THIS IS AMERICA...
For Muslims, Benevolence Is Prevailing Over Backlash
By Caryle Murphy
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 6, 2001
Shortly after last month's terrorist attacks, two bricks ferried handwritten notes with crude, racist remarks through the front window of the Old Town Islamic Bookstore in Alexandria. Store manager Hazim Barakat was angry and frazzled. The Palestinian immigrant also was unprepared for what happened next.
About 15 bouquets of flowers and more than 50 cards -- some with money -- arrived at his store. People from as far away as Tennessee and Nebraska called with condolences. A local businessman, who would not give Barakat his name, paid for a new window. Christian ministers and a rabbi dropped by to express their support.
"The people in the neighborhood were so nice you don't believe," said Barakat, 44, who runs the store for the American Muslim Foundation. "This is like another family I have. This is my big family. I want to thank everybody."
Terrorism and bigotry, it seems, can have unintended consequences.
[snip]
washingtonpost.com
You know, I still recall the scene where Prez Bush sat between several Muslim community leaders and delivered a "get-together" speech, laying his hand on a copy of the Koran... Well, from a European perspective, that's quite amazing for I can't remember any of Europe's statesmen doing the same. Take France for instance, although Islam is the country's #2 religion (after Catholicism), fat chance you'll ever see Prez Chirac on TV with his right hand on the Koran!
As expected, most Euro-media have over-hyped the violent reprisals against Arab-Americans that occurred in the wake of the terrorist attacks. However, considering the pervasive, chronic violence across the US fabric and the widespread availability of firearms --not to mention the exceptional, apocalyptic nature of 911, the dozen incidents of Arab-bashing that happened are really negligible... |
