MUSLIMS: No reason for vigilantes

A recent letter to the Cd’A Press espoused the movie “Citizen Vigilante” as a clear-eyed statement about Europe’s ostensible failure to deal with immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants. Obviously, immigration from the “global south” has put some strain on the “global north” in both Europe and the United States. 

But there are two fundamental problems with the thesis of this movie. 

First, the assertion that there is a role for the citizen vigilante. As John Adams, our second president reminds us, we are a nation of laws and not of men. There is no room for vigilantes. 

Second, is there any reason to fear our Muslim neighbors? I spent 40 years surrounded by immigrants. Some of my own students were Muslims. Do you know what Muslims like to do? They like to have good jobs, they like to have happy families, and they like to be the assistant soccer coach for your kid’s team. They like to own their own homes; they like to vote; they become your doctors, your plumbers, your gardeners, your representatives in Congress. They are remarkably ordinary. Somewhat amusingly, devout Muslims share much of the ideas of kosher (halal) foods with devout Jews. 

The most common greeting in the Muslim world is this Arabic expression: “a salaam ealaykum.” This means “peace be upon you.” 

So, to all you reading this: peace be upon you. (I’m Episcopalian, in case you wondered).

J. D. SAHR

Otis Orchards