Just like linking 9/11 to Iraq ...
Guantanamo wouldn't be seen as an act of reconciliation, but an admission that the U.S. is wrong on it's whole outlook on Muslims
Just like Americans who link 9/11 to Iraq, people who link America's military actions to religion are utterly misguided.
The United States has a very, very significant Muslim population, greater than all Jewish minorities combined. We all live here in peace and understanding. People who honestly make racial and religious comments about the US don't know the first thing about the US, and I highly recommend they visit -- with the TV
turned off the entire time I might add.
Gitmo has nothing to do with religion. How anyone would related the two sounds like propaganda they've listened to. Given that the US is one of the very few nations with a free media, it doesn't surprise me if various media outlets say such. Understand the term "Christian Extremists" is also used by the US and its state governments as well, such as in the killings of abortion doctors (even by the right-wing who very much does prosecute them), and even sometimes protests.
If religion became foreign policy in the US, you'd find any leader removed from power very, very quickly. I'm sorry, the rhetoric only goes so far. The US was founded, and repeatedly clarified to be founded by the very founders, to not be on any religion, and not just the various Christian sects. That was repeatedly and explicitly emphasized early on. About the
only religious basis in the US is the US Court System based on Common Law that is largely British and founded on largely Judo-Christian Beliefs (including the
Ten Commandments, which may be shown as long as it's shown with other, equally important and legal foundations of our system, and not in a religious pretext like some try to use it in).
I honestly wish people would read the actual writings of early American leaders, on alcohol and drugs, on capitalism and community, on firearms and freedom and on religion and state. We've had representatives sworn in on the Qur'an in the past, and we will again. I could care less if Obama is a Muslim, and most everyone involved with the operations of the US and state governments could care less too.
Nelson Mandella quickly discredited himself and his colleagues distanced himself when he accused W. of not listening to Kofi Anon because he was black. Hugo Chavez, among several others, only made himself more of an ignorant fool when he said the US calls the Executive Building the White House for racial reasons (TR named it, it was a term of commonality, not royalty or reservation, and he was criticized then -- just like they lambasted Washington for wanting to be called "Mr. President").
We all have our experience and we all have our resulting viewpoints. Unfortunately too many people make it without visiting a great portion of the US. A lot of my immigrant colleagues were amazed that they had nothing to fear when they came to the heart of the US mid-west, despite what they heard prior. It's sad and pathetic.
Although even American leaders aren't immune from making statements, although most were a lapse in judgement and not intentional. The word "crusade" is historical reference in a positive meaning, and that carries forward in the west -- even though its use was the instigator of wars and suffering. When W. used it in his post-9/11 address, I could have smacked him, but he did not mean it in a religious way at all, but in the same meaning as vigilance. Unfortunately it's often used interchangeably by some and it can offend some when used ad hoc, but it hardly has a religious intent here in the US as common speech.
Although that's starting to change post-9/11, and its use is frowned upon.
