Saying My "Peace"
I've come to the conclusion that social media is a bit of a double edged sword. I've seen people help lift each other up on Facebook, while also seeing them tear others to pieces. I've seen it with individuals and I've seen it with groups and it's never pretty and it's always sad.
Beyond that, and what I really want to talk about is the red-hot hatred of that which is misunderstood. That makes me truly lose my last marble...and there weren't many there to begin with folks, so not very much of a reach, I suppose.
Sure, Je Suis Paris, my heart truly and honestly bleeds for them. By the same token my heart is broken for the citizens of other countries and the cities therein where terror is just another day at home. A great many of whom have been uprooted from family homes, run out of their country, forced into camps and cattle-cars and never knowing when the nightmare will end. So to hear that refugees are being judged as terrorists themselves...?! Look the word up -- "Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster." These are not terrorists, they are victims, their people killed by the hundreds. REGULARLY. So, of course, the logical thing to do is to persecute them further, right?
Obviously I don't want terrorists to cross into our boarders, who the hell would?! I trust that checks and balances will be in effect to insure that doesn't happen. But, it must be remembered that the hugely vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists. Far from it, actually. They are hard working people who now, once again, face discrimination simply based on their differences or belief systems. (Hmmmmmm...gee, I could swear I've heard this before. Pilgrims, maybe? Black history in America? Jews in Nazi Germany? Japanese Americans internment camps during WWII? Perhaps I misunderstood my history lessons?!)
Let's take the word Muslim out of the equation for just a moment, shall we? Call it suspension of belief. I know you can do it, you do it every time you watch a movie or get involved in a book. So, blank slate your mind to preconceived notions and breathe. Really, I want you to do this. I want your mind open and no blame games running in the background. We know who is to blame. ISIS. Not Muslims as a whole. ISIS. Ok? Got it? Stay with me here...take another breath before you read the next paragraph:
You woke up this morning and it seems the entire nation is pissed off at YOU! AGAIN! Why? Because you are a handy target for condemnation. You are a true believer and your beliefs have been bastardized by radicals who do horrible things in the name of your religion without your consent. You're different. Your holidays don't line up with others being celebrated. Your religion doesn't mesh with what is the norm in your area, but it does match what those people who did those horrible things call themselves. You MUST be dangerous too! Doesn't matter that you mind your own business, pay your taxes, mortgage and car payments. You worked hard to live your American dream and built a life and a family you love. It doesn't matter that you are a good neighbor and a solid citizen. What matters is who you worship, how you pray, what you look like, or where your ancestors came from.
Ouch! Live THAT for a week and see how it feels. After you do, multiply it. If the attacks themselves didn't scare the living shit out of you, that should.
Remember, there but for the grace of God go I. The mere fact that you were born who you and where you are is a simple matter of the luck of the draw. None of us had any say in that. Also, not for nothing, but whatever happened to "Do unto others as you would have done unto you?" Really, is our only recourse to condemn all Muslims? Man, am I happy that I live in a country where Catholicism isn't in and of itself reason to hate me. I mean, c'mon, if you ask some people, I have given plenty of reasons to dislike me without including my religion. But that's my point, if you must dislike me, have the integrity to do so because of me, not because of who or what I worship.
Think for yourself without prejudice. Put yourself in the shoes of that Muslim woman wearing her hijab in the grocery store with a baby in her cart. Is she really a threat? What about the neighbor who prays five times a day without fail to be closer to their God? Again, what threat does that pose? We're not talking about a group of people who pervert a religion for their own nefarious purposes, we're talking about the typical Muslim family.
Do we have a right to be angry over the terror which have led so many into the state of intolerance currently showing up all over my newsfeed? Absolutely. However, we do NOT have the right to point fingers willy-nilly and without rhyme or reason. Hate if you must, but at least have the courtesy of selective hatred and not judge all based on the actions of a relative few.
Oh, and let's not forget that fear mongering and hate feed the beast. So, maybe instead of spreading hate and falsehoods, especially on social media, we show compassion to help quell the negative chatter seen by people around the world.
Sure, I get it, your page, your opinions, your prerogative. But are you basing your posts and opinions on facts and/or experience or are you reacting out of fear? Have you ever met and spoken with a Muslim? If not, your answer is "fear" and the bad guys win. They've gotten into your headspace and took away your reason and all you're left with is an irrational prejudice.
Oh, and you may be wondering why I chose to share this here on my blog rather than on Facebook, and that's a great question. The truth of the matter is I work very hard to keep my Facebook pages as free of politics and drama of any kind as I possibly can. I'd much rather a person visit my page because they know they'll get a respite and a smile. I know that I slip from time-to-time, but I try hard not to. (Yes, I know, the link to my blog is on Facebook and Twitter, but I guess this is my turn to say "my page, my opinion, my prerogative.")
