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Natural instincts vs. How we 'should' behave

Reader comment on item: Europe's Threat to the West

Submitted by Patricia Allison (United States), May 18, 2004 at 11:15

Dear Mr. Pipes,
As I read your very interesting piece today, I thought, now why does that sound so familiar? Then I realized that I had submitted a post on JihadWatch on the l7th about the same subject. You answered at least one of my concerns. Great minds......
Best regards,
Patricia Allison

Quote: "There are cells in which the Moroccans are well integrated into the population,...So they do not seem suspicious. They work. They have kids. They have fixed addresses. They pay the rent. The networks are dispersed throughout Europe and are very autonomous."

This is what I fear emerging suddenly here in the US: people who seem so normal, so peaceful, people of any one of several nationalities, including American, suddenly committing terrorist acts. Are we ready for that or will we be shocked and in disaray? And,when these horrors begin, how should frightened citizens be expected to behave toward Muslims in general?
Even though I have never been personally bitten by a pit bull, I have read enough reports about those who have been mauled and killed by them, that I instinctively give any dog of that breed a wide berth. Even when their owners assure me that their beloved pet has never and WOULD never do any thing to hurt anyone, I will never trust a pit bull again.
How will instinct come into play when people here have been blown to bits at the bus stop and the guilty prove to be Muslim? We need to be advised on how to deal with those instincts before horrendous events calls them into being. It's easy to say, 'innocent until proven guilty' as long as the 'proof' doesn't mean your life has been taken. Easy to say Islam is a peaceful religion until Islamists murder someone on camera. Easy to say, don't blame every Muslim for what a 'few' are doing - but what is one to do 'in reality' with the fear and the anger?
But as usual, we will wait until the crisis occurs to even talk about this uncomfortable situation, and as the articles states:

"The Madrid bombings finally have forced the Europeans to make their investigations more serious... But we are victims of laws and guarantees that protect the rights of individuals at the expense of cracking down against organized crime." And organized Islamism.

Posted by patricia at May 17, 2004 09:32 AM
Submitting....

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Reader comments (17) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
"Jihadist(s)" is a superfluous neologism for mujahid(een) [46 words]Chris AtwoodJun 25, 2005 17:5022867
only muslims? [126 words]DAVIDJun 3, 2004 16:2515529
Moslims Will Never Be Assilmilated in America [83 words]Mike ZeldisMay 30, 2004 21:0415435
People are waking up [88 words]Ali DashtiMay 24, 2004 10:1715324
Well... [11 words]SimonMay 22, 2004 15:1615317
Badly needed look at who is the terrorist in the West. [57 words]Stanley PineMay 22, 2004 08:2315314
Old Story [204 words]Lilach SlauchMay 21, 2004 13:0615310
Our political leaders are the weak part [97 words]Frank PeetersMay 20, 2004 14:1115305
No need to be so concerned [70 words]danteMay 19, 2004 10:4415293
Jihadists there and here [160 words]Arlinda DeAngelisMay 18, 2004 22:4415283
The PC Gun [84 words]Dan JantzenMay 18, 2004 14:4315276
Thanks... [50 words]Mark GlickmanMay 18, 2004 13:4715275
Natural instincts vs. How we 'should' behave [395 words]Patricia AllisonMay 18, 2004 11:1515271
One Thing in Common [104 words]Pat KunzMay 18, 2004 10:4915270
europe's threat to the west [57 words]dana goldmanMay 18, 2004 10:0915269
Is European terrorism Europe's fault? [105 words]Ethylred SmithMay 18, 2004 08:2715266
A good argument against profiling [106 words]Peter J. HerzMay 18, 2004 08:0815265

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