A retired judge who suggested that two Ontario universities bar Muslim students from being awarded scholarships as a means of punishing the Taliban has shocked not only Canada's Muslim community, but also those who respect multiculturalism and peaceful coexistence.

Last week, Paul Staniszewski demanded that Muslim students be disqualified from receiving scholarships he established, blaming the Taliban and its use of medieval violence. He justified his argument by saying, "I am doing the same thing these people are doing, except I'm not cutting off heads, I'm cutting off applications for help in their studies."

Scholarships established by Staniszewski are offered at the University of Windsor and York University's Osgoode Hall Law School. Such a hateful suggestion coming from a retired judge is inexcusable.

Certainly, what the Taliban is doing — beheading people in the name of God — is not acceptable, but to punish the entire Muslim community for the their crimes is unfair. What Staniszewski is suggesting is jungle law, a system based on the premise of vengeance.

The Taliban does not represent the whole Muslim world. Among those being killed by pro-Taliban militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan are Muslims too.

The war against terrorism cannot be won by punishing the community that is caught in the crossfire. This would bring more alienation for Muslims living in Western countries and will indirectly strengthen the hand of the Taliban over that of moderate Islamists.

It appears that Staniszewski is greatly influenced by Islamophobia and racist propaganda against Muslims. His anger should be directed at the root cause of this menace. The so called holy warriors of Islam who are now being dubbed as terrorists by the West were earlier helped by the U.S.

When Islamic extremists waged war against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan, the American's secret Central Intelligence Agency helped them in their cause in an effort to stop communist expansionism. The Islamic extremists were then described as freedom fighters by the same U.S. establishment which has now declared a war against them.

Rambo III, a 1988 Hollywood film starring Sylvester Stallone, glorified them as moral fighters and the gallant people of Afghanistan.

Staniszewski can either watch Rambo III to clear his mind, or should go to Afghanistan to help Canadian soldiers in their fight against the Taliban, instead of spitting venom against Muslims.