Who will carry the torch!

I agree with the Star's writer of the article: What Definition; that for all intents and purposes and when everything is said and done the burden of proof falls on our own shoulders the Muslims of the world to carry the torch that will confront the so called extremist Muslims. Moderate or conventional Muslims must demonstrate in every way shape and form that they are against the atrocities that are being committed in their name. It is an ideological confrontation,the conventional Muslims teach one thing while the extremist teach another. Bigotry, intolerance, and prejudices are not supposed to be salient traits embedded in Islam, yet, clerics in mosques time and again continue to preach intolerance and bigotry against the other monotheistic faiths. Will we wrap our arms around our waist and continue listening to their preaching of the message of intolerance while we remain silent , or will we stand up and face them head on and tell them that whatever they are preaching is being done not in our name? The problem of extremism is reaching disproportionate magnitude, silence is not going to be the best available approach. Conventional Muslims need to take a firm stand against those who are using their religion to promote their extremist agenda. The need for such an action has never been more urgent than now. The longer we wait the more the extremist will take advantage of our religion, conventional Muslims must put a stop to extremist Muslims now.
Hatem Abunimeh
abunimeh@uic.edu