al-Arabiya general manager: "Innocent religion now message of hate"

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, general manager of the al-Arabiya satellite channel, breaks rank with the jihad-cheerleading of his own network in anop-ed in the Daily Telegraph

It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.

The hostage-takers of children in Beslan, North Ossetia, were Muslims. The other hostage-takers and subsequent murderers of the Nepalese chefs and workers in Iraq were also Muslims. Those involved in rape and murder in Darfur, Sudan, are Muslims, with other Muslims chosen to be their victims.

Those responsible for the attacks on residential towers in Riyadh and Khobar were Muslims. The two women who crashed two airliners last week were also Muslims.

Bin Laden is a Muslim. The majority of those who manned the suicide bombings against buses, vehicles, schools, houses and buildings, all over the world, were Muslim.

What a pathetic record. What an abominable “achievement”. Does all this tell us anything about ourselves, our societies and our culture?

These images, when put together, or taken separately, are shameful and degrading. But let us start with putting an end to a history of denial. Let us acknowledge their reality, instead of denying them and seeking to justify them with sound and fury signifying nothing.

Whew. But will he write the same in Arabic (and live to tell the tale)?

Comments

[Alene]

Interesting interlineation of this article with an earlier one by the same author. showing some 'evolution' in his thinking. Also, I think at least the recent article is translated from the Arabic, and if so, that's a sign of hope. I wish the author a long and fruitful life! The comparison can be found here:
http://terrancecoyle.blogspot.com/2004/09/tale-of-two-articles