Changing Muslim Hearts

Amen Sister!

Anne:

welcome back!

you have said it more eloquently than i do in a rambling oblique fashion...

--leave heavenly injunctions and dogmas aside....it is our mess, we got to clean it up ourselves

more power to you!

lve

t

Glad to read a practical perspective by a Muslim mother on the current state of affairs.

One wonders what must be going on in the minds of the mothers who were on the receiving end of hearing about their sons` acts in London, New York, Madrid and elsewhere.

Dear Anne,

Noble sentiments! But what took some of us so long to realize what many generations of immigrants have known and been doing for centuries?

[Teach newly naturalized citizens the language, the culture, the ways of being an upstanding citizen. And how about some anti-violence, anti-terrorism classes thrown in for good measure?]

All that information IS currently available, and has been that way for a long while – especially since the internet became available. There is no reason to ask Immigration to do what individuals should be doing on their own (language, etc.).

One of the things many immigrant groups ought to leave at the door is the attitude of expecting a government that would run their lives and do things which THEY need to do on their own.

Dear Anne,
good piece and the sentiments behind it are in the right piece. as you watched the unspeakable crime against humanity and heard your 15 year old son say ``it sucks to be a muslim``. do you think 15 year old american (read caucasian/christian) kids say that when they watch CNN where it shows that 20,000 Iraqis died? I dont think so. The issue is that as a friend of mine said, ``Muslims are the new black people in America``.

Far more people have died all over the world and still do than did in NY at 9-11. I think 9-11 was a terrible atrocity but it should be kept in perspective. 3,000 dead as opposed to the million dead in Rawanda in ONE month alone. Sure they werent Americans but they were human beings.

Just because 9-11 happened doesnt mean that every thinking Muslim goes into overdrive trying to explain that Muslims arent all rabid fanatics. When Timothy McViegh was convicted I dont recall his redneck brothers and sisters talking about how all hicks werent bad.

I really think you should keep things in perspective for your 15 year old if nothing else. He needs to grow up with a broader perspective rather than trying to defend who he is.

ofcourse it`s our mess and we have to clean it up, but the world being a mess isnt entirely our fault either. the bottom line is that there is a problem where we have a major role but then the powers to be also have an equal role to play.

rumpus.

fantastic!

You have simply yet eloquently said what so many people think, muslim and non-muslim alike.
Terrorism and all the other hate crimes are not just caused by extremist groups, but also the attitude that is inherent within us all.

If schoolchildren and their parents were encouraged to explore the joys of integration, and to reject xenophobia, then at last things might change.

Well done.

This thread was read 364 times and there are 6-7 posts.
That certainly speaks about the popularity of your message Mrs. Shamim with the Muslims.

Would you tell your Pakistani brothers in Queens and Dallas to walk openly on the streets with banners and placards condemning UBL and suicide bombings?

Thanks Anne. You`ve cut to the heart of the matter and done it so well.

Your article reminded me of this family I peripherally knew a while ago. They were refugees who had got asylum here (I forget which Arab country. sorry) and their kids were born and brought up here. They were not allowed to have any American friends, the girls wore hijab from the time they were like five years old. And they constantly bitched about America even though they had even spent time on public welfare and had even lived in public housing. I think I met them somewhere just once and was so disgusted and disturbed by their constant complaints about the country (that has is own faults) that had given them refuge, a place to stay, food to eat, an opportunity to begin a new life.

I know there are more of these folks who marginalize themselves and consider themselves superior to the US and to Americans. So bombing evil Americans is no great tragedy to them.

I believe they are the minorty but still they are a sad and scary reality and as Muslims we have to decide who do we let speak for us? These ghettoized Mullah types ever ready with their jihad or moderate, reasonable, educated human beings who are not scared of analyzing themselves?

This does not mean America and the West does not have problems or that their policies are great but we cannot forever intersperse the ``but`` when talking of Islamic extremism and violence.

I wish more people were interacting on this board. Oh well!

#5

The muslim problem is only with non-muslims killing muslims, let me illustrate:

(Muslims v/s Pagans)
- Sudanese muslims killing christians and animists - A-OK
- Pakistani terrorists killng Indians - Allah-Hu-Akhar

(Muslims killing muslims)
- Pakistanis killing Bengalis - You know it happens, there were also ... you know, they wear lungi`s and eat fish, man they were asking for it.
- Sudanese in Darfur - you know they are kinda dark, cant be real muslims

The only problem is when Kansas homeboys are blowing up the mosque minaret to get the sniper or the Hindu soldieris who switches to full auto and sprays bullets around.

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Thanks for your (mostly) kind words. Just a note: this essay appeared as an Op-Ed piece in the NY Daily News (not Daily Times, as noted in the footnote at the bottom).

I and some other friends and family members hope to begin some kind of organized effort to help Muslims (immigrants and children and grandchildren of immigrants) assimilate and become positive, forward-thinking, and productive members of our adopted country. If we gather any heat, we`ll call upon you good chowkies for your open minds and hearts....

Peace.

Re: # 12
Are you the ana from Oregon? just curious?

Re: # 13

No, I`m afraid not. I live in the Northeast.

I`ve been bleating about this but have been either ignored or derided for saying so.But, when are other muslims gonna learn from indian muslims??.Indian muslims, the second largest diaspora in the islamic world, have made a mark in all spheres of human endeavor, in their homeland and abroad and as indian citizens, welcome in all the nations of the world , without let or hindrance.

From our President, various federal ministers,Governors, CM`s, officials, artists, musicians and technocrats, IMs have become brand ambassadors of India all over the world.Living amongst our diverse population , which they are a part of, they have learnt tolerance of others, while imbibing their doctrinare faith.They, i believe, have struck the right balance between faith and practice.Only Colin Powell made a public comment about indian muslims in a positive way, while attending a hearing in Congress on islamic extremism.He said India has almost 200 million muslim citizens, yet they don`t get involved in wanton acts of hatred.

India has the second largest Shia population after Iran.Yet you don`t see sectarian violence, like in Pakistan and other islamic nations.I do not for one moment, purport to be a spokesman for indian muslims.I only state what i feel in support of my indian muslim brothers and sisters. In India, due to open nature of our society, we have space for all.We listen to the stern warnings of our priests, mullahs, pastors and gurus , keep them happy and then go on our merry way and do our own thing.The state offers us the protections and civil liberties that the religious zealots cannot impose on us.Only the Supreme Court Justices of India have the final word on our well being.All this is worth consideration by pakistan, if it wants to change it`s image , undo the damage and become a progressive member of the international community.

Re: # 14
Are you related to WW2 veteran(RIAF) veteran?