By Kamilah Todd

Barack Obama refuses to use the word Islam when referring to the Taliban terrorists that have been gripping the world with fear. Perhaps because Obama’s father was a Muslim, he realizes that these vile people have no legitimate ties with the true Islamic religion. As a nation, we are uneducated about the Muslim religion and many people do not know any Muslims personally.

Muhammad Ali, an Islamic convert, in a highly controversial and famous stance, refused to serve in the Vietnam War, citing Islamic pacifism. The Koran preaches a “turn the other cheek” philosophy allowing only for self-defense, never promoting war.

In fact, Muslims greet one another, by saying “Peace be upon you.” Even the word Islam comes from a root word meaning submission and peace. The word jihad refers to a follower’s inner struggle to be good and avoid iniquity, certainly not to do harm to another (Muslim or non-Muslim) or to engage in war.

In a clear example of the terrorists’ monstrous and revolting acts, they murdered 132 Muslim school children in Pakistan. When most of those people of Muslim faith despise and disavow the terrorists and their acts, how can we call the terrorists Muslim and lump them together with the 23 percent of the world’s population that is Muslim? Common sense should tell even the uninformed that 1.6 billion people are not terrorists.

Unfortunately, there will always be evil people who irrationally cherry pick certain passages of a religious book to support their deranged objectives. Hitler was raised in a Catholic home. He even referred to himself as “fighting for the work of the Lord,” but at some point, he abandoned his family, culture and religion of origin.

The Koran, the Bible and the Torah have and will provide misguided militants with aggressive scripture to justify their determination and heinous acts. These Talban terrorists have abandoned the sacred teachings of Islam and distorted the truth. That makes them manipulators, not followers of this Abrahamic religion.

For those of us who know Muslims intimately, we understand these extremists show no resemblance to the people we know and love. It is ignorant to think otherwise. Ignorance is dangerous. Muslims are most affected by the Islamic Terrorists moniker because with it comes an undeserved shame and fear of retaliation. We, rightfully, don’t call Hitler a Christian.

Don’t call these terrorists Muslims. Don’t compound their appalling acts with unjust labels.