The Gap: Can the USA and Islam Bridge It?

Can USA and Christianity/Hinduism/Jainism/Buddhism/Shintoism etc etc. bridge it?

All this talk about `bridging gap` is nonsense. The only gap that needs to be bridged is by these PAkistani muslims who take their TNT along whereever they go and spread hatred while enjoying the fruits of the Western world.

Why should a liberal state like US think about getting into a dialogue with religious heads.........................you mean to say should US government talk to the religious goons and impose Shariat based laws or Manu Smriti based laws or some ancient religious tradition on its citizens?

This question is stupid and actually exposes the grand communal designs of these Pakistani infested associations like the United Muslims of America (UMA). These associations have only one aim of dumbing the liberal muslims from realizing the evils of political Islam that the TNT mongers from Pakistan practise wherever they go............it aims at hiding the camouflaging the role of these `educated` Pakistanis who, in the name of religious piety, provide the real intellectual and financial leadership to the political Islam................

Dear Writer,

What was the purpose of this article? Quite meaningless, if reporting events is the objective then it was a total waste of time and space.

Dear Muslim Writer,

This article is just another useless attempt to unite all American Muslims together on the same platform for their protection from Americans and American Govt...................Look at these senseless sentences uttered by some naive and ignorant fanatics who in their ignorance are trying to fill up some unknown GAP...............hahahahah

{{{{“American Muslims have become too full of themselves,” he said. He attributed this to the tolerance of Americans and added that if a 9/11 type event happened in India, thousands of Muslims would have been slaughtered. ``The biggest threat to American Muslims is another attack,” he said. }}}}}}

{{{And as for another 9/11, American Muslims know that we have to do all that we can to stop any such horrific act from impacting anyone`s life again.
United Muslims of America (UMA) }}}

Let me ask you who are Americans? Who are Muslims? Who are these self appointed organizations working aimlessly and pointlessly?

Let me remind you , America is an immigrant country, it is not a colony or monarchy.
America is based upon freedom for all humans equally without any thing to do with any religion. And that is the beauty of it.

We immigrated to America. Why? B/c of this diversity and beauty with rainbow colors which are at equal wavelength with equal distance without dominance of any one color.

There is no such term as who is American and who is not? All American citizens are Americans regardless of color, creed, region, religion and gender.

In America all Americans keep their religions to themselves, for them religion is their personal issue, they don`t advertise their religions to everyone they meet and make themselves a laughable material for others......................

Except Muslims (Not all) by saying,``hi, listen Tom, I am Muslim, hey, listen Barbara, I am Muslim, Do you know I am Muslim? ``

``Hey, American people listen, I am Muslim, I am not terrorist, I didn`t do anything in 9/11. Please, don`t blame me. I am a good Muslim, though I am a Muslim, don`t kill me, I am innocent, I apologize for others.``

You are great, please let me live in this great country of yours, Oh, you nation of great Americans, I will never utter a word of disrespect for you. I will always be apologetic. No matter what, I will bow down infront of you mighty gods. I am trying to fill all these invisible bridges, so that may be you Americans and we Muslims can cross these invisible bridges and find our ways either parallel or closer with each other, not in an opposite direction,b/c we are your slaves, have mercy on us, miserable humans on this mother Earth.

``Hi, Tracy, Linda, Tammy, Gina, Lina, Elizabith, Lisa, blah,blah,blah, we Muslims love to fill the GAPS between you Americans and us, b/c we wish to be ONE. So, that all the world should see us as One body and mind............``

Speaking about GAP, there are some dumb, idiotic, moronish so, called Muslim Organizations trying their idiotic propaganda`s to cross some unknown BRIDGES or invisible GAPS between them and Americans............utter rubbish

What exactly are the Gaps? I do not see any gap. Who made this gap? I did not make any gap. Then why I should cross the bridge or fill the gap? I see majority of sensible Muslims who are much more nice humans, who are as Americans as any American can be without advertising their religion to every one they meet. They don`t carry this badge of identity to cover their insecurities................

UMA and other organizations like crossing the bridges always call my home phone to insist me to join them . I always ask them,`` what is your agenda?`` Why you persistently after me and why you want me to join your organization?``

Their answer is always like,`` We want all Muslims to gather on the same platform to cross the bridges and fill the gap between Americans and Us, so that they should recognize us not as terrorists but as peaceful Muslims. You should join us and attend all our meetings.``

I always end up by saying,`` Listen, don`t waste my time and yours as well. We do not need any recognition. We are as Americans as anyone could be. We do not need to advertise ourselves that we are Muslims and we are guilty of terrorist attacks, please, forgive us.
Why should I do that? First of all I am not guilty of anything. Nobody is asking me what is my religion? Nobody is discriminating me for being whatever.``

Now, you wish me to join you and be apologetic and be an idiot to advertise myself to the whole wide world to look at me with surprise for mockery and for saying, `` I am crazy or lunatic.``

I am myself and same is with other majority sensible Muslims who have nothing to do with any 9/11 attacks or any terrorism. Why should we feel guilty? Why would we be apologetic?
Why should we feel insecure if we are no different from any other American?

Why should we need any stupid organization which serves no purpose?

Why do we need such useless organization? They have no purpose but to expose themselves being labeled as terrorists. Aren`t they stupid?

What is this ,`` American Muslim Dialogue?``
Majority of Muslims are not radical or fanatic. Why we need such radical Islamic organization?

Yes, I am Muslim no doubt about it. But, being American is my identity. Not being Muslim.

Being Muslim is my private and personal choice for my own soul. I cannot carry that idiotic badge of some religious identity in my neck to be recognized as such. I don`t need any pseudo recognition, while my recognition is already made. Yes, I am American with Pakistani background ........This is the only recognition I need for myself. No one asks me about my ethnicity, about my religion or my private life. Unless I tell them myself that I am Pakistani or Muslim, which I don`t.

When we live in Pakistan, do we introduce ourselves as Muslims? No, we don`t, then why all of a sudden these idiotic organizations start brainwashing Muslims in America to gather under some Muslim flag to fill up the gap between Americans.

I always tell my colleagues, you know I want to fill a big GAP between you (American and me). Do you see any GAP? Do you see any BRIDGE for me to cross to fill up this GAP or HOLE? They always think I am going BONKERS. They think I am talking about VERIZANO bridge to go to Manhattan.

When I explain the whole organization issue, they always end up laughing. Their responses are very normal by saying,`` Babe, you don`t need any bridges to cross to fill up any gaps, you are already closer to our hearts just by being AMERICAN. Darling, you don`t need any identity or recognition, you are one of us. All of us are Americans under one flag of America and that is the beauty of this diverse immigrant country...................

Yes, these stupid organizations need recognition in Pakistan, India and blah,blah,balh where they are not respected as being individuals but where they are respectful only if they have A NAME with religious identity, being Muslim, Hindu blah,blah,blah...........

On side note:-

It is proven without any shadow of doubt that all humans influencing or interacting with eachother on this planet Earth need NO religion. Only good religion for recognition is NO religion. Yes, religion is good as long as you keep it to yourself.

Re: # # & 4

...Bravo!! Zeena............this time you get my applause!!!

Re: # 4

`religion is good as long as you keep it to yourself`

this u can say about any religion but islam. Islam was not revealed on human beings to keep it to themselves. Islam is a system given to human beings by Allah(s.w.t) so they implement it in their OWN LIVES as well as in the SOCIETY. Establishing a society which has the laws of the sharia implemented in all walks of life is a farz on every muslim just as namaz and saum are farz.

I am not saying that muslims should start a struggle or JIHAD trying to implement islam in the american society. Where such a society should be established is a seperate discussion.

Re: # 3

I believe the theme of your interaction is summarized as follows:

``I am Muslim no doubt about it. But, being American is my identity. Not being Muslim. ``

I PARTIALLY AGREE.
Being american is one of your identities, perhaps a major one but being muslims is also your identity.

and why do you need to identify yourselves as muslims? It is because in a democratic system, the opinions of its populace matter. In america`s case the opinions matter a whole lot more, cause the US is the police of the world. The decision she makes effect the entire world.

so why do you need to identify yourself as a muslim, it is to show to the american populace that the only muslims in the world are not those cowardly terrorists who blow themselves up or butcher non-muslims` heads off. common average normal people like you are muslims as well.

that is the gap which needs to be bridged. the gap worse than the gap of ignorance, the gap of a misinformed people. that is why you need to identify yourself as a muslim as well.

ofcourse you have the complete and absolute right of not giving a damn about bridging ``THE GAP``, and thats your personal choice.

UMA is exercising thier own choice, one which they are equally entitled to.

Re: # 3
You go girl...;)

Re: # 4
Yeah...well said Zeena. We dont need all this hatred in this world based upon religious differences. Unfortunately, too much damage has already been done.

Ballu

Yaar does everything have to come back to your own spin of TNT?

My own experience in the US is the following:

1- Pakistanis from pakistan were way more liberal and open minded than Pakistanis and Muslims living in the US. Also a general rule these migrant Pakistanis would be part of political organisations like AMA or UMA and not ISNA or ICNA... On campus you would see Pakistanis as part of Pakistani Students Association etc and would show case Pakistan with dance parties and fashion shows etc. By contrast other organisations tended to be much more conservative.

2- Indian Muslims- both from India and those in the US- were largely very religious folk who tended to get along more with Arabs etc ... they were far more exclusive than Pakistanis... and also - and this the irony- they hated Pakistan almost as much as they hated Hindus.

This is my experience having lived in the hub of South Asian communities of New Jersey.

-YLH

Re: # 3 Zeena

Wow!!! How well you write! And how neatly and succinctly (spelling?) you demolished this religious identity thing!

And in next post, you say No religion is the best religion. I fully agree. It is best that we keep our religion to ourselves, within the boundaries of our homes, temples, mosques. Nobody could put it better than you.

Ras saheb:

I am perplexed by the title - Islam is a religion and USA a country, so wouldn`t it make more sense to ask whether Islam and Christianity/Judaism/Buddhism can bridge the gap; or alternatively, can Muslims be good Americans?

As a non-muslim who considers himself a humanist, I am ready to defend the right of every Muslim in this country, whether he or she is shia, sunni, ahmedia or just a cultural muslim. But I (and others like me) have no interest in defending Islam, nor do I have any interest in defending Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Judaism. I think that this task should be left to the Mullahs, Pundits, Priests, Bhais, Rabbis or other thekedars of religions.

The distinction is important - most vocal Muslims have tended to defend their relgion rather than their rights as individual citizens - they talk about how Islam is the religion of peace and tolerance and OBL and his followers are not true Muslims, instead of insisting of simply demanding their right as Americans. Jews have succeeded in getting the sympathy of the world not by complaining that the world is against their religion but by complaining that they have suffered due to anti-semitism.

Imagine Muslims thugs had repeatedly invaded America for thousand years, destroyed
churches and built mosques in their places, converted populations by force, zizya etc,
then split the western part of US claiming Christians would discriminate agains Muslims
when not in absolute helm of US, claiming they are part of Columbia civilization and
not Mississipi civilization exterminating christian population in that area, tried to foment
insurgency in Utah claiming it is unfinished business of some strange thing, then driven
planes into WTC on 9/11.
Wonder what would have been reaction of Americans to 9/11 attacks.

Re: # 13

Based on your theory there would be no americans left by then, so your question is irrelevant.

Strings will be playing in Oakland on June 4th!!!!!
ZINDA TOUR is almost here on the West Coast.
I`ll try and get the details on to the CHOWK Calender
if it is not there already.


For this report with pictures please visit

http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2006/May06/05/01.HTM



Now on the point of this writing: It is the job of a journalist to

cover all aspects of his or her community activity.

Whether it is Muslim organizations and their serious efforts

(I have covered AMA, UMA & AMV on a number of occasions)

or progressive writers or film makers, fundraisers etc.

I think that I`ve done it all from Karachi Kamera to UMA.

(Please see my archives here on CHOWK).

On the philosophical level I agree with Dost -Mittar, Mantolives

and Zeena. But the community needs to have all of its voices

heard. Maybe Zeena can write a full article on her thoughts here

on CHOWK?

I think that Dr. Muqtedar Khan was quite interesting at this event.

And on stage the only Pakistani that I know of was Emcee Omar Khan.

The rest were mainly Indian-Americans and one person from Egypt (amongst

the Muslims).

Ballukhan, if we live in the past we will never see the possibilities of

a bright future. Who did what to whom hundreds of years ago is

not helping anyone. On the other hand Gujarat and Kashmir need

to be addressed because they are more recent.

Ras

Poor Martin Luther King.....had he just had an opportunity to visit chowk he would have figured out that religion is a private affair, to be kept locked inside people`s homes!