Letter: Muslim-Americans, be realistic
Nazli Chadhry of Commack listens to Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, founder and chair of Karamah: Muslim women lawyers for human rights speak at the Islamic Center of Long Island about guaranteeing the civil rights of minority communities. (April 15, 2012) Credit: Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan
Regarding the article " 'We have to stand up' " [News, April 16], about local Muslim-Americans lamenting the extra vigilance directed toward their community: I am a short Jewish man. If there were groups of short Jewish terrorists seeking the destruction of my country, the destruction of Western values, I would not mind being stopped and questioned as to my intentions before boarding a flight or at any other time. I would be more than happy to cooperate, and in fact, I would consider it my patriotic duty to do so to protect my fellow Americans.
As an innocent short Jewish man, my complaints and animosity would be directed toward the short Jewish terrorists who are giving me and other short Jewish men a bad reputation.
I can appreciate and respect the concerns of my fellow Americans who are Muslim, and I am sorry for the inconvenience, embarrassment and seeming infringement of their rights. But I think that it would be more fruitful for them to re-examine the real source of their problem and act accordingly.
Joel Verstaendig, Plainview
