Open letter from a pilot to muslims

[jdpml 0]

*Open Letter From An American Airlines Pilot.*

CANADIAN COMMENT APPEARS *AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE *AND IS MEANINGFUL.
THERE IS ALSO SOME RECENTLY ADDED BRITISH COMMENT.


*This pilot hit the nail right on the head in his open letter.*

The paper stated that some Muslim doctor is saying we are profiling him
because he has been checked three times while getting on an airplane.The
following is a letter from a pilot.This well spoken man, who is a pilot
with American Airlines, says what is in his heart, beautifully...
If *you *truly believe in fair & reasonable objectivity - Read, absorb
and pass this on.
...............................................................


*YOU WORRY ME!*


*By Captain John Maniscalco, American Airlines Pilot*

I've been trying to say this since 911, but 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. I
notice you, and it worries me.

I notice you because I can't help it anymore. People from your homelands,
professing to be Muslims, have been attacking and killing my fellow
citizens and our friends for more than 20 years now. I don't fully
understand their grievances and hate, but I know that nothing can justify
the inhumanity of their attacks.

On September 11, ARAB-MUSLIMS hijacked four jetliners in my country. They
cut the throats of women in front of children and brutally stabbed to death
others. They took control of those planes and crashed them into buildings,
killing thousands of proud fathers, loving sons, wise grandparents, elegant
daughters, best friends, favorite coaches, fearless public servants, and
children's mothers.

The Palestinians celebrated, the Iraqis were overjoyed as was most of
the Arab world. So, I notice you now. I don't want to be worried. I don't
want to be consumed by the same rage, hate and prejudice that has destroyed
the soul of these terrorists. But I need your help. As a rational American,
trying to protect my country and family in an irrational and unsafe world,
I must know how to tell the difference between you, and the Arab/Muslim
terrorist.

How do I differentiate between the true Arab/Muslim Americans and the
Arab/Muslim terrorists in our communities who are attending our schools,
enjoying our parks, and living in OUR communities under the protection of
OUR constitution, while they plot the next attack that will slaughter MORE
of the same good neighbors and children?

The events of September 11 changed the answer.. It is not MY responsibility
to determine which of you embraces our great country, with ALL of its
religions, with ALL of its different citizens, with all of its faults. It
is time for every Arab/Muslim in this country to determine it for me.
I want to know, I DEMAND to know and I have a right to know, whether
or not you love America .... Do you pledge allegiance to its flag? Do you
proudly display it in front of your house, or on your car? Do you pray in
your many daily prayers that Allah will bless this nation; that He will
protect it and let it prosper? Or do you pray that Allah with destroy it in
one of your Jihads? Are you thankful for the freedom that this nation
affords? A freedom that was paid for by the blood of hundreds of thousands
of patriots who gave their lives for this country? Are you willing to
preserve this freedom by also paying the ultimate sacrifice? Do you love
America ? ? If this is your commitment, then I need YOU to start letting ME
know about it.

Your Muslim leaders in this nation should be flooding the media at this
time with hard facts on your faith, and what hard actions YOU are taking as
a community and as a religion to protect the United States of America ..
Please, no more benign overtures of regret for the death of the innocent,
because I worry about who you regard as innocent.... No more benign
overtures of condemnation for the unprovoked attacks, because I worry about
what is unprovoked to you. I am not interested in any more sympathy; I am
interested only in action. What will you do for America - our great country
- at this time of crisis, at this time of war?

I want to see Arab-Muslims waving the AMERICAN flag in the streets. I want
to hear you chanting 'Allah Bless America '. I want to see young
Arab/Muslim men enlisting in the military. I want to see a commitment of
money, time and emotion to the victims of this butchering and to this
nation as a whole.

The FBI has a list of over 400 people they want to talk to regarding the
WTC attack. Many of these people live and socialize right now in Muslim
communities. You know them. You know where they are. Hand them over to us,
NOW! But I have seen little even approaching this sort of action. Instead I
have seen an already closed and secretive community close even tighter. You
have disappeared from the streets. You have posted armed security guards at
your facilities. You have threatened lawsuits. You have screamed for
protection from reprisals.

