Leslie Shaw Klinger: Don’t forget, Christians have been persecuted, too
At the risk of being belittled, I admit to being conflicted on this issue. I have watched over the past 10 years as the plight of Christians in the Middle East became more and more wretched. Holy Mass is no longer celebrated in places where it was a staple for over 1,700 years. The torture, rape and murder of Christians and other minorities has escalated. The world does not seem to care.
Talk of refugees focuses on the Muslim population. That saddens me; not because I wish to deny people fleeing the horrors of war safe passage, but because no one cares when it is my people dying. I am called a bigot, a racist if the question of safety is raised in regards to Muslim refugees. People ignorant of the facts of history refer to The Crusades or one of the Inquisitions as justification for horrors being perpetrated in Iraq, Syria and Nigeria today by people claiming Islam as their religion. My president makes fun of me if I ask, “What are we doing to keep us safe from acts of terror?”
I want to help. I am conflicted. Pray for me, and for peace.
Leslie Shaw Klinger, Modesto
This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Leslie Shaw Klinger: Don’t forget, Christians have been persecuted, too."