The wedding was incredible, easily the best day of my life. The honeymoon was a continuation of just that; 2 weeks in heaven to start off a wonderful marriage. I've got lots to talk about both of those matters, but given the significance of today's date I'm going to talk about one particular thing that happened while we were off on our honeymoon.
We were returning to our hotel one night and as we got out of the cab and walked to the entrance of the hotel a young guy (I'd say late 20s) holding a drink came up alongside me and said "hey pal." I looked at him at which point he said "I thought you were Osama's brother." I ignored him and walked away.
Now I was born in this country, I'm a U.S. citizen, I pay my taxes, I donate to charities, I vote, I contribute to the economy, I love my country and I wouldn't rather move to any other place, yet for the first time in my life I felt foreign than night. I felt unwelcome in the country that I had the right to be in, I had just as much right to be there as the guy who made me feel so very wrong for being there yet because of his one line I felt like I truly didn't belong. I didn't think something like that would bother me so much, after all I'm pretty good about taking things as light hearted as possible, but that one incident struck home.
And I began to wonder, had I just been really lucky since 9/11? Were there more people like him who would see me and based on the color of my skin would brand me a terrorist? What made me any less of an American than him? Haven't we been through this before? I thought the civil rights movement brought forth the idea that we can't just single out a group of people based on the color of their skin. For the first time in my life I wanted to leave, I wanted to be at home and I didn't want that home to be here.
It may not seem like much, after all it was just a 5 second interaction with some drunk jerk; drunk people say things all the time, get over it right? Well I am over it, but that isn't to say that I'm afraid of something like that happening again. I've said it before, that it all boils down to education and understanding of people and cultures other than our own.
Muslims don't hate Americans, that's just not how things work. My mom is a muslim and she'd never hurt a fly, she cried at 9/11, she donated to the relief fund, she condemned those who did it - just like everyone else. She isn't a fanatic, I'd say she follows the Qua-ran like many people follow the Bible, she doesn't interpret it strictly but she takes it to be a set of morals that she attempts to uphold in her daily life. And to those who don't believe it, must muslims are just like that. They don't walk around with AK-47s plotting ways to attack the West, they lead normal lives and have normal families just like everyone else. I've been to Iran around 5 times now, the only current example of a true Islamic state - did I see people running through the streets plotting to kill Americans? No, I saw normal people doing normal things. Sure their customs are different, but none of those customs include hating Americans. Yet I read through some of the discussions that happen online, even in our own forums, and I'm disgusted. I read statements of people who are clearly ignorant of what they are talking about, attacking people and cultures they don't understand. What if we were all judged by the acts of the D.C. sniper, McVeigh or Dahlmer? Everyone would think that any American was a crazed mass murdering psycho.
As I write this, I'm worried that my point won't get across, that everything I've said here will be dismissed at the hatred will continue. I was just as angry as anyone when the towers fell, I wanted to see someone pay, I wanted revenge - but we must all understand that the revenge isn't against every middle easterner you see. A group of people hated our government, so they took that anger and hatred not out on the government, but on over 3000 innocent people. What sense does it make to attack that group of people by targeting those that honestly have nothing to do with it, some of which are just as American as anyone else in this country.
Today we should all remember the tragedy of 9/11, but we must also remember not to let one tragedy lead us to another one. American doesn't mean white; keep in mind how this country was founded, the melting pot has evolved to include a few new shades but the fact remains the same that we are all Americans. I may not look like everyone else, but I feel the same attachment to this country - please don't make me feel unwelcome.
Take care.
We were returning to our hotel one night and as we got out of the cab and walked to the entrance of the hotel a young guy (I'd say late 20s) holding a drink came up alongside me and said "hey pal." I looked at him at which point he said "I thought you were Osama's brother." I ignored him and walked away.
Now I was born in this country, I'm a U.S. citizen, I pay my taxes, I donate to charities, I vote, I contribute to the economy, I love my country and I wouldn't rather move to any other place, yet for the first time in my life I felt foreign than night. I felt unwelcome in the country that I had the right to be in, I had just as much right to be there as the guy who made me feel so very wrong for being there yet because of his one line I felt like I truly didn't belong. I didn't think something like that would bother me so much, after all I'm pretty good about taking things as light hearted as possible, but that one incident struck home.
