The wedding was incredible, easily the best day of my life. The honeymoon was a continuation of just that; 2 weeks in heaven to start off a wonderful marriage. I've got lots to talk about both of those matters, but given the significance of today's date I'm going to talk about one particular thing that happened while we were off on our honeymoon.
We were returning to our hotel one night and as we got out of the cab and walked to the entrance of the hotel a young guy (I'd say late 20s) holding a drink came up alongside me and said "hey pal." I looked at him at which point he said "I thought you were Osama's brother." I ignored him and walked away.
Now I was born in this country, I'm a U.S. citizen, I pay my taxes, I donate to charities, I vote, I contribute to the economy, I love my country and I wouldn't rather move to any other place, yet for the first time in my life I felt foreign than night. I felt unwelcome in the country that I had the right to be in, I had just as much right to be there as the guy who made me feel so very wrong for being there yet because of his one line I felt like I truly didn't belong. I didn't think something like that would bother me so much, after all I'm pretty good about taking things as light hearted as possible, but that one incident struck home.
And I began to wonder, had I just been really lucky since 9/11? Were there more people like him who would see me and based on the color of my skin would brand me a terrorist? What made me any less of an American than him? Haven't we been through this before? I thought the civil rights movement brought forth the idea that we can't just single out a group of people based on the color of their skin. For the first time in my life I wanted to leave, I wanted to be at home and I didn't want that home to be here.
It may not seem like much, after all it was just a 5 second interaction with some drunk jerk; drunk people say things all the time, get over it right? Well I am over it, but that isn't to say that I'm afraid of something like that happening again. I've said it before, that it all boils down to education and understanding of people and cultures other than our own.
Muslims don't hate Americans, that's just not how things work. My mom is a muslim and she'd never hurt a fly, she cried at 9/11, she donated to the relief fund, she condemned those who did it - just like everyone else. She isn't a fanatic, I'd say she follows the Qua-ran like many people follow the Bible, she doesn't interpret it strictly but she takes it to be a set of morals that she attempts to uphold in her daily life. And to those who don't believe it, must muslims are just like that. They don't walk around with AK-47s plotting ways to attack the West, they lead normal lives and have normal families just like everyone else. I've been to Iran around 5 times now, the only current example of a true Islamic state - did I see people running through the streets plotting to kill Americans? No, I saw normal people doing normal things. Sure their customs are different, but none of those customs include hating Americans. Yet I read through some of the discussions that happen online, even in our own forums, and I'm disgusted. I read statements of people who are clearly ignorant of what they are talking about, attacking people and cultures they don't understand. What if we were all judged by the acts of the D.C. sniper, McVeigh or Dahlmer? Everyone would think that any American was a crazed mass murdering psycho.
As I write this, I'm worried that my point won't get across, that everything I've said here will be dismissed at the hatred will continue. I was just as angry as anyone when the towers fell, I wanted to see someone pay, I wanted revenge - but we must all understand that the revenge isn't against every middle easterner you see. A group of people hated our government, so they took that anger and hatred not out on the government, but on over 3000 innocent people. What sense does it make to attack that group of people by targeting those that honestly have nothing to do with it, some of which are just as American as anyone else in this country.
Today we should all remember the tragedy of 9/11, but we must also remember not to let one tragedy lead us to another one. American doesn't mean white; keep in mind how this country was founded, the melting pot has evolved to include a few new shades but the fact remains the same that we are all Americans. I may not look like everyone else, but I feel the same attachment to this country - please don't make me feel unwelcome.
Take care.
We were returning to our hotel one night and as we got out of the cab and walked to the entrance of the hotel a young guy (I'd say late 20s) holding a drink came up alongside me and said "hey pal." I looked at him at which point he said "I thought you were Osama's brother." I ignored him and walked away.