The very few Arab/Muslim representatives that HAVE appeared in the media
were defensive and equivocating. They seemed more concerned with making
sure that the United States proves who was responsible before taking
action. They seemed more concerned with protecting their fellow Muslims
from violence directed towards them in the United States and abroad than
they did with supporting our country and denouncing 'leaders' like Khadafi,
Hussein, Farrakhan, and Arafat.

IF the true teachings of Islam proclaim tolerance and peace and love for
all people, then I want chapter and verse from the Koran and statements
from popular Muslim leaders to back it up. What good is it if the teachings
in the Koran are good, pure, and true, when your 'leaders' ARE teaching
fanatical interpretations, terrorism, and intolerance? It matters little
how good Islam SHOULD BE if huge numbers of the world's Muslims interpret
the teachings of Mohammed incorrectly and adhere to a degenerative form of
the religion. A form that has been demonstrated to us over and over again.
A form whose structure is built upon a foundation of violence, death, and
suicide. A form whose members are recruited from the prisons around the
world. A form whose members (some as young as five years old) are seen day
after day, week in and week out, year after year, marching in the streets
around the world, burning effigies of our presidents, burning the American
flag, shooting weapons into the air. A form whose members convert from a
peaceful religion, only to take up arms against the great United States of
America, the country of their birth. A form whose rules are so twisted,
that their traveling members refuse to show their faces at airport security
checkpoints, in the name of Islam.

We will NEVER allow the attacks of September 11, or any others for that
matter, to take away that which is so precious to us -- our rights under
the greatest constitution in the world. I want to know where every Arab
Muslim in this country stands and I think it is my right and the right of
every true citizen of this country to DEMAND it. A right paid for by the
blood of thousands of my brothers and sisters who died protecting the very
constitution that is protecting you and your family.

I am pleading with you to let me know. I want you here as my brother,
my neighbor, my friend, as a fellow American...... But there can be no gray
areas or ambivalence regarding your allegiance, *and it is up to YOU, to
show ME, where YOU stand. Until then, "YOU WORRY ME!"*

*CANADIAN COMMENTS: *

*I totally agree with this sentiment. I hope you will forget all about the
'political correctness' mandate we've had rammed down our throats, and see
if this doesn't ring true in your heart and mind. For Canada , with all the
multiculturalism we've been told is so important.....why should we not, as
Canadians, expect that the millions of new people immigrating to our
country will show their love for our country, their allegiance to our
country, their willingness to obey the laws of our country, and acceptance
that we are a Christian country? Just because they are able to enjoy
exercising their own religion, they should NOT expect us to be ashamed of
ours. They knew Canada was a Christian country when they came here. Why are
we erasing Christianity because immigrants who are unwilling to adopt our
way of life expect us to? There is just too much insanity in the world, and
we have to start taking a stand. *

*I hope you will forward this, so that others will feel they are not alone
if they are starting to feel the same.*

*BRITISH COMMENTS: *
At last a clear *non racist *example of the concerns that the vast
majority of our Nations population probably share. The pilot's letter
encapsulates all that is fair and just about national pride and protection
of one's national culture. I fear it may be too late here in UK , BUT we
too want our country back in the form that attracted all these different
cultures to come here in the first place!! In all our conversations with a
wide range of friends and acquaintances we have *not met one *that
disagrees with our own views. If only we all had the courage of our
convictions to pass this on, it is a statement that should be accepted as
the heart-felt feelings of someone with honest commendable national pride.




*THIS IS TOO GOOD TO JUST READ AND DELETE -- LET'S SATURATE NEW ZEALAND
, AUSTRALIA , UK , EUROPE, USA , CANADA AND THE REST OF THE FREE WORLD WITH
THIS ONE!*

**** How true is this , wanted to pass it on.

[wmw999 2,116]

If you find something that really, really, hits home emotionally, check it out with Snopes. In this case, it's undetermined, but read the whole entry.

Anyway, this is on its way to SC. And it was written over 10 years ago.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Krip 2]

One Jump Wonder

[Bignugget 0]

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/soapbox/worryme.asp

[billvon 2,380]

"We will NEVER allow the attacks of September 11, or any others for that matter, to take away that which is so precious to us -- our rights under the greatest constitution in the world."

