Emily Chaphalkar, St. Joseph
I was appalled and disgusted by Ron Scarbro’s most recent column in the Dec. 11 Newsleader. It seems he has ignored the many Muslims who denounced the San Bernardino killings and other terrorist acts. In fact, it seems he has ignored numerous facts as well as basic common decency.
The biggest thing he has overlooked is Muslims shouldn’t need to denounce these terrorists anymore than Scarbro needs to denounce Robert Lewis Dear (Planned Parenthood shooter) or Dylann Roof (Charleston shooter), both of whom represent themselves as Christians. People who kill in the name of God are not Muslim nor Christian, and we shouldn’t treat them as part of any religion. They are terrorists. Terrorists do not represent our religions; terrorists represent evil, hate and fear.
I want people in our community to know Scarbro’s column does not speak for me or for many others. I will not be a bystander to malicious words and fear-mongering. I am grateful for our Muslim friends and neighbors in St. Joseph, and appreciate the value they bring to our community.