Currently based in North Carolina, me and Zeinab went to visit the largest TV station in North Carolina, WRAL, who also include a blog-ish section called Go-lo, and they included a link to our blog
Some locals expressed some interest, others were less impressed. Naturally, I got into a bit of a, lets say, encounter with the skeptic who said:
"I've been out and missed a lot of the discussion but let me tell you where I'm coming from. Arabs for the most part are muslim. In my opinion all muslims are potential terrorist due to their upbringing, training, education, and religion. Most of the terrorist tragedies in the world in the last 20 years were perpetuated by insane muslims. They have no respect for anyone except their own beliefs. As long as we're giving they take but then they don't reciprocate. Again, I don't see where their opinion about our elections matters one bit."
Because I was annoyed, and because indeed this was the first unfriendly remark i'd received here in the all-too friendly American south, I tried to be diplomatic in reply:
"Dear Mohawk, im one of the bloggers on the collective blog that angela was talking about and who WRAL was nice enough to invite for a visit of the station. Am i supposed to ignore your offense remark? Following your logic, or at least your example, I have every reason to believe that every american is a xenophobic, narrow minded, stubborn racist. However, Ill choose not to make stereotypes, and ill try to take the example of the other, friendlier americans ive met here in North Carolina to make a more informed impression about American society. I advise you to do the same, not just about muslims, but for the sake of how you seem to see americans too. everyone else, please check the blog! and we appreciate the feedback."
Our friend, named after an outdated and mishaped hair cut was quick to retort:
"Dear Egydiva, I am not a racist, never have been, never will be. I base my opinions on facts and my own life experiences. Muslims at the present time present a danger to the world that only a fool can ignore. I don't know what the answer is but I do know I don't want their opinion inserted into my country's presidential decision making process. I can forgive but not forget. I recommend you do some soul searching and research of your own.PS: I checked out the blog which is a slap in the face at the American political system. It's all onesided. I apalled that WRAL would even consider providing a link to it."
Thanks for the heads up Mohawak, Ill be sure to renounce my terrorist ways (despite that they are intrinsically instilled in me genetically) and stay out of American presidential business, just like the americans have stayed out of mine.
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غريبه جدا
بيقول ان معظم الهجمات الارهابية في العشرين سنة الاخيرة عملها مسلمين
طيب ويا تري ايه نسبه ضحايا الحروب في العشرين سنة الاخيرة اللى عملتها امريكا
ونسبة ضحايا الحروب اللى ماتوا بسلاح امريكى في العشرين سنة الاخيرة؟
Mohawks are not just haircuts. They are also a whole chunk of North America's indigenous people who were almost wiped out by people who were not Muslim.
(This was my reply to Mohawk on GoLo)
Generalizing about a whole race or religious community sounds racist to me. I'm sure the KKK think that their ideas about non-whites are based on "fact" as well. After all, what is racism but a delusional hatred bred out of insecurity and the need for an enemy "other."? The Protocols of the elders of Zion were circulated in Europe for a good century as fact as well. We all know how that one ended. So your fact based racism is really pathetic and outrageously offensive to me.
I am Muslim and Arab, but last time I checked I wasn't as much of a danger to anyone's life as an American soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I am not sure what I am supposed to search my soul for either.I neither support terrorism ("Islamic" or otherwise) which has cost thousands of innocent lives, nor large scale wars conducted by the leaders of the so called free world which have cost scores more (Maybe Mohawk needs to do his own research).
I would also LOVE to know what it is that us ungrateful Muslims and Arabs have taken from the USA but have not reciprocated. Last I checked most Muslims and Arabs were getting political domination, cultural infiltration, economic exploitation and bombs. I don't believe in that kind of reciprocal relationship, thank you.
Mohawk, I am apalled that you feel that you have the right to tell me that my opinion doesn't count. But silly me, I forgot that only the United States of America gets to have an opinon about and an army base in every corner of the world.
I think America is a a very cool country with very cool people and and an impressive democracy, despite its flaws. I also think blowing people up sucks.
This doesn't mean that I appreciate American interference in my country's affairs, and US-led violence in the Middle East. It also doen't mean that I am not Arab or Muslim and very very proud.
This is neither an attack on American values, nor a defense of violence. Again, America is a great country, with much to offer the world. But it is people like you on both sides who fuel the hatred, violence and prejudices which lead to the loss of innocent life, whether the final trigger is that of a US tank or an insurgent's AK 47.
Yasir- thanks for that information.
حقيقة شئ جميل ان اقرأ ردود بهذه الجدية لثلاثة من مدوني هذه المدونة في هذا البوست بالتحديد
من الجيد انه لم يكن في هذا الموقف اخرون ممن هم بينكم والا لكنا سمعنا كلاما اخر ربما
شكرا لكم
Take comments like Mohawk's with a grain of salt. There are many of us who are less closed minded and try not to make rash assumptions about people that we don't even know.
Glad you're having a good trip!
me too as a Coptic live in Egypt based on my experience and my life here can tell that Muslim is always a potential terrorists, yes there is innocent Muslims but those was 1% of all of the Muslim i know.
why you think guys when we say this we are doing a kind of a conspiracy against you??
yes bad people in every place but iam afraid they are very scary large percentage among Muslims.
Egyptian, as a muslim egyptian living in egypt with lots of christian friends, im curious to hear you qualify that statement: how do you define "potential to be a terrorist"? what do you mean?
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