An Editor Apologies for Mentioning Muslims

Could it get any lower and ignorant?

For anti-Islam and anti-Muslim bigots, they want not only all Muslims - including American citizens - to be banned from lower Manhattan and not only should Muslim houses of worships be banned from their local community, but also any mention of Muslims is now treated as an affront.

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For anti-Islam bigots, even the word 'Muslim' should not be uttered on September 11th.

And they have the temerity to make their demands on grounds of "sensitivity". These people behave as if 9/11 is the only tragedy that ever hit humanity. Unbeknown to them their government has brought routine 9/11s on the people in Latin American, Asia, Africa and the Middle East through its coups installing right-wing dictators who killed tens of thousands of their people, through funding of tyrants and proxy wars, its support for Israel, and through its direct wars in Vietnam and Iraq. But these anti-Islam bigots think they and their nation is the only one to ever suffer tragedy, and thus are entitled to their prejudice and to claim "sensitivity" to not be near anything Muslim. Are victims of American coups and wars in, say, Chile, Guatemala, Iraq, Congo, ect.. entitled to anti-American sentiment or to dictate where the American embassy in their country be placed? 'That embassy is too close to the U.S.-installed Pinochet regime's torture chambers'.

Of course not, but this is the American mentality. Only we are entitled. And only we suffer. Other people apparently do not mourn their dead when American bombs fall over their heads. And to think that these same people cheer American wars overseas.

In fact, those Americans angered by Cordoba House should recognize the problem of blowback. The mere thought of a mosque near Ground Zero infuriates them, but they expect Muslims in other lands to smile benignly as Washington bombs, invades, and occupies their lands, and captures or kills their peoples. Again, nothing justifies terrorism. But that doesn't prevent U.S. government policies from inadvertently encouraging terrorism. The issue is not how we see our government's intentions, but how others perceive our government's actions.

Why cannot their suffering allow them to sympathize with the suffering of others?

But, of course, just thinking is beyond fanatically bigoted ultra-nationalists who can only see their view, their suffering and their humanity and dismiss everyone else. It is always easier to sink into one's angry self-righteousness.

Anyway, so low have they descended that now even the mere mention of Muslim bothers them. The editor and publisher of the Portland Press Herald issued an apology today for the mere publication of a story on Muslims on September 11th:

"We made a news decision on Friday that offended many readers and we sincerely apologize for it.

Many saw Saturday's front-page story and photo regarding the local observance of the end of Ramadan as offensive, particularly on the day, September 11, when our nation and the world were paying tribute to those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks nine years ago.

We have acknowledged that we erred by at least not offering balance to the story and its prominent position on the front page.[...] Readers began writing to me and to our paper and website en masse, criticizing our decision on coverage and story play of the local observance of the end of Ramadan by local Muslims. [...] Here is one of the responses I sent, which I believe covers a lot of ground:

"We are sorry you are offended by today’s front page photo and story and certainly understand your point of view. Many feel the same way. We do not offer the stock excuses you cite. We should have balanced this story with one that showed our sensitivity to today's historic importance. You will see tomorrow that our planned coverage of today's 9/11 events is extensive, far more so than the coverage of this event on Friday. We apologize for what may appear to be our insensitivity to the historic significance of this day. Tomorrow's newspaper will feature extensive coverage of the commemoration of today's events.

"Our editors believed that 3,000 persons marking the passage of a religious observance and congregating in Portland to do so was news.I believe that decision was correct but I also believe we should have handled it in a more sensitive way." [...]

Again, if you were offended, I apologize."

How stupid is this? Would they just like it that Muslims stop celebrating their holidays or move it to another day? Or that newspapers should not cover them, because, after all, it is "insensitive" to the bigot that they have to see a Muslim face on 9/11. The idea that this is some legit sensitivity to turn all Muslims into accomplices of al Qaeda and to thus raise objection to their mention is just appalling.

So I guess an American better not show himself in the lands where American foreign policy brought destruction?