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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Bill - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
More Muslims need to speak up and condemn terrorism. Terrorism is wrong, and the Muslim community is too quite.Respectfully,
Bill
17 - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
How come Muslim men can marry women from other religion while Muslim women can't? Isn't this backwards? Shouldn't Muslim women get the same rights? OR is it that Muslim women are look upon as property rather than human beings?The last time I checked Love was supposed to be a sacred thing with feelings and I think people should be able to marry people from other religion if they love each other.
I know two couples - one is Hindu and one is Muslim who married each other. Guess what they get? They are not accepted by their Muslim community or Hindu community. People frown on them when they realize that they belong to different religions. So now they have a seperate "club" for Hindu-Muslim couples. And this is all happening in the U.S. It is just stupid that you are in such an advanced country, but are so backwards in your thinking.
I am not trying offend anyone, but I think Islam has to be one of the backwards and irrational religions out there.
Anonymous - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
It is sad to see people here (in a tech forum)who think that religion can dictate who can marry whom. In my country I have seen many inter-religion marriages. Sadly the views by #5 and #19 only reinforce the common conception about intolerence of a certain religion. I have not read the Quran but I am sure that the original sacred text do not have such things in it and it is the preachers who have introduced these silly notions into that religion.Suraj Bhati - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
Anand I am an Indian I see nonissues rising to national communal issues on basis of someone from one community did some wrong and somebody commented about that ignorantly.As everybody see here no 5 no 19 have concerns about a muslim girl marrying a nonmuslim, I belong to community in India which is three religions i.e. Muslim, Hindu and Sikhs and share common blood relations in past and still i see many Hindu and Sikh arrange marriges on basis of caste not religion.
Much bigger question is majority of US citizen should remain cosmopolitan in their line of thinking about people's personnel life. And I think thats still true.
I hope there are much many people who have more interest in articles about computers at Anandtech like me.
xype - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
For all america is, it also has a lot of uneducated, stupid and ignorant people who can't even write properly and will be the first to wave the amercan flag and point at people crying "OMG! TERRARISTS!!11".I really think you put too much faith in the people around you. You have been lucky to work in an industry where the average intelligence is considered higher than in other "industries". But the US has quite a big population living at the lower end of the middle class and those are the people who will use any excuse to make themselves feel better - and right now, it's all about being american, freedom and fighting terrorists.
So, yah, you can expect more of that if the US economy gets worse and people will look for ways to release their negative energy.
And I'm not bashing americans here, it's the same behaviour pattern that was used by Adolf to great effect against the jews. You just need to keep you eyes open and know when to move on and move away if things start getting really bad one day. Screw loving your country - because your country doesn't love you.
And where's the Mac article?
Bernie - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
Hi Anand,Life is too short to live with hatred in your heart. Pity to stupid idiot that wastes the precious little time he has on God's green earth with hate and ignorance. Your have a rich live ahead of you. Best wishes for a happy forever to you and your dear wife. It seems so strange hearing that you are married. It seems only yesterday that you were a teen with a hardware web page.
As a second generation American with a mixed religious background It has been my experience that the measure of a person is the good they bestow on their fellow man and the idea that there is a greater power than any individual. All else is trivial.
Forget that numbskull and have a good time.
sheik124 - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
lmao 18, down with musharraf!i am a muslim and completly agree with all this, its just not right and not a part of our belief to go and blow up and maim people. and i'm not trying to be rude or anything, but what 5 said puzzles me, as far as i know as well, muslim men can marry from the people of the book (christian and jewish) but muslim women cannot marry non-muslims.
17 - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
Pakistan is the root of problems for all Muslims. They are the home to many terrorist groups and honestly they have created a suspicion in our minds about all Muslims, which is wrong.From the outside, Pakistan acts as if they are really trying to destroy terrorism, but secretly their government is working with terrorists for "JIHAD". Apparently, Muslims need to learn what Jihad means.
Anonymous - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
Hameed: I wasn't taking your words out of context, but you are still being ignorant with your comments. "No I don't live in the US and I don't plan to..." Do you really think someone would want you around in this country with that kind of attitude? I would guess not so in a sense, it is better that you are not living here.On a side note, I agree with everyone. Muslims are the target because many islamic countries are against the westerners. They can't handle the fact that girls wear mini-skirts and people have sex before marriage. For muslims it is evil. As I have said before, I don't care what your beliefs are and it's your choice to follow them, but you can't simply immigrate to US and think like Hameed.
john - Sunday, September 12, 2004 - link
First congrats. I am a American too. We think German because of our last name but my relatives came here in the early 1700 from England. But I grew up in California & NY. The 2 states which have people from everywhere.Cause I thought the fighters in Afganistan were Freedom Fighter. Rambo even fought with them.
First we all know the media needs to watch how they word things.
I think its the media is partly to blame they call refer to Al-Qa'ida as a terrorist group.
Tim McVeigh is rarely called a terrorist.
In WWII we sent people of Japan decent to camps. Even if they were 4th generation born in the US.
We labeled them as sub-human. While the real monsters were in Germany. I know of the crimes Japan commited during WWII my grandfather was a survivor of The Battan Death March.
Since there was no WMD and no link to terrorists in Iraq. We are given the excuse the people are better off without Sadam because he was EVIL.
I have always been proud to call myself a American till I saw the prison abuse.
I am a huge Ernest Hemingway fan and I went to Cuba. Had to fly from Mexico. Bush accused Cuba of being a evil nation of dealing in Sex Slavery. I didn't see any sign of prositution. I was there for a month. I see prostitution everywhere in California and its legal in Nevada. Cuba had a lower standard of living but it was not poor. Everyone was real friendly very little crime. Beaches were kick butt. Unlike Jamacia were if you leave the resort area you have a good chance you wont come back.