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Why Do they Hate America ?? |
A glimpse of the horror that
took place Tuesday morning. A day of fear, loss, grief and anger. A
tragedy for our entire community Muslim and non-Muslim. Who could have committed such evil? What kind of soul could perpetrate such hatred? As news came out it was clear. The blame would be placed squarely at the feat of America's Great Satan: Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden. Calls for restraint and care were drowned out by the lust, though understandable, for revenge. The bearded, sweaty terrorists of every Americans worst nightmare were brought to the fore. It was simple, the enemy was one, the enemy was us (Muslims). But whoever the perpetrator, whoever is ultimately responsible, we must ask ourselves, "Where in the human soul lay the source of such hatred?" "What could produce such utter desperation and disregard for life?" Without doubt. Tuesday's events didn't appear out of a vacuum. We can never justify or rationalize such a tragedy, but we must attempt to understand WHY ! Yesterday, I discussed this with a teacher. She also though that obscuring the lessons of this tragedy with labels and oversimplifications would only increase the loss. The reality is that Tuesday's tragedy, a reprehensible crime against humanity, is an expressions of years of pent up frustration, despair, anger and resentment against the United States. To call the attackers 'crazy', 'senseless', or 'mindless' is to miss the point. The attackers must have been anything but. To lost sight of the context out of which such hatred could flow is to only set the stage for greater tragedies. If we allow ourselves the easy option of dehumanizing the attackers in our minds, as they must have dehumanized their victims before they ended their lives, then we aid and escalate the cycle of reciprocal violence and lead humanity to darkness beyond imagination. Were the attackers really so much different than the average American? Retired General Norman Schwartzkopf seemed to think so. In a recent televised interview he said, "In Iraq we went to great length to avoid civilian casualties .. but these bastards went after civilians. That's the difference between us and them." But is this the truth, or is this what we'd like be believe about ourselves? In a mid-nineteen nineties interview, CBS Reporter Lesley Stahl questioned the then US Ambassador to the UN, Madeleine Albright, on the post-war sanctions against Iraq : "We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, That's more children that died in HIROSHIMA. And -and you know, is the price worth it?" Albright's reply, "I think this is very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it." Stahl won both an Emmy and a Dupont-Columbia journalism award for this report, but Albright's comment went virtually unremarked in the U.S. ( Though it received considerable attention in the Middle East). Within six months, Madeleine Albright was unanimously approved by the Senate as U.S. Secretary of State. Price? Price? A heavy and grave price indeed that lives of five hundred thousands innocent children each with dreams and hopes of their own. Aspirations for their young lives. Laughing and loving sweet things and comfort. Loving play and being naughty just like American children. How could we (as Americans) allow ourselves to be silent while they died? Did we turn our eyes from their humanity and worth? Did we not indeed commit an unimaginable atrocity? Are we really any different than the perpetrator of tueasdays attack ? They cried to their mothers for food and comfort. Mothers who could do nothing but tell them who had done this to them. Telling them who had been responsible for the pains in their stomachs. What would you do if this was how your little one had died? What would you be capable of? But America told the world that deformities the disease and death were 'Worth no price'. No, these children were raised not on milk, BUT ON THE BREAST OF BURNING HATE. Waiting to express itself in an unthinkable explosion of revenge and vindication. But let there be no question in the minds of our neighbors, coworkers and friends - The Muslim community stands with you in condemnation of this offense against you. As we stand with the children of Iraq. As we stand with the dispossessed of Palestine. As we stand with all who have been wronged. Many of us know all too well the taste of lives lost. Ones whom we loved. Ones for whom we cried tears. Ones whose joy and laughter we miss so dearly. Robert Fisk, a well known
reporter in the Independent wrote a report towards understanding this
tragedy. He said :
... And there will be,
inevitably, and quite immorally, an attempt to obscure the historical
wrongs and the injustices that lie behind yesterday's firestorms. We
will be told about "mindless terrorism", the "mindless" bit being
essential if we are not to realize how hated America has become in the
land of the birth of three great religions.
Eight years ago, I helped to make a television series that tried to explain why so many Muslims had come to hate the West. Last night, I remembered some of those Muslims in that film, their families burnt by American-made bombs and weapons. They talked about how no one would help them but God. Theology versus technology, the suicide bomber against the nuclear power. Now we have learnt what this means" We must work towards greater mutual understanding. We must listen to each other. We must humanize one another, and this cannot be done at a distance. We cannot afford let bombs teach this moment.
It is imperative that the
Muslims join together as one, for it is through this joining that the
Almighty and Wise shall make us strong. It's them imperative that we set
our course unto spreading understanding and Mercy. And neutralizing
enmity, hate and ignorance. A Message
From An American Soldier’s Mother
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