Scapegoating Christians

After the army's bloody assault on their mostly peaceful protest camps, Egypt's Muslim fundamentalists have retaliated by staging violent attacks on Christian churches. Since the bloody crackdown of August 14, at least 60 churches have been set ablaze in Egypt. This does not seem to be a coordinated campaign organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, but a series of more or less spontaneous acts of local rage. Unable to hurt their real enemies, Egypt's oppressed Muslims lash out against equally oppressed Christians. It is a sad view of human nature.

The result, of course, is to further solidify the view of Egypt's Christians (10% of the population) and more secular Muslims that Muslim fundamentalists are all terrorists with whom no compromise is possible or desirable.