A pilots thoughts about Islam in the USA

I did a thread and did not find anything, maybe It has already been posted. Anyways It makes good reading.

Just want to know If anyone agrees/disagrees?

By: American Airlines Pilot - Captain John Maniscalco

Google it up
"You worry me. I wish you didn't. I wish when I walked down the streets of this country that I love, that your color and culture still blended with the beautiful human landscape we enjoy in this country. But you don't blend in anymore."

Click on the link to finish the rest......



[edit on 25-3-2005 by dev_add]

Hmm, I believe that the American Islam community (for the most part) do not see the "words of Allah" the same as the extremeist that committ acts of terrorism.

They see the "American Version" I guess you could say....it has been taylored to fit in America.......

They are two differant types of Muslims, we cannot hate on the ones who abide by our laws and pose no threat to us.....we are not head hunters

I personally feel that Racism is unjustified at ANY time.

IMHO People who jump on racial hatred bandwagons were always racist. They simply see a time when it is accepted, and feel free to share their views.

I personally as an American have no fear what so ever when I see an arab walking anywhere.(no not even in the airport)

On a bit of a side note; what I find particularly disturbing recently, are all my African American friends making comments, not unlike those found in the letter.

Any person from any walk of life in any nation could write exactly the same thing.
Do Iraqi's fear us? Do they have the same feelings as portrayed by the 'pilots' words?
We have been around multi nationals for years. Why all of a sudden are we scared?
I live in the UK. Look at the trouble we had in Northern Ireland. When i see or speak to an Irish person, it doesn't scare me. The same can be said for any nationality that i happen to meet.

To write something as ridiculous as the ''pilot'' wrote could possibly been seen as racist. IE. you are a Muslim, so i don't trust you. Absolute and utter rubbish.

I dont know what to think, its to easy to cry racism from the rooftops and interpret any other view as simply racist. I would like to know why muslims will protest about going to war with Iraq but not about what their supposed peaceful beliefs are being interpreted as. I am not a racist person i am just stating the facts which are undenyable, it seems some people hold back what they really think for fear of being stereotyped as racist, which ironicly is racist in nature.

I’m not a racist about the Muslims in this country nor do I want them to leave, however must admit when I see one of them walking down the street there is a certain anger and rage that I feel ever since 9/11.
And if they are preaching hate for our government and for what were doing over in Iraq, I would loose it.

Thats just a natural reaction to the media's anti muslin image thats being put across.

I understand how the Captain feels. To some extent I have the same thoughts as he.

Maybe the news media failed to report but I never heard very much from the Muslim leadership in this country taking a hard and fast stand against terrorism and the leader of terrorism. Maybe I just missed it.

Roper

Originally posted by Roper
I understand how the Captain feels. To some extent I have the same thoughts as he.

Maybe the news media failed to report but I never heard very much from the Muslim leadership in this country taking a hard and fast stand against terrorism and the leader of terrorism. Maybe I just missed it.

Roper

There hasnt been much probably because that doesnt get headlines.
What gets headlines, "muslin leader takes stand or US convoy waste's insurgents" ?

Well I have never said that the news media is our friend. I thing in the first go if the Muslim leaders would have stood with a united voice against terrorism it would have made the news but we are in the short go so it maybe to late.

The only thing worth watching is the weather and they are wrong half the time.

Roper

Well I just heard Paul Harvey and he reports that a lot of Muslims are condemning the terrorist activities. Hope it is true.

Worth looking into.

Roper

IMO, its good that people who support our military in Iraq feel some fear and worry. Some price needs to be paid by those who willingly attack other nations for zero defensive purpose. If a little mental anguish gets into their lives as a result, it suits me fine.


[edit on 28-3-2005 by Frith]

So why is what a pilot thinks more important than say, a plumber, or anyone else? Everyone has a right the freedom of speech, from a celebrity, a pilot, or a plumber. I just don't think one should be more important than another.

Agree and disagree...

I agree with the sentiment that the American Muslim community needs to do a LOT more about the image and misconceptions of their religion. Unfortunately for them, I feel it's a day late and a dollar short now. They simply missed the boat on it.

I disagree with the mocking tone the author seems to use, partcularly towards the end.

Having lived with muslims in a muslim country (while I am an American, and prior to anyone even knowing where Saudi was on a map), I have a pretty good perspective on it, and feel I have a more true image of muslims and general. Most are just like you and me folks. We work, send our kids to school, eat dinner, etc.

However, this was also true of the Japanese-American citizens during WWII, and look what happened then. While mocking a bit in tone, the pilot's sentiments are shared amongst all Americans, at least on some level, even with me. The onus is upon THEM to clarify their stance and feelings on it, and they failed miserably to do so for the most part. Because of this inaction, I fear another major attack may lead to the same unthinkable actions taken against Japanese-Americans more than 50 years ago. Silly? No way? I hope you're right... This is one time I'd love to be proven wrong.

I read the paper by the pilot and he's one sad, upset and mislead person.
9/11 was a huge tragedy to which I was a witness, right there in Manhattan, but there is tragic stuff happening at a larger rate all over the US. Let me qualify this with a quote from mainstream media (CNN):

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says drinking by college students contributes to about 1,400 student deaths each year, along with 500,000 injuries and 70,000 cases of sexual assault.

I'm not even talking about "generic" car accidents or deaths related to poor eating habits (fast food and all). These are in tens of thousands.

So, I don't see pilots or plumbers, for that matter, patrolling campuses around this country to prevent binge drinking form killing thousands of youths every year. Guaranteed.

Instead, the author (the pilot) chose to go the convenient way of biggotry. I am not a Muslim or even close to this religion... But some of the pilot's claims are ridiculous. Like, he expects the Muslim leaders "flood" the airways with pro-American propaganda. Even if they were eager to (and I'm sure some of them are, as I read in newspapers), the media is controlled by corporate and governemental interests. It's not easy to present the Muslim perspective in any significant manner.

Also, he says that Islam gets a lot of recruits in prisons. But same can be said about fundamental Christianity.

There is more stuff in that article that's plain stupid. Adios.