Still wary of Islamic extremism

Re “Muslim true/false,” Opinion, April 2

John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed tried to spray perfume on the ugliness of the Islamist agenda, but many will not be convinced. There is no question that the “voices of ordinary people” in Muslim countries are strongly opposed to Islamic misogyny and terrorism. But Islamic governments maintain a political/religious apparatus that is hostile to those values. Islamic governments endorsed an Islamic Declaration of Human Rights that denies equality of the sexes and freedom of speech and of religion by virtue of its subordination to Sharia.

Islamic governments have religious police that detain or flog people for holding hands in public. Islamic governments harbor terrorist organizations and have failed to stop their funding. When ordinary people speak out against some draconian Islamic doctrines, Islamic governments or religious leaders issue arrest warrants or fatwas. Where is the outrage about these situations, either in the American media or among apologists like Esposito and Mogahed?

Chris Chrisman

Los Angeles

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Esposito and Mogahed claim that “studies show that Muslims around the world are at least as likely as Americans to condemn attacks on civilians.” Perhaps the problem is that Muslim clergy and leaders are not as likely to unequivocally condemn these same attacks as non-Muslim clergy are when members of their respective faiths (albeit rarely) perform similar acts. I agree that we need to listen to ordinary people, but the war on terrorism might depend much more on organized Islam joining the war.

Mark Urman

Beverly Hills

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Esposito and Mogahed are correct when they describe the ignorance of Americans in relation to Islam. Our media focus on the extreme sect of the religion, which breeds fear, suspicion and prejudice toward moderates. History has shown the American tendency to scapegoat an ethnic group during conflict. The antiquated religious texts that Christians, Jews and Muslims abide by all tout violence as well as peace, but many have chosen to differentiate themselves instead of embracing their commonalities as human beings.

Fundamentalists take violent teachings literally, while moderates follow those passages that advocate peace and love. As a person who is spiritual and not religious, it disturbs me that many Americans feed into the fear-mongering rather than educating themselves on what they fear.

Jan Thompson

Woodland Hills

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Seven percent of Muslims condoned the attacks of 9/11, according to the article. Because there are 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, that means “only” 91 million Muslims condoned the attack against the U.S. I feel better already. Maybe we ought to be concerned that not only did 7% condone this horrendous crime, but that it was planned and carried out entirely by Muslims and celebrated in many Muslim countries.

Gershon Weissman

Agoura Hills