Market Farming

["Jennifer-Claire Klotz" <jcvk AT hotmail.com>]

I don't quite know where to chime in here...

 

I think this is a good dialogue because the US DOES need to think "outside of the box."  We do need to reevaluate its foreign policies.  As Bush spoke last night and talked about why "they" don't like us, I am not too sure that he was on target. 

 

When Bush and company talked about the US going on a "crusade" my husband and I groaned.  Thinking, "God, don't they have ANYONE on their staff that can help them with the most minimal level of cultural sensitivity?"  Don't they understand what a bad word choice that is?  Later, they retracted after I am sure someone bought them a clue from the dollar store.

 

The last week and a half has been hard.  I bite my tongue all the time.  Wondering if I say the wrong thing will people start to hate me too?  How do you explain to people how sick the events made you but didn't surprise you?

 

A few weeks ago I stopped wearing my hijab (headscarf) cause generally it makes life hard.  It made me sad to feel that was the choice I felt was best for my sanity.  Mostly the staring bothered me.  People just not being as nice to you as you know they usually are.  Also, didn't like being used as a poster child for diversity at work.  My timing, unfortunately was very good.  Sadly my bare head makes me feel safe.  My husband, who is Arab, doesn't feel safe and jokes that his new name is Jose Alvarez.  A foreign national living in the US - he wonders what his rights are in this land of liberty.  This week our Friday prayer will have a security guard. 

 

What I would encourage anyone on this list to do is go and talk to an Arab, Muslim, Pakistani, Afghan, etc.  Talk to them about why they think things have gone so wrong.  Ask questions and listen with an open mind.  Not that Arabs and Muslims in this country have all the answers or understand all the problems of the world - but we do often have a different perspective.  And sometimes I just think - if people would start to listen to what we think and believe - maybe things could get better.  Maybe it would help everyone to think a little outside of the box and maybe we COULD come up with some positive solutions to these issues that don't involved the loss of life.

 

Keep up the dialogue and reflection.  When I got the digest of the posts this morning it was to me a bit of hope - Americans ARE thinking.  :)

 

Peace and submission,

Claire

 

 

 

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