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Where Lies Muslims' Loyalty?  

By Rayman

It’s not uncommon to hear 'American' Muslims complaining about the anti-Islamic sentiment in American society since 9/11. I am of the opinion that these 'American' Muslims themselves are to blame for their predicament. Here are some examples: 

When was the last time you heard a major American Muslim Scholar/Organization/Intellectual or even Mohammed next door condemn, in no uncertain words, the terrorism that goes on in the name of Islam all over the world? How about the homicide bombings in Israel, the barbaric beheadings in Iraq, the horrifying massacre of school children in the former Soviet Union, the killing of foreigners in the Philippines or any of a number of ruthless murdering going on all over the world? When was the last time any 'American' Muslim felt the anger and the emotion that I feel when I see this evil on the evening news? How many 'American' Muslims condemned the cowardly killing of Margaret Hassan, a Mother Teresa like figure who commited her whole life to helping the Muslims of Iraq? Do they take it as personally as I do? How about the Darfour region in Sudan ? Anybody? 

And now conversely, how many of the above groups/organizations/individuals are quick to criticize Abu Ghraib, the Iraq War, President Bush, France (for banning the hijab), Israel or any and everything that is even remotely associated with their Muslim 'brethren'. They are more loyal to these foreigners than they are to their own country. Now I understand that there are a lot of non-Muslim Americans that don't support the war and Mr. Bush, but no matter what your politics are, you owe your allegiance first and foremost to America . Before the elections, I wondered why Muslims were voting for Kerry and not Bush, in spite of the fact that he helped liberate 2 of the largest Islamic countries from decades of oppression. I guess the answer lies in the simple fact that they are loyal, first and foremost to the Muslim people, and since Bush is engaged in the ‘occupation’ of a Muslim country, he must be hated no matter what. Most immigrants who are now US Citizens don't even consider themselves Americans. They are Muslims first and that's what they tell their kids to believe.  

I recently visited, upon my parents' insistence, a Muslim family who had lived in the States for over 30 years. Their kids grew up here, went to school here and the eldest son works for (gasp!) the Government. Yet all they spoke about was the cruelty of the Americans in Iraq  and Israelis in Palestine and how poor and desperate the Palestinians' life was in their own 'usurped homeland'. I asked them if they had ever heard of Fisher House. When they said they hadn't, I mentioned that it was a wonderful charity organization in our area that provided temporary residence to families of wounded American GIs. I asked them if they would like to donate to this great cause. The father just laughed. I then asked him if he had ever thought about the countless 'poor and desperate' people in their own community that needed help and assistance, and ever done anything for them. Needless to say, I haven't been invited back! 

That’s the mentality of these Muslim 'Americans'. They live, work and thrive here yet think more about solidarity with the Palestinians and Arabs (fellow Muslims in other words) than they do with their own. They live in their own worlds, mini-ghettos of their own creation. They never totally integrate themselves into the popular American culture and most don't want to. It's like England (where I was born and raised), where a whole sub-culture exists outside the mainstream. They lack a desire to change themselves, yet expect others to change first. They are like the man sitting in front of the cold stove saying, "give me fire, and then I'll give you some wood".

 When you live in a country, where you are at complete odds with the ideology, culture and way of life there, a country for whom you have very little loyalty and belong to a very 'sensitive' religion, why wouldn't mainstream America feel the way it feels right now.  Earl Nightingale, the legendary speaker, writer and motivational expert once said, "It is our attitudes, motivations and feelings towards others that determine their attitudes, motivations and feelings towards us".  

 

 

 

 

 

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