Hmmmmmmm. For those who don’t remember who Joseph McCarthy was – and for those who’d like a quick refresher – take a quick look at http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmccarthy.htm.

Now, with McCarthy’s tactics in mind, go read these features on Peter King (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/opinion/08tue1.html) and Brigitte Gabriel (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/us/08gabriel.html) but while reading mentally replace the word “Islam” with “Communism” and the word “Muslim” with “Communist sympathizer” and see how the feel of the pieces change.

It is ridiculous to assume that all Muslims in the United States are part of some grand conspiracy. Most Muslims who live in and are citizens of the United States consider themselves American and do not see themselves as at war with their home country.

King’s assumption that we need only worry about Muslims is silly. Acts of domestic terrorism prior in the United States prior to 9-11 were conducted by groups or individuals not associated with Islam. In fact, there are still many ultra-conservative groups out there who remain a threat. To assume that Muslims are the only enemy is racist, prejudicial, bigoted, and simple-minded.

Gabriel’s assertions of giant conspiracies with infiltration in the FBI and CIA sounds a whole lot like the unfounded claims of Fifth Columnists.

To continue racial profiling and the alienation of the American Muslim is to push them in the direction that we ostensibly wish to keep them from going . . . not quite like but also not unlike the FBI pushed black power movements in the direction of increased violence in the early 1970s.

Instead of targeting broad racial groups or religious beliefs, targeting behaviors seems a stronger approach. The net must be cast generally and aim at behavior . . . not narrowly and aim only at group membership.

In my opinion.

I have met many folks who worship within a very wide spectrum of religious traditions . . . some of those folks are assholes and some are very good folks . . . Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Paganism, Bobism, Atheism, and rest have good folks and the opposite of good folks. One’s religious path does not guarantee freedom from extremist radicalism nor does it guarantee that one is or isn’t a terrible boor. The gun toting crazy folks of any religion are the ones we should be wary of . . . all of ’em.

In my not so humble opinion, that is.

– Brian