And I began to wonder, had I just been really lucky since 9/11? Were there more people like him who would see me and based on the color of my skin would brand me a terrorist? What made me any less of an American than him? Haven't we been through this before? I thought the civil rights movement brought forth the idea that we can't just single out a group of people based on the color of their skin. For the first time in my life I wanted to leave, I wanted to be at home and I didn't want that home to be here.
It may not seem like much, after all it was just a 5 second interaction with some drunk jerk; drunk people say things all the time, get over it right? Well I am over it, but that isn't to say that I'm afraid of something like that happening again. I've said it before, that it all boils down to education and understanding of people and cultures other than our own.
Muslims don't hate Americans, that's just not how things work. My mom is a muslim and she'd never hurt a fly, she cried at 9/11, she donated to the relief fund, she condemned those who did it - just like everyone else. She isn't a fanatic, I'd say she follows the Qua-ran like many people follow the Bible, she doesn't interpret it strictly but she takes it to be a set of morals that she attempts to uphold in her daily life. And to those who don't believe it, must muslims are just like that. They don't walk around with AK-47s plotting ways to attack the West, they lead normal lives and have normal families just like everyone else. I've been to Iran around 5 times now, the only current example of a true Islamic state - did I see people running through the streets plotting to kill Americans? No, I saw normal people doing normal things. Sure their customs are different, but none of those customs include hating Americans. Yet I read through some of the discussions that happen online, even in our own forums, and I'm disgusted. I read statements of people who are clearly ignorant of what they are talking about, attacking people and cultures they don't understand. What if we were all judged by the acts of the D.C. sniper, McVeigh or Dahlmer? Everyone would think that any American was a crazed mass murdering psycho.
As I write this, I'm worried that my point won't get across, that everything I've said here will be dismissed at the hatred will continue. I was just as angry as anyone when the towers fell, I wanted to see someone pay, I wanted revenge - but we must all understand that the revenge isn't against every middle easterner you see. A group of people hated our government, so they took that anger and hatred not out on the government, but on over 3000 innocent people. What sense does it make to attack that group of people by targeting those that honestly have nothing to do with it, some of which are just as American as anyone else in this country.
Today we should all remember the tragedy of 9/11, but we must also remember not to let one tragedy lead us to another one. American doesn't mean white; keep in mind how this country was founded, the melting pot has evolved to include a few new shades but the fact remains the same that we are all Americans. I may not look like everyone else, but I feel the same attachment to this country - please don't make me feel unwelcome.
Take care.
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indus - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
Anand, you are NOT an american. you are an Indian. It does not matter how much you achieve and contribute in this country. Indians will always be second class citizens.brownguy - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
Damn !! Anand, this is pretty disappointing. No, I'm not talking about the "racist" incident, but about your reaction to it. I'm also an Indian, but love the US. And no, a little untoward incident like this would do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to shake either my faith or my love for America, Americans, and our institutions. This is THE MOST TOLERANT nation in the world, the most perfect society, the only "proposition nation" - one built not on ties of blood, but on ideological ones. It's tragic that you don't see this. You need to spend some time in that 3rd world hellhole they call India to see what makes the USA so special. If you like it there, well, good riddance :) :)Mohammad Zeeshan - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
* he is a disgrace to mankind and not to all americans....just wanted to clearup the grammer b/c i donot want another "misunderstanding".. lolMohammad Zeeshan - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
hey anand many congrates on the wedding, boy it was lenghty going thorugh the 183 posts most of them making me think over and over on each one of them to conclude the one word of "misunderstanding" common in most of 'em..for #181 plz take a chill pill dont get too edgy and aggitated and take my sincere advice of going and attending a single lecture or to hell with the lecture study the translation of Quran yourself and read the history, you will get all the CORRECT answers u have asked b/c believe me those facts are the inverse of the teaching of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) have been though it was what was been practiced before his advent, take my word plz plz read one page of quarn a day and u will get the best possible answers it is upto u then to admit or regect them b/c its impossible how much the other person keeps arguing u , u wont admit a fact unless and untill u yourself go and take the pain of researching the correct facts and not the bogus ones spread around the web by iggnorants believe me brother u will find peace and lose this irritation and anger towards muslims and islam....none the less 9/11 was a great tragedy and anand it was a tragedy for u to confront an idiot a total waste on earth to say such a stupid thing, he is a disgrace to mankind not all americans.Anonymous - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
funny. i read through to see what people posted and it seems hate is a common theme. wonder why that is. political hate, racial hate, religious hate.how does putting down a political candidate or a religion or a race help anyone?
