My friend Christopher, an interfaith activist and speaker, posted this horrific video on Facebook yesterday. Since then, I have been unable to get it out of my mind.
Last semester, I took a class I lovingly named my "isms" class, as we discussed racism, sexism, homophobia, white privilege, and more. Yet somehow, going to school in the white enclave of Boulder, and living in an area where I literally never see anyone in a head scarf, we did not really touch on anti-Muslim sentiment. In my naivete, I had not realized how dangerously vitriolic our society has become in places.
http://www.loonwatch.com/2011/03/shocking-anti-muslim-hate-video-in-orange-county-california/
The video speaks for itself in many ways. The dignified, upright Muslims walking into their charity event (to raise money for domestic violence awareness and battered women's shelters) ignore the shrieking mob outside their building. As the largely Caucasian crowd shouts, "Terrorists! Terrorists!" and frightens the small children walking into the event, I have to wonder who the terrorists are. Certainly not the calm, stoic Muslims hoping to raise money for women's issues.
Muslim children are yelled at, told to go home- though in all likelihood, they were born here. They are told they are terrorists. They are told they are not wanted. Their parents are treated with disrespect. We would be shocked if any of these children eventually became terrorists. Yet, what are we expecting, when they are vilified publicly from such a young age? Of course, most of them will not become terrorists. Most of them will just grow up to live in fear of prejudice, and shame for their background and their religion. Most of them will never know what it's like to feel genuinely safe and accepted in a public place. This seems like the greatest tragedy of all.
And there were elected officials, representatives of the American government there. Praising this hatred, prejudice, and cruelty.
It took me a while to even figure out why there was a protest at this event. I doubt most of the protesters knew- they just wanted an outlet for their hatred and fear. Evidently two of the speakers at the benefit have questionable connections in the Muslim world. Yet there is no mention of that in the protest. It is all generalizations of anger and cruelty. In one extremely ironic instance, the Muslim men are accused of beating their wives- even though they are attending a benefit to raise awareness for wife battering. I wonder if the protesters even knew why the Muslims were gathering.
I could probably say much more. Now, I cannot. But as I said, the video speaks for itself.
Last semester, I took a class I lovingly named my "isms" class, as we discussed racism, sexism, homophobia, white privilege, and more. Yet somehow, going to school in the white enclave of Boulder, and living in an area where I literally never see anyone in a head scarf, we did not really touch on anti-Muslim sentiment. In my naivete, I had not realized how dangerously vitriolic our society has become in places.
http://www.loonwatch.com/2011/03/shocking-anti-muslim-hate-video-in-orange-county-california/
The video speaks for itself in many ways. The dignified, upright Muslims walking into their charity event (to raise money for domestic violence awareness and battered women's shelters) ignore the shrieking mob outside their building. As the largely Caucasian crowd shouts, "Terrorists! Terrorists!" and frightens the small children walking into the event, I have to wonder who the terrorists are. Certainly not the calm, stoic Muslims hoping to raise money for women's issues.
Muslim children are yelled at, told to go home- though in all likelihood, they were born here. They are told they are terrorists. They are told they are not wanted. Their parents are treated with disrespect. We would be shocked if any of these children eventually became terrorists. Yet, what are we expecting, when they are vilified publicly from such a young age? Of course, most of them will not become terrorists. Most of them will just grow up to live in fear of prejudice, and shame for their background and their religion. Most of them will never know what it's like to feel genuinely safe and accepted in a public place. This seems like the greatest tragedy of all.
And there were elected officials, representatives of the American government there. Praising this hatred, prejudice, and cruelty.
It took me a while to even figure out why there was a protest at this event. I doubt most of the protesters knew- they just wanted an outlet for their hatred and fear. Evidently two of the speakers at the benefit have questionable connections in the Muslim world. Yet there is no mention of that in the protest. It is all generalizations of anger and cruelty. In one extremely ironic instance, the Muslim men are accused of beating their wives- even though they are attending a benefit to raise awareness for wife battering. I wonder if the protesters even knew why the Muslims were gathering.
I could probably say much more. Now, I cannot. But as I said, the video speaks for itself.
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