Condolence Letter Raises Pro-Israel Hackles

Stefan Sharkansky at Sound Politics calls bullshit on a letter of condolence regarding the Jewish Federation shooting (which Sharkansky calls a "terrorist attack") that Jeff Siddiqui, a local Muslim leader, sent to the Jewish Transcript. This paragraph from the letter seems to particularly offend Sharkansky:

We struggled for some time about whether a statement should be sent out or not, because we would like this to be recognized for the grievous crime that it is, rather than an event that calls for an explanation or apology by Muslims.

Writes Sharkansky, "I'm underwhelmed ... This is consistent with Siddiqui's ongoing refusal to recognize that Muslims, acting as Muslims, sometimes commit acts of aggression in the name of Islam."

One is left to wonder--would Sharkansky feel compelled to offer abject apologies if a fellow conservative shot six liberals? If a fellow American shot six Canadians? If a fellow "family man and small business owner" (as Sharkansky describes himself) shot six unmarried corporate drones?

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By Seth in News on August 7, 2006 3:09 PM

Comments [rss]

Fauzi Mansour

I don't see where are you running to with your heads into the wall?! I want to make it clear that only Muslims have the right to exercise sicide bombings and murder others intentionally or unintentionally. It is our religion belief which we all share/ Christians and Jews are not allowed to act accordingly because it's against your own believes. You have to respect Islam and let good Muslims, no matter where are they from, to worship Allah buy martiring too.

Allahu Akhbar (pbuh) !!!!

Seth

I don't think it's a non sequitur. I think it's an analogous situation. To supply an more realistic one--a straight person beating up a gay person. Happens frequently. As a straight person, I don't feel compelled to write an apology. Would Sharkansky?

casey

You guys are all missing the fact that the shooter wasn't a Muslim. He was a recently converted Christian. Oh well, I guess that doesn't fit with the storyline, so Sharkansky chose to just ignore that fact.

What cowardice. If you can only feel good about yourself by lying about your enemies, you're morally and spiritually bankrupt.

Jeremy in Ballard

Congratulations. Those things have nothing to do with each other. How many Canadians do you know that profess to want to wipe all Americans off the map? How many family men go to church every week and leave wanting nothing more than the deaths of cubicle dwelling drones.

It's called a Non Sequitur. Look it up.

Seth

My fault for being unclear. What if the family man *did* shoot the unmarried people as a matter of dogma? What if the American announced "I am American, death to all Canadians" before opening fire at a curling rink? Would that necessitate apology from all family men? From all Americans?

Jake of 8bitjoystick.com

As a pro-war Jewish Neocon I am still waiting for Stefan appology for the near thousand innocent civilian deaths in Lebanon and the untold thousand in Iraq.

Jake of 8bitjoystick.com

Well it is a well known fact that Stefan Sharkansky is a hate filled war-monger asshole that loves to disenfranchize Seattle voters while profiting from exposing their privicy.

Chris

...or if a fellow Christian shot an abortion doctor.

It's easy for Christians to dismiss fellow believers as not being "true" Christians, or just being inhuman wackos. I think the muslim community's response has been appropriately measured and realistic.

Marc

Interesting analogies, Seth, but not wholly appropriate. After all, fellow Americans killing Canadians, small businessmen killing corporate drones, etc., all have one major difference between a Muslim shouting that he hated Israel and then shooting Jews. That difference is that the Muslim shooting Jews is doing it as a matter of dogma, not of randomness. As such, I agree with Sharkansky that the focus on the randomness distracts from the fact that Naveed Haq wasn't being random at all.