Who's ignorant now?

From the 1/20/07 Moscow Pullman Daily News
Iverson’s ignorance strikes again

Once again I find myself writing a letter in response to something ignorant said by Ed Iverson (Opinion, Jan. 13 & 14). And once again I am confounded by the fact that you give him a column in the first place. There are many fine conservative right-wing people in this town who, while I may disagree with their beliefs, their facts would be straight and it wouldn’t be an advertising column for the hate-filled evangelical right.

This week he has the audacity to call Islam violent and merciless. Did he miss the inquisition? How about the crusades? How about all the hate-filled pedophile clergyman? How about the slaughter of the American Indians in this country? Even Hitler’s atrocities can be traced back to evangelical Christianity. Now, I am not saying that all Christians are filled with hate. I am saying the blanket assessment that Islam harbors merciless, violent barbarianism is just more if his ignorant rhetoric.

Then he goes on to give us the must-read list for the religious right. Why don’t you just print his op-ed piece on the religion page where it belongs, or better yet in some Christian church’s newsletter?

Donal Wilkinson, Moscow

Mr. Wilkinson,
Without addressing Mr. Iverson's viewpoints, I submit that your points regarding religious and political abuses of the past are precisely the reason America and every free nation on earth must work dilligently to either expunge Islam from the planet or force it to reform its ways. You rightly point out that other groups have used religion as a shield for contemptable acts in the past. While that is so, it does NOT excuse Islam's bad actors in this era. If anything, the lessons of those past acts should point the way to what must occur before Islam can be accepted into society.

In its current form, Islam is a threat to modern civilization. Unless and until its rank and file members stand united against and defeat the violent activist elements among them, it is a blight on mankind. Its members must find a way to reform the errant ways of those who exercise unrighteous power or the organism must perish. In this, it is no different that the abusive religous of the past.

I find it disquieting that you freely express such ill considered opinions and bolster the cause of those who would do us harm. You obviously have a very weak grasp of history and human nature. Should this message find its way to you, I stand ready and offer a challenge to debate these points.