Anti-Semitism on training wheels

Wilders’ misguided comments are only the latest instance of hate “mission creep.” After a 2007 statement by then-President George Bush on the Abrahamic religious tradition, syndicated columnist Cal Thomas asked “how can the president say that we all worship the same God when Muslims deny the divinity of Jesus?” In seeking to divide Muslims and Christians, Thomas attacked Jews as worshipping a different god. And after claiming, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity” (when referring to Muslims), Ann Coulter declared that “Jews need to be perfected by becoming Christians.”

Anti-Muslim blogger Robert Spencer proclaims that the Muslim prophet Muhammad was a guilty of host of heinous crimes including the rape of a child because he was betrothed to Aisha when she was nine years old. Of course, most are keenly aware that a betrothal and actual marriage are two separate things and readers of the Old Testament recall that Isaac was betrothed to Rebecca when she was three years old. Like Wilders, Thomas, and Coulter, Spencer’s bigotry easily morphs into anti-Semitism.

Anti-Muslim bigotry is simply anti-Semitism on training wheels. Americans of the Jewish faith, Catholics, Mormons and so many others recognize this when they see it, and we can be thankful that the majority of Americans stand strong against this kind of divisiveness. Instead of making every effort to bring together all freedom-loving people, some seek to divide us, cynically questioning the ability of millions to embrace freedom based solely on their faith.

And many know that such divisive rhetoric can lead to violence with real victims. Just days after 9/11, a Pakistani immigrant was murdered in Texas by Mark Stroman, who was convicted of also murdering another immigrant a few days later. Stroman admitted to authorities to attacking a third victim, a Bangladeshi, bragging, “I did what every American wanted to after Sept. 11 but didn’t have the nerve.” Such bigotry only gives in to the terrorists. It demonstrates to our enemies that we are willing to respond to their hate with hatred, and to give in to fear by succumbing to prejudice.

Thankfully, most Americans are determined to avoid the racism and ethnic division so many others sadly experienced in our nation’s darker moments. They have taken to heart the promise made by our first President, George Washington, when addressing an early Jewish congregation, that Americans would give “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” As Americans, we can take pride in the fact that, regardless of ethnic and religious heritage, we stand united as one people united in defending our cherished liberty for the many days ahead.

Suhail A. Khan serves on the Board of Directors for the American Conservative Union and as a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, a Christian organization dedicated to religious freedom worldwide.