Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/europe/obama-says-paris-attacks-have-stiffened-resolve-to-crush-isis.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
This weekend, ISIS attacked a venue in Paris, killing over 160 people. This terrible tragedy has sparked a lot of controversy towards Syrian refugees, and Muslims in general. A lot of people have been saying that this attack is because Islam is a religion based on hate and destruction, which is a blatantly ignorant statement, because that is not the case.
Sure, some Muslim countries, like Pakistan or Nigeria, have dangerous attributes such as female genital mutilation or frequent mass killings, but this is not because of the Islamic religion. The statement that Islam is a hateful and controlling religion is an incorrect statement based only on the ignorance of those who make that assumption, and a few outliers to the generally level-headed Muslim countries. For example, Indonesia, Turkey and Bangladesh rarely have large conflicts tied to religion, and they are overwhelmingly Muslim countries. If one were to say that Islam is hateful, one would have to also say that Christianity is the same way, but nobody makes as much of a big deal of the terrorist attacks caused by white Christians, such as the many, many school shootings America suffers every year. Nobody would say that America is against white Christian men, so why would we say that we are against a whole religion consisting of millions of peaceful individuals and a handful of violent people?
Similarly, the opposition to opening borders to Syrian refugees is simply cruel. Right now in Syria, there are attacks every day on the same level as the recent one on Paris- killing around 200 people per day. That is why people are fleeing. Not to cause harm to America or European countries, but to make a better and safer life for themselves and their families.
This weekend, ISIS attacked a venue in Paris, killing over 160 people. This terrible tragedy has sparked a lot of controversy towards Syrian refugees, and Muslims in general. A lot of people have been saying that this attack is because Islam is a religion based on hate and destruction, which is a blatantly ignorant statement, because that is not the case.
Sure, some Muslim countries, like Pakistan or Nigeria, have dangerous attributes such as female genital mutilation or frequent mass killings, but this is not because of the Islamic religion. The statement that Islam is a hateful and controlling religion is an incorrect statement based only on the ignorance of those who make that assumption, and a few outliers to the generally level-headed Muslim countries. For example, Indonesia, Turkey and Bangladesh rarely have large conflicts tied to religion, and they are overwhelmingly Muslim countries. If one were to say that Islam is hateful, one would have to also say that Christianity is the same way, but nobody makes as much of a big deal of the terrorist attacks caused by white Christians, such as the many, many school shootings America suffers every year. Nobody would say that America is against white Christian men, so why would we say that we are against a whole religion consisting of millions of peaceful individuals and a handful of violent people?
Similarly, the opposition to opening borders to Syrian refugees is simply cruel. Right now in Syria, there are attacks every day on the same level as the recent one on Paris- killing around 200 people per day. That is why people are fleeing. Not to cause harm to America or European countries, but to make a better and safer life for themselves and their families.
one group or person does not reflect an entire culture/race
ReplyDeleteThis sort of generalization seems so illogical, yet so prevalent. For example, while driving through small towns on a road trip, I noticed in a lot of small-town gas stations, graffiti such as "Islam is evil" and many more offensive slurs. This mindset and the attacks both need to stop.
ReplyDeleteMaddie Hanratty
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete