A Post 9-11 Thought or Two
I have always believed the anniversary of 9-11 can bring out the best in people and the absolute worst. This year I got to personally experience some of the worst. During a Twitter exchange I had someone tell me that the United States should round up all Muslims and send them back to their homelands. I asked him what about those of us who were born here, like me and those who converted, like my parents in the 1960s? His response was that it didn’t matter, they should all go back to where they came from. You will be pleased to know that I will be moving back to Chicago immediately, not.
I bring this up, because for some strange reason this 9-11 anniversary was different than most. It’s a somber occasion, but it’s also an opportunity to marvel at the human spirit and remember the men and women who are fighting to keep us free from harm. There was a vitriol in the air this year that hearkened me back to stories of my grandparents in the South in the turn of the century. And to be honest, I really do think a lot of the anti-Islamic sentiment in this country is rooted in good old-fashioned racism.
Lets be honest, we have a history in this country of singling out certain groups of people to scapegoat and direct our fear and anxiety; Blacks, Hispanics, Catholics, Irish, Jews, Native Americans, Germans, Japanese, Gays, etc. Luckily it’s just a phase we go through until enough people with common sense come along and we realize what we’re doing is ridiculous.
Now I freely admit to being a bit liberal with the Islamic faith, because I am not giving up my bacon, martinis or cigars for anybody. And I also think that if I had to live in a place with no alcohol or naked women I’d seriously consider becoming a suicide bomber too. However the thought of 70+ virgins waiting for me in heaven really isn’t all that appealing because if they couldn’t get lucky on Earth, why would I want to touch any of that in the afterlife? So I’d likely take a pass on blowing somebody up. Instead, I’d spending my days working on reform and modernizing the faith.
It would also help if the people on the other side doing the yelling and screaming would actually read a Koran from cover to cover before talking about it or when referring to Shira law, they specify which version; there are a number of them in case you didn’t know. I also love the people who make the ridiculous argument of wanting to build a church in Mecca, because I’m sure that will happen when the atheists get a storefront in Vatican City. And as far as that Florida church that was going to burn the Koran as a form of protest, might I suggest a cross next time because at least there wouldn’t be any mistake about what their real agenda was. Sheets would be optional.
Anyway, as much as I thought the individual who tweeted me was a complete tool, I don’t shy away from people with serious questions looking for meaningful understandings. That’s why I am always willing to engage in a meaningful discussion. But as we move forward and the 10th anniversary of 9-11 is 51 weeks and a couple days away, I hope we can grow up a little bit in this country and have grown up discussions and solve problems like adults. We’ve done it before and I think we can do it again.
And as for the guy who told me to go back where I came from, I am taking some time off this week, so I’ll try to stop in the Chi-town if I can get the change. There’s a bar downtown I’ve been meaning to get back to forever.
Asalaam Alaikum!!!
