The aftermath of September 11, 2001 continues.
I have seen in the news that since the terrorist acts (how's that for an understatement?) of last Tuesday, apparent hate crimes are up.
The targets of these crimes have been Arabs, southeast Asians (from the Indian Subcontinent. People have been attacked because they are (or perceived to be) Arab Muslims. However, many of attacks I've read about have been on Sikhs. They have been mistaken as Arabs and Muslims because they do not cut their hair (or their beards), and men who are followers of the Sikh faith wear turbans as part of their customary dress.
However, people of Arab descent are being harassed as well. My grandmother related a story she saw where a woman and her child in Chicago were threatened because they are of Arab descent. She is a third generation American.
People have been shot coming out of temples and mosques. Yells of "Go back to your country" are being heard. I myself have heard numerous references to rag heads, towel heads, camel jockeys, and sand niggers.
One would think such blind bigotry would be contained. After all, it is blind bigotry and hatred (and the "faithful" looking for a Prom date to Valhalla) that most likely drove those madmen to fly their hijacked aircraft into the towers of the World Trade Center, and into the Pentagon. This blind hatred for Americans, the bigotry against us, is what drives these terrorist organization to undertake such campaigns against us. We are painted as hating Arabs and Muslims. If we're going to kill those in this country who are (or perceived to be) Arab or Muslim, we might as well start printing Jihad recruitment pamphlets and drop them on Afghanistan instead of bombs.
Even of the people who are Arab Muslims in this country, most of them have come here not to kill us, not to subvert us, but because this is the land of opportunity. Some seek better opportunities for employment. Some come here for an education. Some come to this beacon of freedom to escape repression, poverty, and war. They are here because they WANT to be here, because they want to pursue The American Dream. Some of them have been here for generations, some of their family fighting in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam in American uniform. Some have become naturalized citizens. Some are working to gain citizenship. Some are the American born children of immigrants.
What many feel to realize is that Islam, in general, is not a threat. From what I have read of the Quran, I believe Islam to be a religion of peace and respect. I believe that the meaning of Jihad has been twisted by those who would use religion to justify the most unholy acts before man. Religion and Politics are a dangerous mix, especially when religion is twisted to justify murder, persecution, genocide, and war.
Make no mistake about it, those "Americans" who kill people for their (perceived) race or religion are no better then the hate filled monsters who killed thousands last Tuesday. Their just monsters on a smaller scale.
Yea, I know I'm probably preaching to the choir, but I had to get it out.