I remember attending an event for Zaytuna College recently, and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf saying that American Muslims owe a big debt and apology to black American Muslims. And I realized how honest and true that statement was. We- immigrants from Middle East and Asia- started coming here in the 60’s and 70’s, benefited through our educational backgrounds and the opportunities here in the US, but never stopped once to build connections and community with the Muslims that were already here, many of whom had reverted to their original faith hundreds of years after being brought here so violently, and treated so violently. And while there is always time to rebuild and heal, it is still a form of racism that has to be acknowledged.
And now as I hear about racist remarks about our outgoing President and First Lady, the latest one from a major in West Virginia about how happy they are that there is finally a “stylish” lady in the White House- how does an uneducated model become stylish compared to the most intelligent and genuine and classy First Lady in decades? The Trump victory had let loose floodgates of hate, and now my feelings of outrage are spilling over at this race rage that won’t leave the American heart.
How could you feel so much hate towards those to whom so much wrong has been done? Where is your love for Christ and how does it translate into love of your fellow human being? Do you not feel any compunction or pangs of conscience for what you have done to African Americans throughout history? Do you even feel anything towards the American Indians who you obliterated to steal their rich lands? What is it in you that harbors so much hate towards a race that you oppressed and ruled and possessed and tortured and even now continue to treat lesser than yourselves? How do policemen armed to the teeth military style get away with saying they were “afraid” of an unarmed black man sitting in a car with his girlfriend and baby daughter? How is that possible? You continue to lecture Germany about the Jewish Holocaust even to this day as more and more movies are spun about the Nazi era, but where is your atonement for your own sins?
Does being great again mean being mean? Do we have to hate and hurt to be great again? And if we look at the Mideast mess, largely created by our own devils in Washington DC, instead of compassion for refugees there is again more hate and fear. How do you fear a family whose homes were wiped out and all they want is food, clothing and shelter? What lack of compassion, what lack of humanity this is.
To my fellow Americans that heal, I say thank you and to my fellow Americans that hate, I hope you find your nobler selves some day soon.
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