The New American Terrorists Date Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 08:14 AM PST Topic Icky People Fatima was back in class yesterday. I'd been watching for her on campus since the 11th, when the newscasters first mentioned the name Osama bin Laden and the Muslim students at my community college seemed to disappear. The Muslim Student Association, a vibrant and active group which sponsors Ramadan celebration dinners and exhibits of Islamic art, had temporarily vaporized as Muslims all over the country retreated to their houses in fear. Most Americans spent their National Day of Prayer and Remembrance either praying for the World Trade Center victims or glued to the television, watching the tragic moments repeated countless times. A few probably slept in. Many parents gathered their kids in front of the ABC News childrens' special, where Peter Jennings, with the help of an Army colonel, an airline executive, a Muslim imam, a Baptist minister and several teachers and counselors, tried to explain the events. In Findlay, Ohio, someone drove a truck into a mosque, causing over $100,000 in damage. In Chicago, a crowd of angry Americans—descendents of immigrants—marched on a local Islamic center, chanting messages of hate, waving American flags. No wonder Fatima stayed home. I don't know many Muslims personally, but as I walked across campus and noticed the conspicuous absence of hijabs and long dresses, I found myself missing them all. I'm not a knee-jerk patriot either, but for me, those traditional outfits represented the best thing about America—the freedom to learn from people unlike ourselves. I read six or seven online news magazines daily, and I always skip to the Opinion and Editoral columns. For me, it's not enough to merely know what's happening. I want to know what others think about what's happening. Maybe someone else has dissected an issue in a way that never crossed my mind. Diversity? That word describes the mere existence of variety. Tolerance? That implies a grudging acceptance of variety, since it's not going away. When I see prayer rugs in the student lounge, I feel a deep appreciation for that variety. I've often wanted to sit down with those students and ask them about their beliefs. Perhaps they handle the challenges of American life in ways I hadn't thought of. Perhaps I could learn something from them. I cannot imagine how Muslims must feel to see their religion associated with terrorism and hatred in the minds of Americans who know nothing else about Islam. Maybe it compares to how I feel about my government's history of sending weapons and money to regimes that brutalize their own citizens, all in the name of "freedom". No wonder much of the world hates America. And now, much of America hates Islam, or what they erroneously think is Islam. So they drive trucks into houses of worship, and students like Fatima stay home behind locked doors. Yesterday I looked up some Islamic Web sites and was appalled at what I saw. People were posting hateful, threatening, vitriolic messages to forums they hadn't bothered to read before the attack on New York. As a Wiccan, I'm no stranger to religious intolerance, but the people who attack my faith usually have deeply held theological reasons. What I saw on these boards resembled a drunken riot; a frustrated, self-righteous mob throwing stones at bystanders, celebrating because they finally had an enemy. All I could do was post a few messages of my own, telling the Muslim subscribers that many non-Muslims are praying for their safety. Terrorists must be brought to justice. But justice does not mean war. And war should not be extended to our own citizens who cover their heads and pray to Allah for peace. This article comes from Shmeng http://www.shmeng.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=148