Now I was born in this country, I'm a U.S. citizen, I pay my taxes, I donate to charities, I vote, I contribute to the economy, I love my country and I wouldn't rather move to any other place, yet for the first time in my life I felt foreign than night. I felt unwelcome in the country that I had the right to be in, I had just as much right to be there as the guy who made me feel so very wrong for being there yet because of his one line I felt like I truly didn't belong. I didn't think something like that would bother me so much, after all I'm pretty good about taking things as light hearted as possible, but that one incident struck home.
And I began to wonder, had I just been really lucky since 9/11? Were there more people like him who would see me and based on the color of my skin would brand me a terrorist? What made me any less of an American than him? Haven't we been through this before? I thought the civil rights movement brought forth the idea that we can't just single out a group of people based on the color of their skin. For the first time in my life I wanted to leave, I wanted to be at home and I didn't want that home to be here.
It may not seem like much, after all it was just a 5 second interaction with some drunk jerk; drunk people say things all the time, get over it right? Well I am over it, but that isn't to say that I'm afraid of something like that happening again. I've said it before, that it all boils down to education and understanding of people and cultures other than our own.
Muslims don't hate Americans, that's just not how things work. My mom is a muslim and she'd never hurt a fly, she cried at 9/11, she donated to the relief fund, she condemned those who did it - just like everyone else. She isn't a fanatic, I'd say she follows the Qua-ran like many people follow the Bible, she doesn't interpret it strictly but she takes it to be a set of morals that she attempts to uphold in her daily life. And to those who don't believe it, must muslims are just like that. They don't walk around with AK-47s plotting ways to attack the West, they lead normal lives and have normal families just like everyone else. I've been to Iran around 5 times now, the only current example of a true Islamic state - did I see people running through the streets plotting to kill Americans? No, I saw normal people doing normal things. Sure their customs are different, but none of those customs include hating Americans. Yet I read through some of the discussions that happen online, even in our own forums, and I'm disgusted. I read statements of people who are clearly ignorant of what they are talking about, attacking people and cultures they don't understand. What if we were all judged by the acts of the D.C. sniper, McVeigh or Dahlmer? Everyone would think that any American was a crazed mass murdering psycho.
As I write this, I'm worried that my point won't get across, that everything I've said here will be dismissed at the hatred will continue. I was just as angry as anyone when the towers fell, I wanted to see someone pay, I wanted revenge - but we must all understand that the revenge isn't against every middle easterner you see. A group of people hated our government, so they took that anger and hatred not out on the government, but on over 3000 innocent people. What sense does it make to attack that group of people by targeting those that honestly have nothing to do with it, some of which are just as American as anyone else in this country.
Today we should all remember the tragedy of 9/11, but we must also remember not to let one tragedy lead us to another one. American doesn't mean white; keep in mind how this country was founded, the melting pot has evolved to include a few new shades but the fact remains the same that we are all Americans. I may not look like everyone else, but I feel the same attachment to this country - please don't make me feel unwelcome.
Take care.
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Anonymous - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
#286You shithead! you goddamn mother fucker. Eat and Drink pig shit and urine. You are a bastard. your father is a father. your 14 generation are mother fucking bastards. So stop talking and do what you were doing (lick the slimy pig shithole.)
MU HA HA .
Anonymous - Saturday, October 16, 2004 - link
#282You fucking Islamic pig. Shut up your fucking mouth. Your prophet was a fucking pervert, gigolo and murderer. Islam = Terrorism, Terrorist = Muslim.
Dog go and eat your pork.
ILUVDENIS - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - link
Denis,I don't really have a point to understand. I very often create posts meant to cause more discussion or chaos. It is in my nature. I am just being ornery. I like to yell fire in a crowded theatre.
In response though about not being able to marry someone of a different religion or caste; many times the advice is good. The bible says not to be "unequally yoked". Meaning that if you both are on the same page spiritually (as well as all the other area) it makes for a better marriage. I'm not saying that's the only way a married is "golden" but it can help.
Not all religous texts are the same and some invite prejudice, violence and hate when it comes to certain groups or classes. That obviously is a mistake that will perpetuate scorn for generations. Especially in the hands of uneducated people in 3rd world countries that no nothing other than religious zealotry.
