With the arrest of the suspected Times Square attempted bomber, I’m prepared to hear the calls that not all Muslims are extremists and that we shouldn’t hold the actions and thoughts of a few against the group as a whole. In all honesty, I’ll be one of those making those claims. While I believe all religions should be mocked, including my own, and often mock them myself (including my own), it’s ridiculous to lump all within a group together based on the words and actions of a few. The exception being if that one thing you’re judging them as is a central, published part of their beliefs. For example, it’s safe to say that the American Nazi Party is anti-Semitic.
But why is it that so many on one side will demonize on group and give another a pass?
For example, the left is prepared to give Muslims a pass for attempted terrorism, but label the Tea Party groups as racist with little evidence that racism is a unifying force within the movement. For the right, it’s the opposite. The Tea Party group is viewed by many as nothing more than concerned citizens (some even arguing that there are no racists within the movement) while Muslim as a whole get a pass. Sure, it’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but I’m writing this early in the morning and my morning caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet. My apologies.
The fact of the matter is that any group is going to have evil in its midst. There’s no way around it. But in both cases, and in a whole lot of others, one side is painted with that broad brush while the other isn’t. It all depends on your own ideology most of the time to see who’s going to be labeled what way.
What’s more troublesome is that people aren’t getting called on this. In anything else, people point out the hypocrisy in a heartbeat. They look for hypocrisy from the other side, and exploit it for all that they can. But in this, they seem content to just point out that the other side is wrong and nothing more.
And no, this isn’t about one side or another. No matter how hard someone tries to make it just that, it’s not and never will be until only one side is doing it.
Both sides want tolerance from others, yet neither seems willing to give it themselves. Pretty sad really. Maybe if people gave out a little of what they expected in return, they’d actually get it back. Then again, this is American politics. It ain’t likely.
