Hatred

Disappointingly, I read now of hate crimes being perpetrated against Muslims and Muslim institutions.

Mosques being burned.  Dead pigs left in in mosque doorways.  Muslims (or people who appear to be Muslim) being beaten.  Attacked for the religion they practice.  Or because they LOOK like they're Muslim.

Imagine if you will ... that you are Irish in the middle of the 19th Century.

You are hated, vilified, beaten upon and downtrodden.  Called every despicable name in the book.  Everyday.  Everywhere you go.

As much as you don't think it was ever like that - you're wrong.  It was.  And for little or no good reason.

Imagine if you will ... that you are German in the midst of WWI, but living here, in the United States.

You are hated, vilified, beaten upon and downtrodden.  Called every despicable name in the book.  Every day.  Everywhere you go.

As much as you don't know that it was ever like that, it really was.  And the only reason was we were fighting the Germans, and we were killing them and they were killing us - in Europe.  Not here.  Not the corner butcher or the brew master or the guy that lived down the street that made sausages your grandmother used to cook up for special meals.

You know people who are descended from those people.  Those Irish.  Those Germans. You, yourself, may be descended from those people.

I know I am.  I am German and Irish.  Mostly.

I am no more deserving of the hatred expressed in those time than Muslims are today.

Remember who you are and where you came from.  Remember how your ancestors were hated.  Imagine what that felt like.  And then ask yourself if that's what Muslims really deserve.

It's my feeling they do not.


Ndinombethe.  Ubuntu.