Arlow,

Again, alot depends on what you define as being forthright and honest, and being "completely correct".

As for racial profiling, the police cannot go around pulling over 20something Puerto Rican males driving 4 cylinder Toyotas just because they happen to be 20 something Puerto Rican males driving 4 cylinder Toyotas, no matter how many such individuals happen to have been arrested in the past for selling drugs. Minor obstacle, the 4th amendment to the Constitution, which provides that we shall be secure in our persons and possessions. There has to be some probable cause to suspect criminal activity, erratic driving, expired registration, something! That's not a right we want to play around with!

Its not a matter of offending people, its a matter of treating others with the same respect we want, and of avoiding prejudging people and resorting to racial stereotyping. If we haven't got something nice to say, maybe we shouldn't say anything.

I understand basically where you were coming from with your list, and the history lesson there is not lost on me! The Islamic extremists indeed have a long and frightening list of dasterdly acts. No argument. But we have to make sure that we adhere to our Constitution in seeking our security, or neither is worth anything.

And I must disagree strongly with your remark about the basis of the religion of Islam. That is NOT their religious teaching, rather it is the twisted distortion of a lunatic fringe of a few extremist Muslims. Don't judge the entire religion by them.

Respectfully,

Jim