To "william"

A commenter named "william" posted in response to my story about a group of American citizens who looked Muslim and had Muslim names being detained at the Q-L bridge in December. All of the detainees had attended a conference in Toronto called "Renewing the Islamic Spirit." "william" in his own words:

You completly miss the point. These people have engaged in a 1400 campaign of lies and deceit. Check out my website above for additional information. You are doing a dis-service to the readers of your blog. These people (muslims) are appealing to you emotionally. That aside, the FBI profiles serial killers. White males 25-25. In most cases this works very well. Besides McVeigh is the patsy. Google "Steve Emerson" and read the complete story. Where's the LIBERAL outrage over the muslim murder of a christian family of 4 in NJ. Get real....tell the complete truth. Look what the LIBERALS did to your city.

I'm not here to get into debates about conspiracy theories, because you can't argue with a zealot. First off, I don't think I "completely" miss the point at all. What's a 1400 campaign? I have no idea what you're talking about. The point is that the homeland security zealots are content to destroy American values in order to "protect" America. That's plain wrong. I am well aware of the fact that there is a radical group of Islamic terrorists who are intent on re-establishing an Islamic Caliphate throughout the world and killing infidels. But I am at a loss to figure out how detaining a Muslim who is an American citizen and a physician returning home to WNY from Toronto is going to defeat terrorism. If there was a genuine threat that Homeland Security thought that the "Reviving the Islamic Spirit" conference posed, they could have just attended it. That's what spy agencies and law enforcement do - they gather intelligence. As any Iraqi might tell you, after having voted on Sunday, elections alone do not a democracy make. Hell, Saddam held "elections." For a democracy to really be established, you need the rule of law; you need a definition of citizenship; you need a domestic police and security force; you need a working economy. There is much work to be done for democracy truly to be brought about in Iraq - elections are merely the first step. If people are detained by police action under color of law, there should be a reason for it. There should be a basis for it. There was none in the case of "Reviving the Islamic Spirit.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection bureau, Kristie Clemens, said that agents had detained anyone who said they attended the three-day convention, titled 'Reviving the Islamic Spirit.' She said that such gatherings could be a means for terrorists to promote their cause."

"Could be a means" does not equal "was intended". Quite frankly, if Homeland Security was so concerned about this conference and they didn't send investigators to gather intelligence on it, then what the hell is their problem; why aren't they doing their job? "william" continues:

tell your friend ALI the same thing. He should become a man and allow other people to post comments. He has it wrong. Facism [sic] happens under "Sharia" law, the 7th century shit that his friends visiting Toronto would like to start here. It's in ontario already...don't believe me? Google...Sharia and Ontario. That's FACISM...the good people of Baghdad want to place a new statue in the city center a statue of GW Bush. Why? Dude get out of the way...Ali...it's about Freedom. Get real.

"william" has some nerve criticizing Ali for not having comments on his blog when "william" doesn't have the balls to include an email address or other identifier for himself. And I did google "Sharia" and "Ontario" and found that Ontario allows Muslims to use Sharia law to adjudicate family disputes. Specifically: "Ontario Muslims should have the same rights as Roman Catholics and Jews in the province to seek arbitration based on religious law for family disputes and inheritance cases, concludes a report by former attorney-general Marion Boyd". That doesn't sound anywhere near like fascism to me, "william". Indeed, given your concern about the use of Sharia for family and inheritance issues, I'd wager that you haven't the slightest clue what fascism is, or what it means. I ask "william" - how is Sharia law any different from the kind of shit the Christian fundies want to impose on the USA? It's a dangerous mix - misinformation and no education. I'm afraid this country is rife with it.