It is human nature to love and to hate. Mind you, love is good but not always, though. Naturally, the more you love something, the more you would want to see the good, even when there is none to find - a fact that is always apparent to everybody else except you, of course.

It is when you come to the point of having to exaggerate and invent certain good points, that love becomes bad. Love can be blind.

So, after reading M Bakri Musa's ('Emulate, not hate the West', Nov 9), I am able to safely deduce that the man is so much in love with America that he has, unconsciously, unleashed pure and unadulterated American propaganda onto us poor and unsuspecting malaysiakini readers.

He has shown the first symptoms of love when, seeing it his way, "There are three aspects of the West, specifically America, we should adopt; diversity, charity and curiosity." In other words, the West is America and only America. And, America is the West!

The other telling sign is his disclosure, "Today Americans, black and white, believers and atheists, rich and poor are equal in fact and in law," which isn't half as bad if it wasn't for the "in fact." But, then again, if you happen to be on cloud nine it must be heaven on earth!

The tendency to exaggerate is very much in evident, as he reveals, "As for curiosity and thirst for knowledge, more Americans complete high school and college than any other nation," which does appear to be impressive.

After all, 50 million is a large number, which is more than double the population of Malaysia, but then again, it is only slightly less than 17percent of 300 million. But, who wants to be logical when one is in love, right?

Speaking of logic, I wonder if all Indonesians, legal or illegal, are Muslims? I also wonder if one could ask a Muslim to emulate an American? This is because one is a bona fide citizen of a country, whereas the other is a believer of Islam. Should Buddhists, Jews or Hindus emulate Americans as well?

As there are Muslims who are Americans and Americans who are Muslims, who should be emulating whom then? Confusing, isn't it?

Well, that is what love can do to you. if you are not careful. It confuses you.

It confuses you to the extent that you don't actually know whether you coming or going. The writer feels that there is rage towards Americans among Muslims today. Is this rage directed at the bona fide citizens of America or is it a rage towards the powers that be in America?

He also admits, "The West of course has its blemishes," but justifies it by, ".we should absorb the best and reject the rest." Well, if you look hard enough you'd definitely find good and bad in each and every little thing.

So, why not emulate the Japanese, Koreans or Germans? Besides, if you are aware of the blemishes then why suggest that we still emulate them? Is there not a better alternative?

Of course there is. And, as a Muslim, I am sure that he knows it. But, because of his undying love for America, he might have overlook one very basic fact!

My advice is, if you are a Muslim, emulate Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. But before you can begin to emulate him, read up about his life in the Quran and Hadith. Read and understand. Substance, but not form! And, if you are a non-Muslim, then emulate whomever you feel like emulating.

Lastly, since love is blind, so do not let it get in the way of the truth.