Je Suis Paris. Inshallah Lebanon and Palestine
Beyond that, and what I really want to talk about is the red-hot hatred of that which is misunderstood. That makes me truly lose my last marble...and there weren't many there to begin with folks, so not very much of a reach, I suppose.
Sure, Je Suis Paris, my heart truly and honestly bleeds for them. By the same token my heart is broken for the citizens of other countries and the cities therein where terror is just another day at home. A great many of whom have been uprooted from family homes, run out of their country, forced into camps and cattle-cars and never knowing when the nightmare will end. So to hear that refugees are being judged as terrorists themselves...?! Look the word up -- "Refugee: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster." These are not terrorists, they are victims, their people killed by the hundreds. REGULARLY. So, of course, the logical thing to do is to persecute them further, right?
Obviously I don't want terrorists to cross into our boarders, who the hell would?! I trust that checks and balances will be in effect to insure that doesn't happen. But, it must be remembered that the hugely vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists. Far from it, actually. They are hard working people who now, once again, face discrimination simply based on their differences or belief systems. (Hmmmmmm...gee, I could swear I've heard this before. Pilgrims, maybe? Black history in America? Jews in Nazi Germany? Japanese Americans internment camps during WWII? Perhaps I misunderstood my history lessons?!)
Let's take the word Muslim out of the equation for just a moment, shall we? Call it suspension of belief. I know you can do it, you do it every time you watch a movie or get involved in a book. So, blank slate your mind to preconceived notions and breathe. Really, I want you to do this. I want your mind open and no blame games running in the background. We know who is to blame. ISIS. Not Muslims as a whole. ISIS. Ok? Got it? Stay with me here...take another breath before you read the next paragraph:
You woke up this morning and it seems the entire nation is pissed off at YOU! AGAIN! Why? Because you are a handy target for condemnation. You are a true believer and your beliefs have been bastardized by radicals who do horrible things in the name of your religion without your consent. You're different. Your holidays don't line up with others being celebrated. Your religion doesn't mesh with what is the norm in your area, but it does match what those people who did those horrible things call themselves. You MUST be dangerous too! Doesn't matter that you mind your own business, pay your taxes, mortgage and car payments. You worked hard to live your American dream and built a life and a family you love. It doesn't matter that you are a good neighbor and a solid citizen. What matters is who you worship, how you pray, what you look like, or where your ancestors came from.
Ouch! Live THAT for a week and see how it feels. After you do, multiply it. If the attacks themselves didn't scare the living shit out of you, that should.
Remember, there but for the grace of God go I. The mere fact that you were born who you and where you are is a simple matter of the luck of the draw. None of us had any say in that. Also, not for nothing, but whatever happened to "Do unto others as you would have done unto you?" Really, is our only recourse to condemn all Muslims? Man, am I happy that I live in a country where Catholicism isn't in and of itself reason to hate me. I mean, c'mon, if you ask some people, I have given plenty of reasons to dislike me without including my religion. But that's my point, if you must dislike me, have the integrity to do so because of me, not because of who or what I worship.
Think for yourself without prejudice. Put yourself in the shoes of that Muslim woman wearing her hijab in the grocery store with a baby in her cart. Is she really a threat? What about the neighbor who prays five times a day without fail to be closer to their God? Again, what threat does that pose? We're not talking about a group of people who pervert a religion for their own nefarious purposes, we're talking about the typical Muslim family.
Do we have a right to be angry over the terror which have led so many into the state of intolerance currently showing up all over my newsfeed? Absolutely. However, we do NOT have the right to point fingers willy-nilly and without rhyme or reason. Hate if you must, but at least have the courtesy of selective hatred and not judge all based on the actions of a relative few.
Oh, and let's not forget that fear mongering and hate feed the beast. So, maybe instead of spreading hate and falsehoods, especially on social media, we show compassion to help quell the negative chatter seen by people around the world.
Sure, I get it, your page, your opinions, your prerogative. But are you basing your posts and opinions on facts and/or experience or are you reacting out of fear? Have you ever met and spoken with a Muslim? If not, your answer is "fear" and the bad guys win. They've gotten into your headspace and took away your reason and all you're left with is an irrational prejudice.
Oh, and you may be wondering why I chose to share this here on my blog rather than on Facebook, and that's a great question. The truth of the matter is I work very hard to keep my Facebook pages as free of politics and drama of any kind as I possibly can. I'd much rather a person visit my page because they know they'll get a respite and a smile. I know that I slip from time-to-time, but I try hard not to. (Yes, I know, the link to my blog is on Facebook and Twitter, but I guess this is my turn to say "my page, my opinion, my prerogative.")
Je Suis Paris. Inshallah Lebanon and Palestine