American Muslims Are Free to Fumble

“Taking the Intifada to the Football Field” (Dec. 7) reports on the football tournament planned for the New Year’s weekend by Orange County Muslims in Irvine. What makes this tournament unique is the names the participants chose for their competing teams. These names include “Mujahideen,” which means “holy warrior”; “Intifada” and “Soldiers of Allah.” Some of the names, for instance, “Mujahideen,” are often used by those who are attacking and often killing Americans in the Middle East and other parts of the world.

Some Orange County Muslims claim that the participants in the tournament show that they are similar to other American youth by playing the distinctly American sport of football and, like other Americans, have grown up watching TV and eating at McDonald’s. It is, however, doubtful that many Americans would glorify those who are attacking and killing American soldiers and civilians alike. The explanations of using and glorifying holy warriors and soldiers of Allah would hardly convince too many Americans, and especially the relatives of American soldiers, about the blending of these football players into American society.

David Shichor

Fullerton

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Someone should enlighten Muzammil Siddiqi of the Islamic Society of Orange County that the same freedom that allows him the right to pick controversial names for his football teams also allows the rest of us to criticize those choices.

I am tired of being asked to “respect their sensitivities” when they are unwilling to respect ours.

John Julis

Bellflower