Good Sense

One of the great advantages that democracies have over authoritarian, totalitarian or feudal states is the opportunity for ideas to come from a wide variety of sources, not just from some favored class, group or party. As an example, I offer the following, which is the text of an advertisement placed by the Institute for Socio Economic Studies on the op-ed page of today's New York Times. I do not suggest that all of the statements made are accurate or that the suggestions are entirely practical, but I think you will find the viewpoint refreshing.

How to Befriend the Muslim World

by Leonard Greene

Most Muslims are not terrorists, and the vast majority do not condone terrorism. They believe in the words of the Koran, "...whoever slays a soul...it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men."

Bin Laden is a leader of the terrorists who say instead, "Death to the unbeliever!" He is an outcast from his own country, Saudi Arabia, and is reviled by his fellow Saudis.

Nevertheless, many Muslims who are not terrorists would kill Americans or condone such killings, simply because Americans have killed so many Muslims.

We should end our war in Iraq and use our army to save lives put at risk by natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes. Our armed forces are ideally suited for this purpose. They have the required manpower, equipment and organization.

A dialogue with the major Islam religious leader should result in an agreement that bin Laden must be taken in by the Muslim world for justice. He is an outcast, not a hero.

My son was killed on United 93.