Followed in the very next sentence by:

"I want to know where every Arab Muslim in this country stands and I think it is my right and the right of every true citizen of this country to DEMAND it."

Classic.

[Squeak 17]

Nice sentimeht but should be in speaker's corner

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[skinnay 0]

Here's an open letter to the pilot:

Shut the fuck up. When did you flood the media to condone the masses of kids killed by drones in Pakistan?

[muff528 3]

wmw999

If you find something that really, really, hits home emotionally, check it out with Snopes. In this case, it's undetermined, but read the whole entry.

Anyway, this is on its way to SC. And it was written over 10 years ago.

Wendy P.

For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally. I don't know whether he is the original author of the entire "open letter" or if it has been embellished by others over the years. I do know that on 9/11 he lost one of his best friends (capt of UAL/WTC plane) in a horrific way that, at that time, was unimaginable. So, if he is the author, I'm willing to cut him some slack since this was written so very soon after that event.

[wmw999 2,116]

I would agree entirely about the personal level. Snopes confirms he's really a pilot, and does point to a previous letter-to-the-editor with similar wording.

Passing it along willy-nilly is rabble-rousing.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Skyrad 0]

Meh..

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[OHCHUTE 0]

who cares who wrote it.
The lady in front of me at my sons graduation donned her head scarf the moment the National Anthem started. She never put her hand over her heart.
There were many head scarfs in the audience. More and more are coming.

[NWFlyer 2]

OHCHUTE

who cares who wrote it.
The lady in front of me at my sons graduation donned her head scarf the moment the National Anthem started. She never put her hand over her heart.
There were many head scarfs in the audience. More and more are coming.

I'm pale white and blonde, my family's been in the US for generations, and before that it was British/German ancestry.

I can't recall the last time I put my hand over my heart during a performance of the National Anthem.

Should I leave? Or is it okay coming from me because I'm not brown/don't wear a scarf?

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[stevebabin 0]

OHCHUTE

who cares who wrote it.
The lady in front of me at my sons graduation donned her head scarf the moment the National Anthem started. She never put her hand over her heart.
There were many head scarfs in the audience. More and more are coming.

At least they aren't afraid to be recognized...

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[quade 3]

muff528

For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally.

Then you know what would actually be awesome to do for his benefit and the benefit of humanity? Have him get in contact with Snopes and confirm or deny whatever parts of this he did or didn't write.

So often quote on the internet are misattributed and then later embellished for nefarious purposes, here's a chance to stick a pin in it and clear it up.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

OHCHUTE

who cares who wrote it.

That's like saying who cares if quotes in the Bible are correct or true.

It matters a great deal. The truth pretty much always trumps the warm fuzzy feeling the lie might give.

Let's say I write some mildly paranoid and semi-racist material and stick your name on it to push an agenda you don't even agree with. Does it matter? I'm guessing you'd think it would.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Opie 0]

OHCHUTE

who cares who wrote it.
The lady in front of me at my sons graduation donned her head scarf the moment the National Anthem started. She never put her hand over her heart.
There were many head scarfs in the audience. More and more are coming.

So?


-

[muff528 3]

quade

***For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally.

Then you know what would actually be awesome to do for his benefit and the benefit of humanity? Have him get in contact with Snopes and confirm or deny whatever parts of this he did or didn't write.

So often quote on the internet are misattributed and then later embellished for nefarious purposes, here's a chance to stick a pin in it and clear it up.

I can only assume he knows about the letter's circulation and has chosen to ignore it or let it stand for whatever reason. I don't see anything "nefarious" there, even if it was embellished by others. ..only a letter written in anguish and in the context of 2002. The only thing that even comes close to what might be interpreted by some as even remotely nefarious is the point that Bill made about the "DEMAND" ...and even then only by someone who looks for things they can interpret as "hate-speech" to claim some sort of moral high ground. Again, remember when this was written. If I am missing something else in there, I'm sure it will be pointed out.

[oldwomanc6 38]

muff528

******For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally.

Then you know what would actually be awesome to do for his benefit and the benefit of humanity? Have him get in contact with Snopes and confirm or deny whatever parts of this he did or didn't write.

