Needed: Interfaith stand against hatred

By Lina Chankar,
Sunday, September 19, 2010 at midnight

I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. My background is Palestinian and Lebanese.

Recently, in a history class at Southwestern College, the controversy about whether a mosque should be built near ground zero in New York City came up. Another student, barely in his 20s, blurted some false allegations toward Islam and its people.

I can’t tell you that I am well-versed on the Koran. However, I know that spreading hatred toward a race or a religion is not going to get me, or anyone, anywhere close to peace or tolerance, whether it’s with Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Buddhism.

It has been nine years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, yet unfortunately some people still have hatred toward an entire race or religion. I have been called a “suicide bomberâ€