Submitted by Darenda S. Keil, Apr 24, 2007 13:38

We must be careful to broadbrush the acts of terrorism into a national issue. Granted, the religious issues are inherently apart of this event, but we will never get beyond to a place of acceptance and progress towards peace with Muslims if we engage in conversations that generalize particular acts of terrorism. There are many educated and noneducated gracious people in Turkey who consider themselves Muslim, who desire to understand and honor citizens of other cultures who live in Turkey.

If we are going to generalize about anything, I prefer to generalize that many in Turkey and the Muslim world understand and are speaking of a need to progessively apply the tenets of Islam to today's world. Peace must overide violence and love for all people must replace hatred in all of our hearts. They understand that hatred is based in ignorance and fear and is not from God. And one last generalization, I believe the human heart knows that violence in matters of faith, admittedly and more than we care to admit, is apart of all of our distant and barbaric pasts, and has no place in this world today.

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