trouble to pen such a letter. It was odd how defensive he felt. Didnât he have a perfect right to express himself?
The Los Angeles Times , of course, would review his letter and chances were it would be turned down. Most letters to the section were. But the submission itself would be another factor in his dramatic change into a supporter of Muslim causes. He was just expressing the viewpoint of a concerned non-Muslim American, which were hardly the ranting of some rabid activist. He could certainly cite the letter to Abra. He had made another date with her and this time he hoped to meet her uncle, the imam. She would be pleased by his letter ; the imam was another story.
Christians, Jews, and other religious minorities are subject to various indignities in some Islamic countries, and this is to be deplored. But why should the United States, which supposedly has higher and more humane standards, expose its Muslim community to an even greater outrage. Corrosive suspicion that jihadism lurks in every American Muslim heart and mind has materialized, abetted by the unfortunate McCarthy-like antics shown in committee hearings in Washington. No American Muslim is safe from this unspoken but nagging doubt, stoked by the political fear-mongers with their false sense of duty. They sow latent discord with their mistaken notion, that anyone in the Islamic community, particularly the youth, are credible if not likely domestic recruits to attempt acts of terrorism.
The upshot of this insidious furor is to make American Muslims feel like second-class citizens in their own country. It isnât fair. It isnât American. And it ought to be stopped in its tracks.
Japanese-Americans were mistreated in World War II, though the Nisei units were commended for their bravery in the European theater. Eventually, the country apologized for its unnecessary internment of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps during the war and made belated reparations to survivors. History has a way of repeating itself. Will we be apologizing to the Muslim community in coming years for our shameful behavior to them now?
Satisfied with the theme, and his language, Ray printed an extra copy to show Abra and sealed an envelope holding another copy to be sent to the Los Angeles Times . Chances were it would be turned down, and if it ran, it would be truncated and heavily edited. But it would have his name!
The same points, now clearly stated, were going to be used in every blog on the Internet he could find. He still had letters to write to his political representatives including the governor of California, his congressman, and both senators. Another copy went into his electronic journal file. Comments on Abra, the fairy tale book, and now the letter were printed with the electronic version then duly deleted. But he hadnât decided yet where to stick the hard copy of his journal for safekeeping.
Nuisance or gadfly, he was going to make a name for himself in his drive to become a Muslim. Now it was Abra, more than Perkins and his monthly stipend, that was spurring him on.
Chapter 13
Abra came to his apartment on their second date, and Ray was glad that he had the foresight to give his apartment a thorough cleaning. He wasnât a slob, but his experience, gained with some embarrassment, was that girls generally had higher standards of cleanliness. For all he knew he might violate some Islamic notion of tidiness.
He couldnât risk going astray with anything on the roster of what Islam prohibited.
The more he read the Islamic hadiths , the sayings and admonitions of Mohammed that guided the faithful, the more he understood how the religion affected every part of a Muslimâs life. That is, if they were truly faithful, and that he had to doubt. Catholics didnât do everything the Pope wanted. Jews flouted the Talmud daily. Why should Muslims be different in their adherence to the Qurâan? Meanwhile, he was still wading through the
The Los Angeles Times , of course, would review his letter and chances were it would be turned down. Most letters to the section were. But the submission itself would be another factor in his dramatic change into a supporter of Muslim causes. He was just expressing the viewpoint of a concerned non-Muslim American, which were hardly the ranting of some rabid activist. He could certainly cite the letter to Abra. He had made another date with her and this time he hoped to meet her uncle, the imam. She would be pleased by his letter ; the imam was another story.
Christians, Jews, and other religious minorities are subject to various indignities in some Islamic countries, and this is to be deplored. But why should the United States, which supposedly has higher and more humane standards, expose its Muslim community to an even greater outrage. Corrosive suspicion that jihadism lurks in every American Muslim heart and mind has materialized, abetted by the unfortunate McCarthy-like antics shown in committee hearings in Washington. No American Muslim is safe from this unspoken but nagging doubt, stoked by the political fear-mongers with their false sense of duty. They sow latent discord with their mistaken notion, that anyone in the Islamic community, particularly the youth, are credible if not likely domestic recruits to attempt acts of terrorism.
The upshot of this insidious furor is to make American Muslims feel like second-class citizens in their own country. It isnât fair. It isnât American. And it ought to be stopped in its tracks.
Japanese-Americans were mistreated in World War II, though the Nisei units were commended for their bravery in the European theater. Eventually, the country apologized for its unnecessary internment of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps during the war and made belated reparations to survivors. History has a way of repeating itself. Will we be apologizing to the Muslim community in coming years for our shameful behavior to them now?
Satisfied with the theme, and his language, Ray printed an extra copy to show Abra and sealed an envelope holding another copy to be sent to the Los Angeles Times . Chances were it would be turned down, and if it ran, it would be truncated and heavily edited. But it would have his name!
The same points, now clearly stated, were going to be used in every blog on the Internet he could find. He still had letters to write to his political representatives including the governor of California, his congressman, and both senators. Another copy went into his electronic journal file. Comments on Abra, the fairy tale book, and now the letter were printed with the electronic version then duly deleted. But he hadnât decided yet where to stick the hard copy of his journal for safekeeping.
Nuisance or gadfly, he was going to make a name for himself in his drive to become a Muslim. Now it was Abra, more than Perkins and his monthly stipend, that was spurring him on.
Chapter 13
Abra came to his apartment on their second date, and Ray was glad that he had the foresight to give his apartment a thorough cleaning. He wasnât a slob, but his experience, gained with some embarrassment, was that girls generally had higher standards of cleanliness. For all he knew he might violate some Islamic notion of tidiness.
He couldnât risk going astray with anything on the roster of what Islam prohibited.
The more he read the Islamic hadiths , the sayings and admonitions of Mohammed that guided the faithful, the more he understood how the religion affected every part of a Muslimâs life. That is, if they were truly faithful, and that he had to doubt. Catholics didnât do everything the Pope wanted. Jews flouted the Talmud daily. Why should Muslims be different in their adherence to the Qurâan? Meanwhile, he was still wading through the
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