So often quote on the internet are misattributed and then later embellished for nefarious purposes, here's a chance to stick a pin in it and clear it up.

I can only assume he knows about the letter's circulation and has chosen to ignore it or let it stand for whatever reason. I don't see anything "nefarious" there, even if it was embellished by others. ..only a letter written in anguish and in the context of 2002. The only thing that even comes close to what might be interpreted by some as even remotely nefarious is the point that Bill made about the "DEMAND" ...and even then only by someone who looks for things they can interpret as "hate-speech" to claim some sort of moral high ground. Again, remember when this was written. If I am missing something else in there, I'm sure it will be pointed out.

I'm sure it will be pointed out ad nauseum.

It's a slow Sunday, and those who live to argue, are spooling up!

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[Andy9o8 0]

muff528

***If you find something that really, really, hits home emotionally, check it out with Snopes. In this case, it's undetermined, but read the whole entry.

Anyway, this is on its way to SC. And it was written over 10 years ago.

Wendy P.

For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally. I don't know whether he is the original author of the entire "open letter" or if it has been embellished by others over the years. I do know that on 9/11 he lost one of his best friends (capt of UAL/WTC plane) in a horrific way that, at that time, was unimaginable. So, if he is the author, I'm willing to cut him some slack since this was written so very soon after that event.

And we have a good friend whose kid sister was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. She's appalled and disgusted every time she sees or hears this kind of anti-Muslim vomit spewed in the name of those who died on 9/11. Now that's character.

I'm with the guy up-thread: the writer(s) of that disgusting letter can go fuck himself. So can those who choose to breathe life into it.

[muff528 3]

Andy9o8

******If you find something that really, really, hits home emotionally, check it out with Snopes. In this case, it's undetermined, but read the whole entry.

Anyway, this is on its way to SC. And it was written over 10 years ago.

Wendy P.

For what it's worth, I know this AA captain personally. I don't know whether he is the original author of the entire "open letter" or if it has been embellished by others over the years. I do know that on 9/11 he lost one of his best friends (capt of UAL/WTC plane) in a horrific way that, at that time, was unimaginable. So, if he is the author, I'm willing to cut him some slack since this was written so very soon after that event.

And we have a good friend whose kid sister was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. She's appalled and disgusted every time she sees or hears this kind of anti-Muslim vomit spewed in the name of those who died on 9/11. Now that's character.

I'm with the guy up-thread: the writer(s) of that disgusting letter can go fuck himself. So can those who choose to breathe life into it.

Maybe you could copy/paste the letter into a response and highlight the passages you perceive as "anti-Muslim vomit" for those of us who are just too stoopid to see it.

[skinnay 0]

For someone that's really too stupid to see it, they're probably beyond any help.

[winsor 185]

skinnay

For someone that's really too stupid to see it, they're probably beyond any help.

If you want to stick up for moslems, read the koran and get back to me. While you're at it, peruse a copy of Mein Kampf and explain its relative merits on a comparative basis (hint: they're operationally interchangeable).

[davjohns 1]

Put me in the stupid category.

I read the letter as saying, "Part of your community is loudly proclaiming to act on your behalf. If they are not representing you correctly, you need speak up loud and clear. I don't want to paint your community with that brush."

I think it clearly says that the author doesn't want to see the Muslim community as homogenous and supportive of terrorism, but he needs the Muslim community to step up and make that point clear. He points out the specifc events that encourage that perception. It pins the rose the only place it can logically be pinned. It says he wants Muslims as freinds and neighbors; he just needs them to confirm that's what they want as well. Seems obvious to me. Hardly anti-muslim.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[Gravitymaster 0]

Some perceive any criticism as racist, homophobic, or just plain hate due to their Pavlovian reactions which causes an inability to comprehend the message.

[lawrocket 3]

We'd see the objectors agreeing and the supporters objecting if we chanchanged "muslims" to "mentally ill." Sure, the vast majority of either are benign or even benevolent. But nope, they will be scapegoated.

Can anybody here tell me what groups it's okay to look at with mistrust and which groups is is not okay?

My wife is hotter than your wife.