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QAR
November 2009 
Prejudice Does Not Bring Peace
Posted on Aug 17th, 2006
by 
Jamilah
Jamilah
Last week the headlines screamed the news of a major terrorist plot against the United States. Bottled water, along with makeup and toiletries, became taboo while flying. People stood in lines and gladly gave up their goods for the sake of security.
For the past week there has been a daily report of terror alerts. A suspicious package in Washington state. Three men buying cell phones. A New Hampshire woman on a trans-Atlantic flight. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
The suspected terrorists are, of course, Muslims. Now some are calling for the profiling of all Muslims--including women with children. Safety is more important than rights.
You know that I am a Muslim, and I can safely say that the vast majority of us are just normal people trying to raise our families and navigate the perils of daily life. You know, things like taxes, rising gas prices, and keeping our cars running. Not to mention the toils of teething, terrible twos, and teens.
If all of the accused are actually terrorists, they would still account for less than 1% of all Muslims, who total over one billion worldwide. The rest of us, the 99%, are harmless. Sometimes annoying or prone to emotional expressions--we are human--but harmless.
Prejudice has never brought peace. And it never will. Later generations learn how wrong the prejudicial feelings were, and silently curse their ancestors. None of us is proud of slavery, the "Indian wars," or the Holocaust. But all were popular in their day, supported by the certainties of prejudice.
In spreading the message of peace we must encourage communication and understanding. Not a knee-jerk response to a perceived threat, but a true attempt to learn and know.
For the past week there has been a daily report of terror alerts. A suspicious package in Washington state. Three men buying cell phones. A New Hampshire woman on a trans-Atlantic flight. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
The suspected terrorists are, of course, Muslims. Now some are calling for the profiling of all Muslims--including women with children. Safety is more important than rights.
You know that I am a Muslim, and I can safely say that the vast majority of us are just normal people trying to raise our families and navigate the perils of daily life. You know, things like taxes, rising gas prices, and keeping our cars running. Not to mention the toils of teething, terrible twos, and teens.
If all of the accused are actually terrorists, they would still account for less than 1% of all Muslims, who total over one billion worldwide. The rest of us, the 99%, are harmless. Sometimes annoying or prone to emotional expressions--we are human--but harmless.
Prejudice has never brought peace. And it never will. Later generations learn how wrong the prejudicial feelings were, and silently curse their ancestors. None of us is proud of slavery, the "Indian wars," or the Holocaust. But all were popular in their day, supported by the certainties of prejudice.
In spreading the message of peace we must encourage communication and understanding. Not a knee-jerk response to a perceived threat, but a true attempt to learn and know.
Access: Public
