I am an infidel. I am a white, male, American Christian. Other infidels include homosexuals, feminists, Jews, Hindus, African tribal peoples, French journalists; in short, anyone who is not Muslim. The strongest proponents of “peace loving Islam” also seem to be the people who end up on a Jihadi hit list.

I have to admit that at one time, I was on the leading edge of tolerance and understanding for Muslims. The year was 1982. The Iranian hostage crisis had been over for about a year and a half. I had just graduated from high school and was attending a local college. My high school soccer coach, an African immigrant, called to let me know there was a team in the men’s open division of the city soccer league that was looking for a goalie and wanted to know if I was interested. As it turned out, the team was almost wholly comprised of Iranians. I got my fair share of odd looks and was told that I was insane because I was playing on an Iranian soccer team.

I had faith in our government. Ronald Reagan was president. During the hostage crisis itself, Jimmy Carter had deported 15,000 Iranians. The government was aware of the risk across the political spectrum. The safety and wellbeing of the American people was first and foremost in minds of our leaders. There had also not been any terrorist attacks in the United States; before, during, or after the crisis. While I was not dismissive of terroristic threats, it was my belief that the government was dealing with the issue and I could afford to be tolerant and openminded. I assumed that the Iranians on the team were exiles and could not return to their home country because of the regime change. I never asked because I did not want to be rude.

I no longer believe that the safety and wellbeing of the American people is a priority, or even concern, of our political leadership. The Boston Globe reported on July 17 of this year that an ISIS-affiliated group had compiled a hit list of 264 Massachusetts state employees. At the time, state officials indicated they had “no intelligence suggesting any immediate threat.” They also indicated that they were working in cooperation with the FBI, “which may notify those named on the list.” If I was a Massachusetts state employee I would receive such assurances for what they are worth. Not a whole lot.

The policy framework that saw no “immediate threat” is the same framework that ignored the Tsarnaev brothers after the elder brother was flagged as a terror threat by Russian intelligence, but before the Boston Marathon bombing. It is the same policy framework that failed to see a threat from Major Nidal Hassan before his rampage at Fort Hood.

I played with the Iranian team for three seasons over a year and a half. I lived in the dorms. A guy from the team would pick me up on game days, and it was all good. One day a different guy came to give me a ride. He had a picture of the Ayatollah Khomeini taped to his dashboard. I played the game, got home, called them up, and quit the team. I am tolerant and openminded enough not to care about a person’s nation of origin, the color of their skin, their first language, or the word they use for God. When their hero was someone that inspired millions to scream “death to America,” I felt I needed to draw a line.   

There are those on the left that would say I did not respect his right of free speech. I would counter that I had totally respected his right to free speech. He made his statement. I heard it. I responded in a manner I considered appropriate. I did not report him to anyone. I still had faith in the government. I believed they knew who those guys were, but that having a picture of the Ayatollah taped to the dashboard did not rise to the level of a deportable act. I was, in fact, worried that I had foolishly arranged to be added to a terrorist watch list.   

The progressives are the people that ignore the right of free speech. They do not listen. In the face of decapitations of homosexuals, suicide bombings, armed rampages accompanied by cries of “Allah Akbar” and pledges of allegiance to ISIS, the progressives say that the motivation is unclear. Perhaps the hit lists are compiled in the hope that personally directed death threats will be heard. It appears that is not the case. The indoctrination of the progressive mind is complete.  

Progressives not only fail to listen. They also try to persuade the wrong people. They are obsessed with convincing people such as myself, infidels, that Islam is a religion of peace. It is a pointless exercise. First, because they are wrong. Secondly, because convincing a person such as myself that Islam is a religion of peace accomplishes nothing. If they could convince a suicide bomber, terrorist, recruiter, or enabler of the Jihad that Islam is a religion of peace they would actually accomplish something.

We need to restore faith that the government is concerned for the wellbeing of the American people. It was my faith in the good will and concern of the government that allowed me to give the Iranian soccer players the benefit of the doubt in 1982 when I joined their team. I quit the team when I was given reason to remove that benefit of the doubt. In order to restore our faith in government we need several things. We need to exclude anyone from the policymaking process who is not willing to admit that at least some Muslims are motivated by their religion to commit terrorist acts. We need to take rule of law seriously. We need leadership in this country that loves America.

Contact the writer at tmkelly063@gmail.com