--------------------------------------------------
The following is an Opinion/Editorial by Faisal
Alam, Founder & Director of Al-Fatiha (LGBTQ
Muslims & Friends).
--------------------------------------------------
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Most
Gracious
Saturday, September 15, 2001
Jumada Al-Thani 27, 1422
Op-Ed: A Time for Serious Understanding and
Reflection in the United States
By: Faisal Alam
Today marks the fifth day after the tragic and
horrendous attacks that took place in New York
City and Washington DC.
The intense emotions that we have all felt over
the last few days cannot be imagined. But as we
mourn our victims and try to find some peace in
our minds and souls we cannot fall prey to the
dark emotions that are fastly rising to the
surface. As a Muslim who has lived in the United
States for more than 13 years it has been
shocking for me to see how in less than five days
our nation and the majority of its citizens have
gone from extreme shock and sadness to vengeful
anger and a lust for revenge.
While we have all been victimized, and in many
ways robbed of our dignity as human beings, the
backlash of the terrorist attacks have led to the
scapegoating and blaming of Arabs, Muslims, and
those that are perceived to be from the Middle
East.
Mosques across the United States remained closed
on Wednesday, the day after the attack, and are
still being heavily guarded with police and
security because of the fear of vandalism of
property and attacks on Muslims attending prayer
services.
Hundreds of reports have come in (both to
Al-Fatiha and to other mainstream Arab and Muslim
organizations) from people who are being verbally
and physically harrassed, and in some cases even
assaulted and beaten, because of their religious
garb or their ethnic and racial backgrounds.
What has come over our country when we begin to
attack our own citizens in the name of revenge?
When South Asian and Arab taxi cab drivers in New
York City and Chicago (who have lived in the
United States for more than 20 years) are taken
out of their cabs and beaten on the street; when
Muslim teenagers (born in the United States) who
wear the hijab (head scarf) are harrassed
(verbally and physically) in the streets of
Tampa, and when Arab and South Asian men working
in a convenient store in Northern Virginia are
called "pigs" and "sand niggers."
When our country falls victim to prejudice and
discrimination our so-called "civilized" and
"democratic" nation begins to fall apart and we
lose the very core values that we call
"American." But the issues surrounding this
scapegoating and even the terrorist attacks
themselves are more complex than any of our US
leaders realize.
The majority of Americans have failed to
recognize the complexities of terrorism and the
political and historical context in which these
attacks have taken place. Why is America the
target? Many ask this question and don't
understand the answer is quite simple.
It is too easy to scapegoat and blame an entire
ethnic or religious community based on the
actions of certain individuals. It is also
equally too easy to fall victim to false pretexts
of "nationalism" and "patriotism" without
understanding the roots of why the United States
continues to be a target for terrorist attacks
around the world.
In the year 2001, we continue to fund autocratic
regimes and other countries around the world that
oppress their own citizens and violate the human
rights of minorities. Our biased international
policies towards other nations continue to
reflect America's arrogant attitude of being the
"only remaining superpower in the world." And
our corporate and political monopoly on the
world's economy continues to perpetuate the cycle
of poverty and economic exploitation around the
world.
The next few days will be a time of serious
understanding and reflection about how we will
choose to proceed as our leaders galvanize the
nation to start our "war on terrorism." Similar
sentiments were expressed after Japan bombed
Pearl Harbor. The result of the war on
"imperialism" in Japan was the creation of camps
for Japanese Americans throughout this country.
Many have speculated that Afghanistan will be the
target of US attacks, as the Taliban regime
continues to harbor Osama bin Laden, the
suspected mastermind behind the attacks on the
US. But while we condemn the extremist
ideologies of the government of Afghanistan who
has given asylum to bin Laden, we forget that the
United States funded the "mujahideen" (or holy
warriors) in Afghanistan to counter the
occupation of the former Soviet Union in that
counry during the Cold War. The Cold War is over
and after a bloody civil war the Taliban have
taken over Afghanistan. And today these same
"holy warriors" who were armed by the United
States are now declaring a "holy war" on our
nation.
We have not learned from our own history and our
own legacy. And we refuse to take into account
the political context of why terrorism is
striking our world today.
While we take a stand against terrorism and mourn
the loss of the thousands of victims of this
terrible tragedy, we must decide today if we will
continue the endless cycle of violence and death
both in the United States and abroad. Or will we
fight for true peace and justice without
sacrificing the lives of of more innocent people?
That is the question that should occupy our
minds and hearts today.
--------------------------------------------------
Faisal Alam is a 24 year old queer-identified
Muslim of Pakistan descent. He has worked in the
LGBT movement, has done faith-based organizing,
and LGBT youth work for over 5 years. He
currently resides in Washington, DC, USA and
works in the field of HIV/AIDS.
