We need to accept our fellow humans as equals

David Meyers’ response to my position on the Zionist threat to world peace (Village News, 8/31/06) was filled with the usual generalities and platitudes but no substance. His premise that Muslims are taught to hate us from birth is ludicrous! How does he know this? Is he a regular visitor to Muslim homes and families? I doubt it.

Since Muslim leaders are at least in their 40s or older (using his premise) you’d have to assume that all Muslims have hated Americans for at least that long. Not so. The disenchantment with the US is of fairly recent vintage; it relates to our one-sided support of the State of Israel in the outrageous treatment of the Palestinians, and more recently, their destruction of the State of Lebanon. It skyrocketed following Bush’s unwarranted attack on Iraq. Prior to that crime, most moderate Muslims agreed with our attack on Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban. It is what happened afterward in Iraq that turned the tide of Muslim sensitivities.

Mr. Meyers, we will never be able to change this Muslim belief by military action. It can only happen when we quit trying to bully the whole world into doing things Bush’s way and begin to accept our fellow humans as equals.

Robert F. Green