A Special Message from NYTS President Dr. Dale Irvin

Dr. Dale Irvin

The death of Osama Bin Laden at the hands of an elite U.S. military team this past week has been the occasion for an outpouring of national pride. Given the continuing pain so many experience regarding the attacks of 9/11, it is understandable.

Osama Bin Laden became the face of evil and terrorism in the United States. Unfortunately he also became the face of Islam for many as well. “Muslim” and “terrorist” became synonymous in the minds of far too many people. The fact that Muslims have made up the majority of those who have died around the world over the past decade in the violence that al-Qaeda has unleashed ought not to be lost in all of the celebration. The fact that vast majority of Muslims living around the world do not support terrorism and violence, and that the overwhelming majority of Muslims living in the United States support their nation in its war against terrorism needs now to be lifted up like never before.

The death of Bin Laden provides us with the opportunity to say more clearly than even that, in the words of President Obama, the United States is not at war with Islam. People of all faiths, and even those of no faith need to come together anew to assure that Muslims are not singled out for discrimination, and that we respect the rights of all people to practice their religious faith freely in the United States. More than our national pride is at stake. It is our very soul as a nation that we need now to protect.