valid points on each side:

It's really offensive. Nobody laughs at swastikas spray-painted on synagogues. Why are Muslims suddenly okay to make fun of? Because a small number of them committed terrorist acts, it makes it okay to insult the ones who are praying?

This was the partial response to that:

I find it very ironic that a faith that has no qualms whatsoever about strapping a bomb to itself and blowing up hundreds of innocent bystanders, along with themselves, would run screaming from the room at the sight of a pig head.

The Response........?

All groups (religious, ethnic, etc.) have their zealous few who go well past the line of decency and commit atrocious acts. Do we paint them all with the same brush?

Have you heard about the Japanese internment camps during World War Two? This was where Americans and Canadians of Japanese descent had their property and possessions taken away from them, and they were holed up in concentration camps. These were not enemy sympathizers, they were simply born in the wrong country.

After Timothy McVeigh blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City, did we suddenly rush to condemn anyone who had ever spoken out against the government, ever?

When a couple of kids shot up Columbine High School, did we suddenly become suspicious of all teenagers and lock down all the homes that had children age 13 to 18 in them?

It's just to wrong to tar and feather an entire group of mostly peace-loving people, when the acts were carried out by a small number of them and condemned by the rest of the group.

Actually, having lived near Oklahoma City at the time of the OKC bombing, I have to respond to the Timothy McVeigh comment. Yes, in my neck of the woods, at that time anyone who spoke out against the government was automatically under suspicion. It is a gut reaction and involuntary reflex of a group of people who have been traumatized by someone or something.

"You said there is not enough being done by their own to put a stop to it, what exactly do you suggest they are capable of doing that law enforcement officials are not already doing??"

Radical Muslims have proven that laws have no meaning to them, but they will listen to their Muslim leaders. For the most part the Muslim leaders are encouraging their actions. There are a rare few who timidly speak up against what is being carried out, but from what I have seen these few have not gotten enough support to be a true voice of the Muslim faith.

We can have an ongoing debate about this.. but mostly I think it is Americans who are Muslim targets. I have yet to see a Canadian flag being burned, Canadian citizens being targeted or anyone chanting "Death to Canada." If that ever happens you may see more clearly where the attitude comes from.

The response.....

The part I don't get is that you have THIS one group of Muslims over here who are horrible evil terrorists and deserve to be punished or worse, but instead you go after THAT other group of Muslims over there who have not done anything wrong and are simply peacefully praying when you go and roll a pig's head into their mosque. What did THEY ever do??

Honestly, I don't think that the U.S. is in any danger from 99%+ of its Muslim population!

I will not speculate as to why Americans seem to be a target. I will say that is neither deserved nor random.

I would be extremely interested to hear from a true Muslim. I cannot answer for anyone of the Muslim faith, and perhaps I have been too harsh in my judgment, it wouldn't be the first time. I will be the first to say I'm wrong if it comes to that, but until then......

Thanks to Sassan for the very interesting discussion.