This month's issue of the Washington Park Profile (a fine local paper in Denver) contains a heartwarming letter to the editor about the imminent opening of a "peace garden" at the Cameron Church. The driving force behind the creation of this little oasis of peace is a local high school student, who says:
The message of the garden is that Muslims, Jews and Christians unite to help end to the stereotype of all Muslims being terrorists.
Warm-hearted but muddle-headed. I don't know anyone who claims that all Muslims are terrorists. However, following the demise of the Baader-Meinhof Gang and with the exception of localized groups such as the IRA, Tamil Tigers, Shining Path, some Basque separatists, some American anti-abortion extremists, and eco-freaks such as Earth First, it's pretty clear that the primary terrorist threats in the world today come from the Muslim world. As far as I know, there are precious few Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Shintos, Sufis, animists, agnostics, atheists, or Zoroastrians bombing buses and trains, flying airplanes into buildings, or blowing themselves up in crowded nightclubs. It is Muslims -- specifically, Jihadis -- who are using terror as their preferred means of "interacting" with the rest of the world -- specifically, the Dar al-Harb or "land of war" as opposed to the Dar al-Islam or "land of submission".
Draw what conclusions you will. My conclusions are drawn from Patrick Henry:
Gentlemen may cry Peace, Peace -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
(Update: Similar thoughts here and here.)