Brussels attacks reignite refugee debate: #tellusatoday

Letter to the editor:

In his column “The Quran’s deadly role in inspiring Belgian slaughter,” commentary writer Nabeel Qureshi argues that the Islamic State radicalizes Muslims “primarily by urging them to follow the literal teachings” of Islam’s scriptures, “interpreted consistently and in light of the violent trajectory of early Islam.”

So, if Muslims read their own scriptures, interpret them consistently and against the background of the career of their prophet Mohammed, then they will come away with a message of violent extremism? Isn’t that the same thing as saying that “true Islam” is violent?

If the core of Islam is so rotten, then why does such a tiny, insignificant minority of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims choose to carry out acts of violence in the name of their religion? Have the vast majority of Muslims worldwide and over 14 centuries simply not understood their scriptures “consistently”?

As anti-terrorism experts like David Kilcullen, President Obama and no less than Iraq War stalwart Tony Blair have all acknowledged, ISIS is a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. It is not a result of the Quran.

Jonathan Brown, director, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University; Washington, D.C.

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In the wake of the Brussels attacks, we asked followers about calls to limit refugees coming into the U.S. Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

Refugee screening is thorough — can take years. Turning them away is wrong, fear-driven, un-American.

— @kheath_12

Limit? It needs to be halted until full vetting system is in place.

— @akheathen69

Refugees are fleeing from violence. Terrorists are creating it. Americans need to learn the difference.

— @braelynparkman

Terrorism will always be a problem. Homegrown terrorists exist. We should not let fear dictate our actions.

— @misslissy

Shortsighted, unhelpful and reactionary. Not addressing the causes of refugee crises and why so many turn to terrorism and violence.

— @cucumberjuice

It’s been reported the attackers in Europe arrived in the refugee stream. Why should we accept them? It’d be suicidal.

— @BittmanSkip

I’d rather be safe and called racist than dead and called compassionate.

— @ByWayOfAlaska

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

We don’t need to alienate allies, but we also don’t need to allow in just any Muslim who wants to come into our country. Stupidity is allowing political correctness to get in the way of vetting properly.

Don’t allow terrorists to come into the country! How hard is it to embrace that policy? If we break a few eggs in making that omelet, I believe it is fully warranted.

— Rob Menor

I am a Muslim and a human being. I feel just as sad as anyone else. Just because you are a non-Muslim does not give you any right to be more upset or to be angry at me. When a person claiming to be a Christian murders one of you, are you upset at the entire Christian population? Muslims are the No. 1 victims of ISIS.

— Syed Nadeem Shah

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.