The News Sentinel: Anti-Islamic ravings are shameful

It is a tremendous public disservice for The News-Sentinel to publish the unfounded and misguided ravings of an extremist. In a letter headlined “Islam is What Corrupts Its Militants” (April 14), Mr. R. Sauder boorishly characterizes Islam as a “fanatical religion” that has “corrupted the people” in an irresponsible rant that portrays Islam itself, not terrorism, as the imminent threat out to destroy us.

Sauder attempts to lend credence to these obtuse assessments by citing a market opportunist, academically qualified to assess nothing expertly but rising market trends.

Remarkably enough, author Craig Winn’s sensationalist writing career began on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, ironically mining the instant market of American fear spawned by the regrettable atrocities.

Winn has proven himself neither an author of any import nor an authority on terrorism or Islam. In his published biography, he unsuccessfully attempts to exude authority by touting an “invested 4,000 hours of study of the religion of Islam” (less than 2 work years). Winn’s only expertise seems to lie in hatemongering and fomenting incitement for the purpose of cashing in on fear and ignorance.

Sauder is as unjustified in his sweeping condemnation of Islam, a world faith credited by most historians as being the spark which ignited the Renaissance in the Western world, as he would be in purveying similar sentiments toward any of the world’s other great religious traditions, based on the worst some of their adherents had to offer.

If “Islam is a serious threat to America,” as Sauder categorically states, then how come fewer than 20 Muslim Americans (out of an estimated 8 million) have ever been indicted on charges of terrorism and many fewer convicted?

How is it that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the Western world, a phenomenon which is emblematic of Islam’s inherent peaceful coexistence and shared lofty values with the Judeo-Christian masses in America and Europe?

Publishing such venomous tirades in a credible, mainstream newspaper such as The News-Sentinel may be perceived by the informed of your readership as the true “threat to America.”

Sultan Muhammad Communications Coordinator Council on American-Islamic Relations-Chicago

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