President Bush officially apologized to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki today. No, not for the whole "I started a war in your country and made you the leader of an unstable regime" thing; that's water under the bridge.  Bush telephoned to address a May 9th incident in which an American sniper was found using a copy of the Quran for target practice. The copy of the Quran was recovered two days later, with graffiti covered pages and 14 bullet holes.

It's no surprise that Bush apologized; saying your sorry is in the how-to manual for diplomacy. But more importantly, it is even less of a surprise that the holy book was defaced in the first place. Since 9/11, the Bush administration in conjunction with almost all major media outlets, has told us that our enemies are Arab and Muslim. Through the manipulation of our fears, the American public has been conditioned to believe that Islam and terrorism are one and the same. Though the message was never put so bluntly, the intent was clear.

To quote from one of my favorite poets, Suheir Hammad:

"We did not vilify all white men when McVeigh bombed Oklahoma.
America did not give out his family’s addresses or where he went to
church; or blame the bible or Pat Robertson."

I do not solely blame the American sniper for his ignorance. Of course we are each responsible for our own actions, but the soldier was literally a product of his environment. He was conditioned, and like many of his peers, decided to act on that conditioning. Disrespect of the Islamic faith happens everyday, both at home and overseas, in American newsrooms and Abu Ghraib prison cells. This man just happened to get caught in the spotlight.

We need to evaluate ourselves and decolonize our own minds. I am opposed to any act of violence or terrorism, and both of those things are in no way exclusive to the middle east. Historically both Americans and Christians have been the transgressors just as often. But I can only imagine what would happen if somebody got caught shooting up a bible. Unlike this story, it would make the front page of the news. And let's not forget that we are in a war. I too am deeply offended that the Quran was shot at, but unfortunately, that's the least of our problems. Maybe Bush should consider apologizing to all the innocent Iraqis that have been used for target practice. Excuse me, I meant to say collateral damage.

So what now? Prime Minister Maliki is deeply offended, and rightfully so. Bush has apologized and claims that the sniper will face a trial. But that is not enough. Making an example out of one person will not solve the larger problem. Islam is a religion of peace, and that idea must be communicated to the American public.