Excellent article -- let us remember that this is both a national and a global tragedy -- one that has taken its toll on too numerous innocent victims -- let's not make any more. I resolve here and now to pass this on to all friends, associates and family. I will not tolerate any more hatred and attacks on my fellow citizens. David Bingell "Dr. Abdullah Alsharekh" wrote: > Dear Listers, > > I excuse you all in posting this article, which I hope you all, > everywhere,may find it worth reading and realizing the deep emotions it > carries with it. > > Abdullah. > > The Washington Post > "I'm Not the Enemy" > By Reshma Memon Yaqub > Thursday, September 13, 2001; Page A31 > > The horror is unspeakable. Like every American, I am paralyzed by the > carnage on the news, on our streets. My head pounds, thinking of the grief > engulfing thousands of families whose loved ones were killed or injured > Tuesday. When I close my eyes, I see bodies tumbling from the windows of > skyscrapers. > > As the attack unfolded, I panicked, racing through what until this moment > had felt like a safe, suburban neighborhood to find my son and his > babysitter, who were playing, as usual, at a nearby park. I begged my > husband, who was at work in a prominent Washington building, to come home. > With the phone lines going in and out, I felt sure that it just wasn't > over. > > Like every American, I am afraid. Wondering what this means for us. > Wondering whether it's over, or when and where the next attack will take > place. It's the first time I've felt the kind of fear I imagine that > people in other countries feel when they are at war. > > Like every American, I am outraged. And I want justice. But perhaps unlike > many other Americans, I'm feeling something else too. A different kind of > fear. I'm feeling what my 6 million fellow American Muslims are feeling -- > the fear that we too will be considered guilty in the eyes of America, if > it > turns out that the madmen behind this terrorism were Muslim. > > I feel as though I've suddenly become the enemy of two groups -- those > who wish to hurt Americans, and those Americans who wish to strike back. > It's a frightening corner to be in. In the past, when lone Muslims have > committed acts of terrorism -- or have been mistakenly assumed to be > guilty, as in Oklahoma City -- hate crimes have abounded against American > Muslims > who look like they're from "that part of the world," against American > mosques, against American children in Muslim schools who pray to the same > peace-loving God as Jews and Christians. > > I am now not just afraid, as we all are, for our safety as Americans. I am > also afraid for the safety of my sisters-in-law, who wear head scarves in > public, and I implore them not to walk alone in the streets of our > hometown. > I am afraid for my brother, a civil rights lawyer who defends Muslims in > high-profile discrimination cases. I am afraid to hear people openly state > that Muslim blood is worthless and deserves to be spilled, as I heard when > > I was in college during the Persian Gulf War. I am afraid that my son won't > understand why strangers aren't smiling at him the way they used to. I am > afraid that we will be dehumanized because of our skin color, or features, > or clothing. My heart aches each time a friend or relative calls, CNN > blaring > in the background, and sadly reminds me, "It's over for us now. Muslims are > done for." > I was briefly heartened to hear author Tom Clancy, interviewed on CNN, > explaining that Islam is a peaceful religion and that we as Americans must > not let go of our ideals of religious tolerance, because it's the way our > country behaves when it's been hurt that really reflects who we are. > > Still, I'm afraid that Americans might view the televised images of a few > misguided and deeply wounded people overseas celebrating the pain that > America is now feeling, and will assume that I too must share that > anti-American sentiment, that I, or my family, or my community, or my > religion, could be part of the problem. In fact, every major American > Muslim organization has decried this violence against us all. In fact, > Islam forbids such acts of violence. In fact, all the Muslims I know > cringe at the idea of our faith being used, abused, in the name of political > agendas. > And though I, like other Americans, want the perpetrators brought to > justice, I shudder to think of the innocent lives that may be unnecessarily > lost > overseas in that pursuit. Children like ours. Mothers like us. > Every time I hear of an act of terrorism, I have two prayers. My first is > for the victims and their families. My second is, please don't let it be a > Muslim. Because unlike when an act of terrorism is committed by a > Christian or a Jew, when it is a Muslim, it's not considered an isolated act > perpetrated by an isolated group of madmen. The entire faith is > characterized as barbaric, as inhuman. And, my fellow Americans, I > stand before you, as broken as you are, to tell you that it's not. That > we are not. That we Muslims love our country as you do, and that we are > bleeding and grieving alongside you. > > Reshma Memon Yaqub is a journalist who lives in Montgomery County. > © 2001 The Washington Post Company > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . 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