Cross posted from ane list, OI/U-Chicago where it was posted by Charles E
Jones (moderator):

 >   - Please circulate widely -
>
>  Muslims for the Defense of World Religious and Cultural Heritage
>
>  As Muslims, we wish to register our profound outrage and unequivocally
>  condemn the actions of the Taliban in their attempts to destroy ancient
>  Buddhist statues in Afghanistan. We condemn this senseless destruction,
>  which amounts to robbery of the world's heritage.
>
>  Especially galling to any Muslim with a conscience is the Taliban's
craven
>  use of Islam as a cover for their barbarism and ignorance of their own
>  history.  We note that the planned destruction of the Buddhist
sculptures,
>  like all of the Taliban's narrow and rigidly ahistorical policies, is
>  an aberration from a rich, multi-faceted, centuries-old Afghan Muslim
>  culture.  Our religion is not threatened by the presence of statues or
>  symbols of other faiths.  It is grievously injured, however, by those
>  who twist its principles into something so ugly as to be unrecognizable.
>  But the Taliban's deluded and bankrupt notions of piety have included
>  multiple massacres of innocent civilians; they have failed to protect
>  Afghans who are now facing starvation.
>
>  It is the Taliban - and their bankrolling supporters, Saudi Arabia
>  and Pakistan - who insult Islam with their most hateful repression of
>  Afghan women and girls and including the denial of their rights to
>  medical treatment, and even to basic literacy. The Taliban violate the
>  fundamental principles of the sanctity of life, the equality of women,
>  and respect for the humanity of all people commanded by the Qur'an and
>  the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him.
>
>
>  [To add your name email: <[log in to unmask]>
>  Institutional affiliation and city are optional]
>
>Michael Sells
>Department of Religion
>Haverford College
>370 Lancaster Avenue
>Haverford, PA  19041
>Office Phone 610-896-1027
>http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/home.html
>[log in to unmask]