No place for 'extremism'

Having read the article "All about Arabs for Israel," Jan. 18, I am left to wonder what kind of an extremist and abusive upbringing Nonie Darwish had. If her claim about the hate indoctrination she received from her parent is true then it is good for her to have converted. There is no place for hateful people in Islam.

In my case, I grew up as a Muslim going to a Christian school and having Christian and Jewish family members. I was never taught to hate, thanks to the Islamic values I grew up with.

Like most Muslims, I was also raised to respect Christians and Jews as people of the Book who worship the same God and revere the same prophets as Muslims do. Prophet Muhammad stated, "Whoever harms a Christian or a Jew living among us, it is as if he has harmed me."

Although I fully support Ms. Darwish's right to free speech, including spewing hatred against Arabs and Muslims, I am disappointed by The Acorn's inclusion of this completely biased article. Basic journalistic integrity requires that the newspaper publish opposing points of view on the issue, something The Acorn failed to do. If a story is about someone defaming Islam, it's only fair to include a Muslim voice too.

Let's remember that journalists' responsibility is to educate and inform in an objective way.

Ms. Darwish's extremism is a stark reminder that our world needs people who unite us on our commonalities, not divide us along religious and ethnic lines. Those are the values preached by Islam, Christianity and Judaism and their true followers.
Hussam Ayloushn, Executive Director
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Southern California