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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Anonymous - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
#114: What in the world are you talking about? So Anand can't post his views on a personal topic. How does that make him biased in Processor and Motherboard reviews?What are you talking about? Did you had a fight with your wife/girl friend?
Try to get your comments straight. Reread your comments and you will realize that they don't make any sense whatsoever.
Anonymous - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
OMG. #112. Please read some history. Get some education and then start talking. I am sure it was never intended to be the U.S v.s. Muslims. But that is exatcly what it has become.As you said in your post "The world is in a war v.s. the terrorists. It's not the U.S. v.s. Muslims" Where do you think these terresoist come from? They are the creation or years of U.S foreign policy. Where do you think Saddam got his weapons? Where to do think the Talibans got their weapons and their training. Yes you can thank the almighty U.S. for all of this.
The U.S has a very indiffent attidude to the genocide being commited in Palestine by the Isrealis. Is that not terrorism? Why does the U.S. not choose to fight that? "Signal" you said "There are madmen out there who not only kill and repress their own people," well how is that diffent from what the Isrealis are doing to the Palestinians. Its murder all the same. Yet the U.S. chooses to do nothing. Open your eyes to what the hell is actually going on and educate yourself before forming a biased opinion.
Anonymous - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Richard is another example of the ignorant rednecks that have plagued this beautiful country with their "tunnel vision" and can't stand to see anyone expressing anything that they don't agree with! BTW seems like Richard was the person who was drunk that night and made a hateful comment towards Anand. Im sure if you went through the same experience as Anand then you'd be in a cheerful mood. This is a forum to talk about anything and it's called freedom of expression, not a redneck forum so if you don't like it...LEAVE!Signal - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Oh look, another opportunity for people to bash America. Just what the internet needed.Secondly, why seperate the deaths of 9/11 and those from the war on terror? They are one in the same. How about those killed in Oklahoma City? Or those in the Marine Barracks or on the USS Stark. How about the USS Cole? Or the deaths caused by the missile strikes in Iraq? The 3000 deaths of 9/11 were just more deaths in the same war, as are the 1000+ dead soldiers to date in Iraq as well as the countless innocent people of Iraq who have died. The terrorists have openly declared war against the "zionist states" and all the innocent deaths are on their hands.
The world is in a war v.s. the terrorists. It's not the U.S. v.s. Muslims. This should never be forgotten. 9/11 was a huge wake up call and it's about time we take the war as seriously as our enemies have.
Oh and to whomever claimed there are no WMD and therefore no connection between Saddam's regime and terrorism, you really need to put politics aside. There are madmen out there who not only kill and repress their own people, but also want to kill as many westerners (and especially Americans) as they can. Saddam was one of them and to say otherwise simply because you don't like the current American leader is lunacy.
Heh Heh - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
As a new American, be sure to:1: Invest in extra elastic waistbands for
your forthcoming girth expandsion
2. Remember that your new adopted country
was founded on genocide and slavery (largely
by the ex-con criminal fraternity of Britain)
and, just like abused children who grow up to
themselves be abusers, has a viscious, self-loathing that it projects onto the rest of the world.
America _is_ "Old Europe".
Saddam Hussein greets Donald Rumsfeld:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/
Haroon Saleem - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
#104 Rihard, that is perhaps the dummest thing I've ever heard. Why oh why can't people be any smarter than you are. Maybe then the world would really be at peace. Thinking you you Richard, a quite comes to mind, "best be thought a fool,than to open one's mouth and let out all shadow of doubt".
HGC - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Thanks for sharing your experience, Anand. Not only are you an American, but a hell of a good one I'd say, starting a great business from scratch and succeeding by helping others.I guess the guy who accosted you thought his skin color was something special. I feel sorry for him.
jrphoenix - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
If you read the reviews on this website you will see there is no political slant on a review of hardware / software. Heck, most of the reviews aren't even done by Anand. If you choose to read the guys personal blog where he talks about family life, his recent marriage, his degree he recently finished, etc... then you chose to do that. This blog has nothing to do with reviews on the website on hardware & software.After reading your love it or leave it post above, maybe you should consider reading a blog or better yet, hardware / software review site run by Limbaugh, Coulter, or better David Duke!
I can see the reviews from that site now... Don't buy ATI, those pinko b*st*rds are too cowardly to support the US in invading Iraq. LOL...
Do you know what a blog is? Do you think the guys whole life only consists of hardware / software reviews? Heck, I am a consevative leaning person who recently left the Republican party because there are too many extreme views held by those at top (read Cheney, Wolfowitz, Bush, Libby, Ashcrosft)... not Powell. I am now an independent with conservative values :)
Richard - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Everyone's judgement on anything is based on that persons bias or perceived reality. Being that this is only a computer hardware review website, why did Anand feel he had to write this article? To me it has lessened the quality or respect I had for this site because I now have a bias based what I interpreted from his blog. Why oh why can't people stay with what they are good at and not state their ideology or give opinions outside their box?RyanVM - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Richard, as someone who generally votes Republican, might I say that that's one of the dumbest rants I've ever seen. Are you friends with Ann Coulter or something?First, how exactly does one's political leanings affect their judgment on reviewing COMPUTER HARDWARE?
Second, I don't see how you can say that just because a guy is hurt and upset because someone made an ignorant racist comment towards him that he's suddenly some far left idealogue? Give me a break.
I think you need a reality check.