Posted on 12/19/2015 1:15:55 PM PST by ifinnegan
Sofia Ali-Khan Dec. 7, 2015
Dear Non-Muslim Allies,
I am writing to you because it has gotten just that bad. I have found myself telling too many people about the advice given to me years ago by the late composer Herbert Brun, a German Jew who fled Germany at the age of 15: “be sure that your passport is in order.†It’s not enough to laugh at Donald Trump anymore. The rhetoric about Muslims has gotten so nasty, and is everywhere, on every channel, every newsfeed. It is clearly fueling daily events of targeted violence, vandalism, vigilante harassment, discrimination. I want you to know that it has gotten bad enough that my family and I talk about what to keep on hand if we need to leave quickly, and where we should go, maybe if the election goes the wrong way, or if folks get stirred up enough to be dangerous before the election. When things seem less scary, we talk about a five or a ten year plan to go somewhere where cops don’t carry guns and hate speech isn’t allowed on network television. And if you don’t already know this about me, I want you to know that I was born in this country. I have lived my whole life in this country. I have spent my entire adult life working to help the poor, the disabled and the dispossessed access the legal system in this country. And I want you to know that I am devoutly and proudly Muslim.
I am writing this in response to a non Muslim friend’s question about what she can do. Because there is much that can be done in solidarity:
If you see a Muslim or someone who might be identified as Muslim being harassed, stop, say something, intervene, call for help.
If you ride public transportation, sit next to the hijabi woman and say asalam ‘alaykum (That means ‘peace to you.’). Don’t worry about mispronouncing it; she won’t care. Just say "peace" if you like. She’ll smile; smile back. If you feel like it, start a conversation. If you don’t, sit there and make sure no one harasses her.
If you have a Muslim work colleague, check in. Tell them that the news is horrifying and you want them to know you’re there for them.
If you have neighbors who are Muslim, keep an eye out for them. If you’re walking your kids home from the bus stop, invite their kids to walk with you.
Talk to your kids. They're picking up on the anti-Muslim message. Make sure they know how you feel and talk to them about what they can do when they see bullying or hear hate speech at school.
Call out hate speech when you hear it—if it incites hatred or violence against a specified group, call it out: in your living room, at work, with friends, in public. It is most important that you do this among folks who may not know a Muslim.
Set up a “learn about Islam†forum at your book club, school, congregation, dinner club. Call your state CAIR organization, interfaith group or local mosque and see if there is someone who has speaking experience and could come and answer questions about Islam and American Muslims for your group. They won’t be offended. They will want the opportunity to do something to dispel the nastiness.
Write Op Eds and articles saying how deplorable the anti-Muslim rhetoric has gotten and voice your support for Muslim Americans in whatever way you can.
Call your state and local representatives, let them know that you are concerned about hate speech against your Muslim friends and neighbors in politics and the media, that it is unacceptable and you want them to call it out whenever they hear it, on your behalf.
Out yourself as someone who won’t stand for Islamophobia, or will stand with Muslims—there is an awful lot of hate filling the airways, and there are an awful lot of people with access to the media and/or authority stirring the pot about Muslims. Please help fill that space with support instead. Post, write, use your profile picture or blog to voice your support.
Ask me anything. Really. Engage the Muslims in your life. Make sure you really feel comfortable standing for and with your Muslim friends, neighbors, coworkers.
I can tell you that in addition to the very real threat to their civil and human rights that Muslims are facing, we are dealing with a tremendous amount of anxiety. While we, many of us, rely on our faith to stay strong, we are human. This is not an easy time. What you do will mean everything to the Muslim Americans around you. Thank you for reading and bless you in your efforts. Share freely.
media inquiries to: fb.muslim.allies@gmail.com 540 315 1823 ‪#‎standingwithmuslims‬ ‪#‎muslimallies‬
©Sofia Ali-Khan
Just like the co-workers for Farook who held a baby shower for the couple. Yep, that news is horrifying indeed!
Talk to your kids. They're picking up on the anti-Muslim message.
Sure they are - like learning to write the Islamic 'Declaration of Faith' for calligraphy in a Virginia public school (more examples but not listing here!)
Left unsaid is the refrain of 'hate speech' being one-way. Where, oh kind lady, is you or C.A.I.R.'s condemnation of anti-Jew or anti-Christian 'hate speech' from your coreligionists that make us fear YOU? Where did YOU protest the demonstrators holding signs of "Death to those who insult Islam"?
The idiot’s guide to the history of Islam in 5 easy run on sentences:
Islam was not originally meant to be practiced by humans. In its first printing the Koran was a feeding manual for white sharks.But Mohammed found a copy in the desert and changed a few pronouns, went to reprint and presto - The Religion of Peace for the fin challenged.
When Big Mo passed away, some followers(shia)thought of the caliphate as a closed corporation and leadership thus should remain in the family and advocated Big Mo’s slightly incestuous cousin/son in law, Little Ali,taking the reins and leading them to the plankton while other sharks...I mean, followers (sunni) subscribed to the publicly traded corporation caliphate model that any unrelated random with enough shares could control the enterprise thus resulting in the world’s longest running shareholder proxy battle spanning 1300 years. This resulted in many from both shareholder camps dispatching each other as well as resistant non shareholders otherwise known as Christians and all who marked the box “other” to paradise resulting in a severe virgin shortage with oil futures prices bullishly tracking virgin futures prices to the upside and thus creating intermittent virgin and oil price bubbles throughout history.
The End.
I also notice she appears to have no fear of terrorism or any complaint whatsoever for what IS is doing to brand of Islam.
Good observations.
It is similar to the College crowd with the fear of micro aggression etc...
As far as I’m concerned being a Muslim is like being a Nazi. It’s legal, but decent people shouldn’t want to have anything to do with you. I don’t care if you are a “moderate Nazi”.
There, fixed it.
Quadruplesupernovabarfapaloozasquared.
Oh trust me pookie, I already do.
Also, don’t forget, “Behead those who insult the prophet”.
Where are all those great pictures that we have seen here on FR of all those outrageous muslin parades? Where is bugged eyed jihad boy? It think he would make the perfect date for the Sofia the muslim prom queen.
O “infidels”, yer not sapposta say “Asalaam aleikum” to a Muslim. That greeting is fer between Muzzies only.
Although, when I was deployed to Uzbekistan, greeting an Uzbek with `Asalaam aleikum’ always got me a big smile & `good morning!’ in return.
Uzbeks are laid back, as Muslims go. They like their vodka & their women dress pretty much as they please.
Meanwhile, this hijabi chick can go pound sand.
Oh no, you don’t understand it is only RADICAL muslims who do such things and thy are just an itsy bitsy teenie weenie infinitesimal microscopic minority of muslims. Read any of John Esposito’s books on Islam and you will be wise.
Our venerated and patriotic WW II grandmother, Rosie the Riveter, would have instantly realized that Sofia Ali-Khan was the enemy and kicked her a$$.
Ditto!
She forgot one, if you have a moslem coworker with a new wife from the sandbox, show them you care by throwing them a baby shower with lots of gifts!
Oh wait,,,,
Oh for the love of Pete! They try to kill us and then expect us to roll over and take it.
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