The Crescent and the Cross

To peoples of all or no religion:

    I recently read a poem written by Oscar Wilde. ("On The Massacre of the Christians in Bulgaria") It was a sonnet about some massacre or another in which Christian priests were killed by Muslims. The poem has a peculiar effect upon me. "Christ, dost thy live indeed?... Over thy Cross the Crescent moon I see!" Wilde calls for Jesus to rise again, only to prove Muhammad wrong. And then I remembered. People bleed in the streets as you read this. Soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq, and various other countries are dying. Not just Americans; men and women and children of every nationality and religion are dying. And for what? Christian extremists will blame Muslims. Muslim extremists will blame Christians. The East will blame the West. The Capitalists will blame the Communists.

    I am sick of it. My parents raised me to be loving and accepting of all. I am not perfect. I have made many foolish mistakes; I have failed to love and accept all. However, I avoid this to all extents. We all should avoid this. People should not be taught to hate Americans because they are Americans. Americans should not hate foreigners because they are foreigners. We are all human; and I will give every human the chance to earn my respect. I will care for as many humans as I find in myself to do so. I call upon you to do the same.