Terrorists Win If We Hate

I sincerely apologize to all Muslim Americans and Arab Americans who have been harassed or threatened. We all know, or should know, that the horrendous acts of last week were not perpetrated by American Muslims, who share with the rest of us the overwhelming sorrow, grief and anger the attacks have caused.

Those who would take out their anger on their fellow Americans should be thoroughly ashamed and should be prosecuted for any violent acts or harassment they have committed. This is not the time for Americans to commit hate crimes; it is a time for us to come together to root out all hate crimes.

Linda Winters

Culver City

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America’s greatest hypocrisy and shame is that in times of fear and tragedy, so many of us are all too willing to abandon what we stand for. How can we be so willing to judge people by the color of their skin and their last names? The terrorists have already won.

Lance Pettit

Los Alamitos

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What most people do not understand about hate crimes is that they are generally executed by people who have problems with unrelated situations, ones in which they are more or less unsuccessful. There is, in other words, “a fire down below.” Whereas insult and name-calling generally reflect simple ignorance, a physical act typically reflects some perceived or personally felt inequity about which the perpetrator feels helpless; more often than not, economic-and employment-related. These are unhappy people who want to “hit something.”

Perry Bezanis

San Pedro

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I read “Feeling Like the Enemy Within” (Sept. 20) with dismay, and feel badly for the Arab Americans who now walk in fear among us. Perhaps the rest of us might show that America cares by volunteering through our church outreach activities or as friends in their neighborhoods to accompany them in public where they might feel intimidated.

Gerald Sozio

Los Angeles

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I totally agree with all the voices calling for the civil treatment of our fellow Americans who are Muslims; they deserve no less. However, it is a fact that their fellow Americans no longer trust them, and this must be addressed before a meaningful healing can take place.

I suggest that any Muslim Americans who are financial supporters of the terrorist group Hamas immediately cease sending money to it. When I read in The Times that funds from America to Hamas have dried up, then and only then will I trust their sincerity and patriotism.

Jerry Cutler

Thousand Oaks