Banning a word doesn’t change reality

July 16, 2007 by Dr. Mc.

banned the use of the word “Muslim” by his cabinet in reference to any acts of terrorism. I applaud his symbolic efforts to disassociate terrorism from the masses of Muslims in England, but it also symbolizes another problem we have worldwide: It seems we, the US included, want to fight countries, governments, and political parties, when those attacking are united by religious beliefs, having little to do with national or political boundaries. For example, the United States has no official view of Islam, but Islam has an official view of the United States. Most Americans see the war in Iraq as linked back to the loss of lives in the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001. Opposing Muslims see it linked back to the loss by the Ottoman Empire to the infidels in Vienna in 1683. The Crusades continue! Denial that this war is religious does not equip us to address it, any more than denial of the religious implications of empirical science equips us to advances science. 

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