Allah, Terrorists, War & Muslim: What's in a Word?

Allah.  

One small word which scores of people around the world use to identify their god.  Arabic in origin, Muslims have adopted the word as their own.  Christians in certain parts of the world refer to God as Allah, including indigenous tribes in Malaysia.  The fact that I wrote the word within this blog entry could result in bloodshed.  My own.  What's in a word?

________________

Early this morning, three churches were bombed in Malaysia, thankfully no one was injured.  Not yet.  The reason for the attacks?  A Catholic newsletter which is available in both Chinese and Malaysian editions petitioned a Malaysian court to be allowed to use the word Allah in the Malay edition.  The plea was approved (and then stayed upon appeal) and protests, some violent, immediately ensued.  The majority of Malaysian Muslims were outraged.  What's in a word?

Mark Baker, AP   

____________________

On one of the most important Christian holy days, Christmas, United States was attacked by a young Nigerian man.  A terrorist.  A warrior for Islam.  Four days later, the President of the United States finally responded. The individual who was caught with his underwear on fire and loaded with explosives was referred to by our leader as a 'suspect' five times.  Christian holy day, Muslim, terrorist and war were words that were never mentioned.  He referred to it as an 'attempted attack'.  What's in a word?

Photo by Joaquin Siopack-Pool/Getty Images

Mr. Obama made remarks again on January 5th about continuing 'security reviews'.  Still nothing about the Muslim terrorists committing an act of war on America.  Meanwhile, the terrorist was 'lawyered up' and secure in the American legal system.  Rumors of a potential 'plea-deal' began to circulate.  Just yesterday, Mr. Obama made remarks from the State Dining Room the White House refers to as 'on Strengthening Intelligence and Aviation Security'. The President began using some words which made my ears perk up.  Following are quotes which probably shocked millions of Americans:

"The immediate reviews that I ordered after the failed Christmas terrorist attack are now complete."

"our government failed to connect the dots in a way that would have prevented a known terrorist from boarding a plane for America."

"that terrorist boarded a plane with explosives that could have killed nearly 300 innocent people, and how we'll strengthen aviation security going forward."

"directing our embassies and consulates to include current visa information in their warnings of individuals with terrorist or suspected terrorist ties."

"In the never-ending race to protect our country, we have to stay one step ahead of a nimble adversary." (it is difficult for our president to say enemy)

"We are at war.  We are at war against al Qaeda, a far-reaching network of violence and hatred that attacked us on 9/11, that killed nearly 3,000 innocent people, and that is plotting to strike us again.  And we will do whatever it takes to defeat them. (Wow!  Baby steps, Mr. Obama.  Baby steps)

"And we know that the vast majority of Muslims reject al Qaeda." (We do?  Where are the voices of the billion Muslims who reject al Qaeda?)  But it is clear that al Qaeda increasingly seeks to recruit individuals without known terrorist affiliations ... And that's why we must communicate clearly to Muslims around the world that al Qaeda offers nothing except a bankrupt vision of misery and death – including the murder of fellow Muslims..."  (I'm sure they really, really care deeply about the words you say.  Not.)

He goes on to mention how he has sought new beginnings with Muslims around the world, most likely internally reflecting upon how he inherited the mess he is in.  His vocabulary is not as limited as one would think, but let us consider what he DID NOT say.  What he DID NOT order as the leader of our nation.  What IS in a word, anyway?

He did not address:

• The attack was on Christianity as well as the U.S.  Christmas Day, Mr. Obama.  Christ.  Christian.
• That the terrorist was allowed to lawyer up in a U.S. court instead of being held as an enemy combatant
• The former Gitmo terrorists we returned to be further trained in Yemen. 
• The Muslim violence across the world against Christians
• The Muslim violence which has been taking place for decades right here in the U.S., including honor killings.  
• The FBI statistics on hate crimes which indicate high level attacks upon Jews in the U.S. and Catholics in a distant second.  Anti-Muslim violence is low.  

___________________________

Today, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab will appear in Federal Court in Detroit.  As it stands now, he will be treated as a common criminal in the U.S. courts.  Presumed innocent, he was not questioned at length and intelligence officials stand to gain no information from the Muslim terrorist.  No leads.  No recruitment specifics.  No potential list of other trainees.  Our President refers to the terrorist as a suspect.  He will be treated like an American and have three square meals a day in the security of a U.S. federal prison.  There will be no 72 virgins for the terrorist - not yet anyway.  His mission failed, but he is merely one warrior in a growing list of Muslims seeking to murder Christians. 

Our nation has chosen to protect this man and treat him like a kid who pulled a knife in a fight.  Our President has no backbone and we face another three years under his administration.  The religion of peace, which now outnumbers the number of Catholics in the world, has ignited a visible fuse and Barack Obama is not showing any signs of stomping out the flames.  I wonder if he would dare say 'Allah' in future remarks.  Mr. President, what's in a word?

_______________

Past +Ponderings+ about Islam may be found here. 
For the Malaysian Prime Minister's response, read here.