In a message dated 18/09/01 19:51:41 GMT Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< I am not the most politically correct person in the world and the open
door policy of our government has been too willing to let people into this
country that intend to harm us. The very fact that family members of Osama
bin Laden own a condo in Boston is enough to enfuriate me to no end. >>
The thought that there are terrorists in our midst is a pretty disquieting
one at any time, let alone now. Yet what can be done about it, short of
shutting every border and totally pulling up the drawbridge? As for bin
Laden's family, well it's a bloody huge family, and I would place a sizeable
bet that not all of them agree with his demented and distorted interpretation
of Islam. Timothy McVeigh's family haven't been interned or punished (they
may have been harrassed after his arrest and conviction, I dare say), and
that is only right.
<< Is it fair to say that from this day forward I will never be able to look
at a young muslim man and not think that he was sent here to kill me because
I am American? Maybe it is and maybe it isn't, but that prejudice is now
instilled in me and will never go away. >>
My personal answer is No, it isn't fair. It is by definition racial
prejudice. How can you tell if someone is a Muslim? You might end up having
to throw in Hindus as well, as from skin colouring and physiognomy it can be
impossible to distinguish, say, a Pakistani from an Indian. This may look
facetious, but I'm being totally serious. We can all allow ourselves to bow
to prejudice (and no, I'm not exempting myself from that) - the challenge is
to confront it in ourselves. You say the prejudice will never go away. It
can go away, if you confront it, and don't allow it to take root.
Kate has already posted about this, and I endorse 100% what she says.
<< There is a faceless enemy that walks among us and unfortunately I can no
longer be objective about it, because I can't honestly say that I believe our
government can protect us from it. >>
That is the trouble. Your govt can't protect you from fanatics, any more
than the UK govt can protect me. This is where it's crucial to look at the
bigger picture. In the wake of the tragedy, there have been remarks made
about isolationism and foreign policy (and I'm not just talking about this
list) which suggest, worryingly, that it's irrelevant. While it may seem
insensitive to start raking up the past now (and I'm not going to here), my
fear is that, as the pain and shock gradually recede, so will any urge there
might be to ask painful and searching questions about why it happened. I
sincerely hope that my fear is baseless.
<< With this post I don't mean to infuriate or scare people this is just the
way I feel. I feel as if Iwoke up on Tuesday from a 27 year coma and
realized that my trivial problems, were just that. America, land of the
free, should be a place people seek solace, but who those people are is going
to have to come under scrutiny. >>
I'll admit I was pretty angry when I first read your post, although I've now
read it again and I think I understand where you're coming from. The fact is
that with a name like Azeem Ali Khan, I could have all sorts of people making
all sorts of assumptions about who and what I am, what I believe, where my
sympathies lie, whether they need to be wary of me or give me a wide berth,
etc etc. That, in microcosm, is how neighbours start being divided against
each other.
Now is the time to take a deep breath and contact the loving part of ourself,
whether it's through God, or Allah, or the spirits, or the Universe, or
whatever; and the rational part of ourself, which can go AWOL at times like
this - and again, I'm not excluding myself from those enjoinders. I almost
sent a post to the list yesterday which I would have regretted. The reason I
didn't is not because I'm such a wise and loving person (if only), but
because a friend suggested that I reconsider.
Azeem in London
John Parish and Polly Jean Harvey - Is That All There Is?
