IIC's Response
"Divisive rhetoric is the real threat to nation's unity"

Divisive rhetoric is the real threat to nation's unity Cal Thomas seems to be quick to spread accusations, but his opinions are unsupported ("It's time to confront the threat from within," Opinion Commentary, May 21).

Mr. Thomas recounted the government's warnings for Americans to be careful of "al-Qaida and other terrorists who wish to destroy us" and then suggested that all Muslims are included in the latter category, branding them "enemies." This is a very serious and false accusation that only accomplishes to disintegrate the American population at a time when our regard for one another is most needed. What Mr. Thomas needs to understand is that Muslims are Americans, too; there are Muslim teachers, police officers and politicians, Muslims who serve in the military and in many other lines of work. America is known for the diversity of its ethnic makeup, which includes many different races, religions, and cultures. It is the practice of this nation to accept this diversity and appreciate the differences in culture, which strengthen us as a society. Yet Mr. Thomas easily labels the Muslim population "enemies."

He then makes an uninformed statement. He then makes an uninformed statement claiming "Muslim groups want Jews and Christians to tolerate them, but there is not a similar call for mosques to include Jewish and Christian Interfaith programs have been held under the direct supervision of Muslim groups such as the Jaferia Islamic Center in Burtonsville, where rabbis, pastors and Muslim priests have gathered for open discussion.

Mr. Thomas talks of confronting the threat from within but fails to understand what the true threat is. The threat to the American public is not the Muslim faith; it is, rather, the unfounded accusations that divide a society. The real threats are when people hold biases against one another, unfairly criticize another's motives, and disassociate another group from the general population.

We can no longer retain our humanity if we as a culture cannot tolerate other cultures because of small differences.

Syed Rafiq Naqvi

Chairman of the Islamic Information Center