Muslim murders are cultural phenomena

Mohammad Khan of Clovis (letter Dec. 11) asks why Muslims must apologize for the mass killings and Christians not. The recent killings by Muslims are part of a large cultural phenomena originating in the Middle East.

I ask no apologies from peaceful Muslims, but Mr. Khan needs to realize the difference between the attacks by whites in the U.S. are not part of a larger and organized militancy. ISIS and al-Qaida not only contribute material and moral support, they also use atrocities to attract new fighters.

My mother grew up in Nazi Germany, turning 20 in 1945. She was not a Nazi, but her culture gave birth to the greatest genocidal horrors of the 20th century. Unfair to her and other innocent Germans perhaps, but still her people were all tarred with the same brush.

Unfortunately it is happening again. Now the evil comes out of a radical group, who are probably not true believers themselves, but appeal to those who are easily radicalized.

We call it like we see it. We condemn the ideologies of the Unibomber and those that led to the Oklahoma City bombing. We do not condemn entire groups. If the problem appears cultural, we ask why.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 9:29 AM with the headline "Muslim murders are cultural phenomena."