Reason, values suffer

If a Christian blows up a federal building in Oklahoma, does he represent all Christians? How about a Christian who murders a doctor in a church in Kansas or a Christian leader abusing a child? No, we look at who they are and why they did it and we condemn them. We never describe them as representative of all Christians.

Yet that rational frame of mind disappears when it comes to the 9/11 attacks. The “enemy” is conflated to mean all Muslims even though these radicals were far from the mainstream. Thus, the manufactured controversy over the Islamic center in New York City fanning the flames of xenophobia for political gain.

Shame on Cathy McMorris Rodgers for not standing up for the Constitution she swore an oath to and for feeding into the hate speech and intolerance at her town hall meeting by stating, “I believe it’s a poor choice of location. As I view it, I think like many in America, it almost feels like a victory dance on the place where we were attacked on 9/11. And it’s offensive to me.”

What happened to supporting the rule of law and a diverse, pluralistic and free society?

Hank Greer

Spokane