Editor, Times-Union: Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan was a 14-year-old kid when the twin towers were hit by two planes, which for now, is the worst terrorist attack on United States soil. He was a dedicated Muslim and studied his Koran with joy. His mates called him a very humble man and he loved his country very much. In 2005, he graduated from Southern Regional High School, Strafford Township, New Jersey. He quickly volunteered for the military. Khan was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, based in Fort Lewis, Wash. As a young Army stud, he deployed to Iraq in 2006. On Aug. 6, 2007, Corporal Khan died from wounds sustained in combat, fighting for each and every Christian today. He was awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his actions in combat. Fast forward to 2008, Ranger School, 2nd Phase, up in the mountains of Dahlonega. Ten men, including myself, had just recycled mountain phase and had about a week before we had to do it all over again. It was there that I meet an Iranian man we will call Sam. I’m sure Sam is off doing bad things to bad people, in the name of freedom and to keep you and me safe. A brilliant doctor, who was a professor at MIT, felt he was called by his God to do more with his life, for the sake of others. He, too, was a dedicated Muslim man who studied and was guided by the Koran. Waiting for our next phase of training, we conversed quite a bit. Sharing positive dialogue with one another, Sam explaining the six pillars of Islam and me telling him about the story of Jesus and his examples he set for the world. These are only two examples of Islamic followers who dedicated their lives to the greater good. Quite frankly, there are more Muslims that have sacrificed more for this country and God than you, I and 99.9 percent of Americans. (Let that sink in for a second.) Yet a majority of us Christians think they are entitled to denounce this faith and its followers of Islam. Even more troubling is that some of the present-day church leadership actually follows this same thought of destruction. Is that the love Christ hath commanded of thee? There are actually less than 1 percent of fanatical Islamic followers, just as there are fanatical Christians. The author of Islam states, “Christians aren’t likely to kill them over insults.” Really? What about Paul Jennings Hall’s bombing in 1996? Or John Salvi’s bombing of Planned Parenthood in 1994? The list could go on. All Muslims are not what the Internet and the television tell you they are. Violent actions by uneducated, misguided thugs doesn’t justify labeling all. If you have time I encourage you to take a look at the Koran. It’s fascinating when you dig into it and see how our Bible has a lot in common with it. Mike Stinfer Warsaw, via email
