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On the Matter of Islamophobia, an Informal Thought

On the matter of Islamophobia, first, all religions seem to have a good side, bad side and ugly side.  No religion is free from this “sin” whether speaking of dogma and within its practitioners’ misguidance in applying their dogma.  For those afraid on anything Muslim, I am not sure where this is coming from and it’s confusing especially when it’s from people in rural or other areas where there is little or no contact with Muslims. Personally, I am afraid of any fanatics of any ideology, but a general fear of any group is the hallmark of hate at its purist.   Once again, we are not just a Christian nation, we are a nation of different religions and beliefs, cultures, languages, thoughts, races, creeds, colors, income classes, sexual orientation and gender identity.  This is who we truly are, we all are snowflakes, no two alike and on this planet for a very short time.  This diversity is what I most proud of in my nation, so I can’t understand other Americans who do not love this country for the same reason.  So any of you who feel so differently, why are you afraid?
  
Riding the train for 13 years to Downtown Chicago, I never was afraid that the train would be blown up by some radical Islamist, actually, I was more afraid of some middle class white guy who lost his job coming in with an automatic rifle and killing me and other commuters, especially in 2008 where a few of these white men where committing suicide by jumping in front of the trains.  It would be ridiculous to be afraid of white men when similar things like this happen, so why is not ridiculous when discussing Muslims?  So those of you in rural or small city America, why are you afraid?  Why so hateful?  9/11 traumatized a great deal of Americans, but New York City still (for the most part) has open arms.  So again, why are you all afraid? If the city that was most affected by this nightmare can be forgiving and move forward, then why is rural America so afraid?  I pick on rural America because this is where my family is living, who post memes hating a religion that they know nothing about or not even exposed to in their lives.  I do know that many who have Islamophobia live in all areas (cities, suburbs) of this nation, but my exposure for the hatefulness seems to come from rural family and friends, so again, why are you all afraid of a religion?

To favor policies that block immigrants from entering this nation based on religion and not individual merit is pathetic.  Anyone thinking they are “Christ-like” when favoring these policies is the furthest image of the man that I was raised to believe in my youth.  I am surrounded by all religions in my small city.  As an atheist, I try to be tolerant of all religions, and I know love is usually the core of many of these religions, whether that is Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, etc.  I have read a great deal about many of these religions, though I am not an expert, but it is my curiosity about them that I try to be informed about all of them.  But unfortunately, human beings utilize these religions to their own selfish means, sometimes they make new ones up for the same reasons (Scientology for example).  That means can be power, lust, wealth, notoriety, or any earthly reason that most of these religions condemn.  Our lives are too short to hate or despise others.  To stereotype is unforgivable and ignorant.  One of you tell me what are you afraid of with this religion?  As far as I’m concerned all religions are something to afraid of when it comes to applying human rights, but at the same time, religious people are leaders in human rights, like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.  A point to remember is that because a state claims to be a beacon for a certain religion doesn’t mean that it applies the positive aspects of the dogma, i.e. Israel and Saudi Arabia.

On the “Muslim Ban”, my thoughts is not researched but is from my human rights advocacy point of view. Most of the countries listed on this ban, well a few we have helped destroy, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, these three countries should not be on ANY list, as like it or not, this has become our (AMERICAN’s)responsibility. (At full disclosure, the “new” ban has taken off Iraq as one of the banned nations.)  My thought on originally banning Iraq and still Afghanistan, if WE, as a nation, did not want to be accountable to this, then WE should not supported wars in these nations.  (I will not mention Yemen).  I did not support the wars in any of these nations, but now we have destroyed them.  WE all claim that it’s not our responsibility, but WE are the ones who have destroyed them.  (Now we have ground troops in Syria, still think we are not responsible for the refugees?) So we can just walk away?  And when this imbecile starts a much desired war with Iran?  This will not be us also?  So you all can complain about letting refugees in our nation because we destroyed theirs in the name of oil or capitalism (sorry I meant “freedom”)? Which brings me to the point, Saudi Arabia is not on this list, why?  Well, it has nothing to do with religion.  So I guess the Saudis get to buy their exception from this ban? So even our prejudices are not even applied fairly, especially if these nations that have money. (Seems to be a common theme in our world, the people with money are above it all.) I do not advocate any ban, registry, or internment for any religion or group.   I live among many, maybe you all should do the same. To be afraid is human, but toward a whole group of people is hateful. Why are you all afraid?






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