--------------------------------------------------
The following is an Opinion/Editorial by Faisal
Alam, Founder & Director of Al-Fatiha (LGBTQ
Muslims & Friends).
--------------------------------------------------
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Most
Gracious
Saturday, September 15, 2001
Jumada Al-Thani 27, 1422
Op-Ed: A Time for Serious Understanding and
Reflection in the United States
By: Faisal Alam
Today marks the fifth day after the tragic and
horrendous attacks that took place in New York
City and Washington DC.
The intense emotions that we have all felt over
the last few days cannot be imagined. But as we
mourn our victims and try to find some peace in
our minds and souls we cannot fall prey to the
dark emotions that are fastly rising to the
surface. As a Muslim who has lived in the United
States for more than 13 years it has been
shocking for me to see how in less than five days
our nation and the majority of its citizens have
gone from extreme shock and sadness to vengeful
anger and a lust for revenge.
While we have all been victimized, and in many
ways robbed of our dignity as human beings, the
backlash of the terrorist attacks have led to the
scapegoating and blaming of Arabs, Muslims, and
those that are perceived to be from the Middle
East.
Mosques across the United States remained closed
on Wednesday, the day after the attack, and are
still being heavily guarded with police and
security because of the fear of vandalism of
property and attacks on Muslims attending prayer
services.
Hundreds of reports have come in (both to
Al-Fatiha and to other mainstream Arab and Muslim
organizations) from people who are being verbally
and physically harrassed, and in some cases even
assaulted and beaten, because of their religious
garb or their ethnic and racial backgrounds.
What has come over our country when we begin to
attack our own citizens in the name of revenge?
When South Asian and Arab taxi cab drivers in New
York City and Chicago (who have lived in the
United States for more than 20 years) are taken
out of their cabs and beaten on the street; when
Muslim teenagers (born in the United States) who
wear the hijab (head scarf) are harrassed
(verbally and physically) in the streets of
Tampa, and when Arab and South Asian men working
in a convenient store in Northern Virginia are
called "pigs" and "sand niggers."
When our country falls victim to prejudice and
discrimination our so-called "civilized" and
"democratic" nation begins to fall apart and we
lose the very core values that we call
"American." But the issues surrounding this
scapegoating and even the terrorist attacks
themselves are more complex than any of our US
leaders realize.
The majority of Americans have failed to
recognize the complexities of terrorism and the
political and historical context in which these
attacks have taken place. Why is America the
target? Many ask this question and don't
understand the answer is quite simple.
It is too easy to scapegoat and blame an entire
ethnic or religious community based on the
actions of certain individuals. It is also
equally too easy to fall victim to false pretexts
of "nationalism" and "patriotism" without
understanding the roots of why the United States
continues to be a target for terrorist attacks
around the world.
In the year 2001, we continue to fund autocratic
regimes and other countries around the world that
oppress their own citizens and violate the human
rights of minorities. Our biased international
policies towards other nations continue to
reflect America's arrogant attitude of being the
"only remaining superpower in the world." And
our corporate and political monopoly on the
world's economy continues to perpetuate the cycle
of poverty and economic exploitation around the
world.
The next few days will be a time of serious
understanding and reflection about how we will
choose to proceed as our leaders galvanize the
nation to start our "war on terrorism." Similar
sentiments were expressed after Japan bombed
Pearl Harbor. The result of the war on
"imperialism" in Japan was the creation of camps
for Japanese Americans throughout this country.
Many have speculated that Afghanistan will be the
target of US attacks, as the Taliban regime
continues to harbor Osama bin Laden, the
suspected mastermind behind the attacks on the
US. But while we condemn the extremist
ideologies of the government of Afghanistan who
has given asylum to bin Laden, we forget that the
United States funded the "mujahideen" (or holy
warriors) in Afghanistan to counter the
occupation of the former Soviet Union in that
counry during the Cold War. The Cold War is over
and after a bloody civil war the Taliban have
taken over Afghanistan. And today these same
"holy warriors" who were armed by the United
States are now declaring a "holy war" on our
nation.
We have not learned from our own history and our
own legacy. And we refuse to take into account
the political context of why terrorism is
striking our world today.
While we take a stand against terrorism and mourn
the loss of the thousands of victims of this
terrible tragedy, we must decide today if we will
continue the endless cycle of violence and death
both in the United States and abroad. Or will we
fight for true peace and justice without
sacrificing the lives of of more innocent people?
That is the question that should occupy our
minds and hearts today.
--------------------------------------------------
Faisal Alam is a 24 year old queer-identified
Muslim of Pakistan descent. He has worked in the
LGBT movement, has done faith-based organizing,
and LGBT youth work for over 5 years. He
currently resides in Washington, DC, USA and
works in the field of HIV/AIDS.
--------------------------------------------------
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