Kerry and Muslims in the Debate

I had promised on Friday to have a suggested response for Sen. Kerry during his first debate with Pres. Bush concerning Muslims. Unfortunately, two things intervened: One, I didn’t have reliable internet access over the weekend, so no access to the debate transcript; two, a two minute response is only about 300 words, and that’s tough to write. In any event, using the official transcript noted above, two snippets of Sen. Kerry’s responses stuck out to me:

1. LEHRER: Do you believe you could do a better job than President Bush in preventing another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States?
   
   KERRY: Yes, I do. … I have a better plan for homeland security. I have a better plan to be able to fight the war on terror by strengthening our military, strengthening our intelligence, by going after the financing more authoritatively, by doing what we need to do to rebuild the alliances, by reaching out to the Muslim world, which the president has almost not done, and beginning to isolate the radical Islamic Muslims, not have them isolate the United States of America.
2. [In response to another question] And I believe that a fresh start, new credibility, a president who can understand what we have to do to reach out to the Muslim world to make it clear that this is not, you know — Osama bin Laden uses the invasion of Iraq in order to go out to people and say that America has declared war on Islam.

Tying some of the thoughts present of above – and getting rid of “Islamic Muslims,” the presence of the New York Times is pernicious – I’ve crafted two short talking points I’d like to hear.

Under this President we have invaded two Muslim majority countries. We invaded Afghanistan to put an end to a terrorist network that he ignored until it was too late. The other, we are discovering, was invaded based on lies and wishful thinking. Over a 1000 US troops have died for this administration’s fantasy. We do not need a President who calls these wars a Crusade. These wars are not against Islam, and in the case of Al-Qaeda, not even against Muslims. These wars are for Afghans and Iraqis. We need to remember that we have entered some one else’s country, and that means we’ll need to leave them. But as any guest does, we should leave them better than we found them. That is the commitment we have made to them, and the commitment we have made to the American people; to leave the world a better place so America is safer.

It is time to turn America back into the shining city on the hill. It is time that America was once again a beacon for the rest of the world. It is time that America attracted, and accepted, the best and the brightest from all over the world, and make no distinction on religion. America is the land of promise, not only of material wealth, but of ideas and freedoms. Let the world taste of America’s thoughts and freedoms; let those who come here take it back to their own lands. America is strong because of Americans. We are realizing our potential as people in a free and open society, we need to have others taste what is good and strong about America. In one block in a city you can ten different religions, and five races all living together. Why does this administration make it difficult for the rest of the world to learn in and from America? If “they” hate our freedoms, spread our freedoms, don’t impose them. American will be safe again when we let America be America again.