A Rock and A Hard Place.
I do not know the person who wrote it, but I have interacted with them on Facebook. The last time I conversed with this person, they told me that victims of sexual assault are culpable for the crimes committed against them. That if they were assaulted it is because "they were asking for it." I cannot begin to unpack the ignorance and cruelty of this comment...
It's easy to say call this ignorant, hateful, Islamophobic garbage. And it is. But I think the family member who wanted me to read it did so because they are fearful. They want people (white Christian people) to be aware and do whatever it takes to eliminate what they see as a threat.
Us against Them. Inside vs Outsider.
Of course, if they thought through the implications of what is being said here, they might very well (and rightly) distance themselves from it. For instance, to support this person's conclusions, one must make the following mental leaps:
1) The person making this phone call is legitimate. That means that a real Pakistani con-artist called up an American (who happens to be a hardcore right winger) and when they pushed back just a little, freely divulged their desire to take down America. Like the bad guy in a Bond film, this "middle eastern man" was ready and willing to lay out his evil schemes. Putting aside for the moment that conservative superpacs are well known for making fake calls to harden right wing voters, real "bad guys" don't do this, not ever, and definitely not to a "random American" who just happens to hate Muslim people already.
2) All followers of Islam are violent and want people who disagree with them to die. This would include Cat Stevens, Muhammad Ali, Malala Yusufzai, Nora Jones, Zayn Malik, Dave Chappelle - the list goes on forever. This conclusion tells me a few things: you don't know any Muslim people; you don't know anything about Islam; you believe and perpetuate stereotypes; you don't care about evidence or facts. Confirmation bias, the tendency to interpret evidence (however scant) as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories, keeps us from considering any perspective other than our own, which is why being in relationship with people you don't understand is absolutely key to overcoming ignorance.
3) You don't support the first amendment of the constitution, which says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." To argue that "we don't need any of these sweet people in our country" is to argue that followers of Islam should not have the right to practice their faith or even exist within the boundaries of the United States because of their religion affiliation. Put plainly, this sentiment is unconstitutional and unpatriotic. I could go through and name the hundreds of violent extremists that subscribe to Christianity, but the list is far too long to include here. But think Dylan Roof, IRA, abortion clinic bombings, the inquisition, KKK, etc...
When it comes to the ignorance and bitterness of Republican politics, I am tempted to either hit back or ignore it completely.Hitting back never feels good. Plus, it's not an effective way to change minds and hearts.
On the other hand, ignoring it is a sign of my privilege. I can ignore Islamophobia because I am not Muslim. I don't have to deal with the social stigma of wearing a hijab, or the general suspicion surrounding my faith. I don't have to worry about being threatened, or discriminated against, or having my rights taken away.
Moreover, hearkening back to my last post, the people my family member is so willing to label as violent outsiders are my friends and colleagues. They are the children I worked with in England. The people who welcomed me into their homes and laid a feast before me in grateful appreciation.
Silence on these matters is complicity. It is betrayal. It is, as the saying goes, violence.
So where do we go from here? How do we our maintain relationships and stay true to our deepest values? How do teach connection and empathy?
I don't have any answers or insights. I feel pretty lost on this one. At the very least - and I do mean very least- I think it's important to reflect on these questions and continue examining our own assumptions and biases.
God grant us understanding and peace.
"Hitting back never feels good. Plus, it's not an effective way to change minds and hearts."
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