Anand don't let it get you down, there is still positive people in the world and even in the United States who would not have done what that guy did even if they were drunk.
peace.
Anonymous - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
#186Well said!
Tom Knowles - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
Anand,I was born in Australia of an Australian Mom and American Dad. I retired from the US navy and yes, I served my country during trhe Viet Nam war. I ama white man.
So, let's cut to the chase: The Repubs hate anyone who is not a white Anglo Saxon Potestant and hate those who are not rich. Evidence: They round up of non white (mulsim and Muslim looking men) after 9/11, keep them in jail and abuse them. I won't even touch on IRAQ: I am and was opposed to the Iraq war but support our servicemen and women 1000%. They refuse to let Cuban Americans visit Cuba to see their relatives (Bush put this policy in effect 7/11/2004). How any patriotic Ameican can vote for the Al QuAeda sympathetic Bushies is beyond me: Remember the Bush family has been involved in the oil of Saudi Arabia for generations. We know the Sauddis support Al Qaeda with actions and petro dollars.
The Bushies are hiding the following: The draft will be instituted after the November 2 if Bush is elected. Hello Depression! Travel via air recently?- well now the TSA wants all your personal information. Wonder why the major airlines are hurting_US Airways, United (sorry Cat stevens), Delta, ...? Bush is NO GOOD for the USA and the world.
Ed
Anonymous - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
#187Oh yeah?, You think you are better off? Give us a break Arsehole!
Anonymous - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
ignorance is bliss for most of you.Anonymous - Friday, September 24, 2004 - link
I am an Indian. If you were to see me, you could not tell me apart from any other of my countrymen. I have the same skin color same eyes and hair as any other Indian. But through out my life I have been discriminated against. The reason is that I am from what is considered to be the lowest cast in the cast hierarchy.Racism is not all about color of the skin. The discrimination the low cast Hindus are subjected to in rural India makes racism in the US look trivial. Discrimination against non Muslims in Pakistan is institutionalized by their constitution with bills like the anti blasphemy law etc. Until recently Hindus in Pakistan were not allowed to vote (I am not sure if Musharaf granted them the rights yet, I think he has). The Bush men in southern Africa are treated disgracefully by their fellow black men just because they are considered “Primitive”. The treatment of women in the Muslim world etc.
Crude discrimination like the one Anand experienced is all about a group of looser’s clinging to some vestige of perceived “Superiority” in their otherwise pathetic life.
The other type of discrimination which apparently Anand did face is the more painful type. The one where people are denied jobs or promotions which they deserve due to prejudice.
Discrimination really hurts. But whining about it only makes the victory of the Prejudiced complete. One must try to raise beyond this. Take the example of people like Nelson Mandela, Colin Powel, Oprah Winfrey, K.R.Narayanan,(an Indian president from the lowest cast in the cast hierarchy), Ambedkar (the man who wrote the Indian constitution). People who rose despite all odds and beyond discrimination; you cant imagine any one yelling racial slurs at them today.
Of course most of us will never be another Oprah or Mandela, but we can do our bit to prove to the world that we too are equal. Things will hurt, but at least we can build a better life for our children. I draw hope for the future by studying the women’s liberation in the west. Western women fought prejudice to build an equal platform for themselves in the world. Though things are still not yet 100% perfect for them, things are on the right track, improving all the time.
Anand stop whining, do your bit to prove to the prejudiced (who by the way know deep down) that you are every way as good as them, if not better. There will definitely be pain and hurt along the way, but raise above it and build a better future for your children.