Denis - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - link
#283 No:Not sure I understand your reply.
Do you say it is fundamental obediance to marry someone from your own religion? My partner is Hindu. In her culture, you are required to marry someone of the same caste. Some say it is because different castes have different values and living together would cause only tension and sorrow.
In my opinion this kind of rule is good mainly to perpetuate tradition, religion and prejudice.
And when I say one should be flexible and pragmatic with regards to religion, I mean your own religious beliefs and acts.
No - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - link
#278 Denis is like many Americans who are atheist or agnostic and believe they've deeply delved into spiritual issues.Someone who has read a TIME article that has summed up all understand for any faith. What it really comes down to is the idea of incorporating some kind of belief system that requires you to sacrifice some so called freedom: like spanking it in a .25c peep show in New York or banging your neighbors wife (God fogive me). People can't deal with that. They would rather "be flexible and pragmatic with regards to religion" which means doing what they feel comfortable with and abandoning everything else. I'm not talking about selling your Daughter into slavery but fundamental obedience.
Denis, it is not a matter of who did what, it's a matter of what YOU do. So if a priest gets dirty with a choir boy the whole damn Faith is faulted? I thought it was about what YOU are doing and your spiritual walk. If seeing bad things deters you from Faith than you have no understand of Faith to begin with.
That's like me saying every Muslim should die just because of 9/11. What's the point? Was the entire Muslim community responsible for that? No. However, I do agree with many here about the overall errancy of Islam and the lack of outrage to terrorism in the name of Islam.
Anonymous - Monday, October 11, 2004 - link
Goddamn motherfucking asshole american, time to wake up, bastards. more of this gonna happen soon, and you deserve this. yes you motherfucker lechers do deserve this.Dooms day is here.
Nath - Monday, October 11, 2004 - link
#278 DenisAll the other major religions, Christianity, Hinduism etc have more or less adapted to the times. The Catholic Church for instance has acknowledged moral responsibilities for its misdeeds like the crusades, inquisitions etc. Hinduism acknowledges that cast discrimination (called untouchability) is wrong and was a mistake; if you visit any major Hindu temple in India this message is clearly displayed. Similarly Sati has been banned for over 200 years. Religious bigotry and intolerance is more on the individualistic in nature and not institutionalized.
Not so with Islam. In most Islamic countries the propagation of other religions is prevented by legal instruments like Pakistan’s anti blasphemy law or out rightly banned as in Saudi Arabia etc. In the north of Nigeria the building site allocated to a new church is usually the rubbish dump (I mean literally, no exaggeration). Many Islamic countries practice primitive Islamic laws, like stoning to death (Judaism and Christianity no longer practice this) or amputation are a common form of punishment. INTOLERANCE IS INSTITUTIONALIZED IN ANY MUSLIM WORLD (Turkey and Malaysia being the exceptions). Ask any non-Muslim living there; they will confirm what I say.
Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism etc have moved ahead with times. But Islam is stuck in the middle ages. I don’t think they can progress out of there as; Islam is essentially a medieval religion.
Anonymous - Monday, October 11, 2004 - link
#279Man,you're da bomb:))
BOMB - Monday, October 11, 2004 - link
I got three words for you: FUEL AIR BOMB. That's all we need to use. Drop 20 of those suckers and you'll shut them up real quick. LONG LIVE AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE! COOK BURGERS IS OUR TRADITION, MUCH LIKE A FOREIGN MISSION!HA HA HA HA. Anyone see the movie 'HAMBURGER'. Man, good laughs.
Denis - Monday, October 11, 2004 - link
Sure the fundaments of the muslim religion are not all great. I feel the same about any religion. Whether be it by the hand of their founders, or the priests after them, there is always something wrong in all organised religions.It is up to the followers to make informed decisions based on their beliefs, their education and their intelligence. Maybe in a middle east country it is not suitable for a muslim to marry a non-muslim (community matters). In a western country it is perfectly acceptable to marry outside your religion (individualistic approach). One needs to be flexible and pragmatic with regards to religion.