"All of a sudden there were people screaming. I saw people jumping out of the building. Their arms were flailing. I stopped taking pictures and started crying."
-Machael Walters
11 years ago, I remember coming home in the middle of the school day to sit in front of the TV with my mother and watch two big buildings fall into a cape of billowing black smoke. People screamed in the background and the scene repeated. More people screamed and the buildings collapsed again, this time slower, slowly enough for us to realize how people's lives were going to change after that moment. Children lost fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles. People lost their best friends. Grown men lost their children. And even though we weren't anywhere near New York, we and nearly every other American Muslim lost something that day too.
-Machael Walters
11 years ago, I remember coming home in the middle of the school day to sit in front of the TV with my mother and watch two big buildings fall into a cape of billowing black smoke. People screamed in the background and the scene repeated. More people screamed and the buildings collapsed again, this time slower, slowly enough for us to realize how people's lives were going to change after that moment. Children lost fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles. People lost their best friends. Grown men lost their children. And even though we weren't anywhere near New York, we and nearly every other American Muslim lost something that day too.
After that day, my mother was afraid to leave the house for days because of the hijab on her head that clearly pointed her out in a group as a MUSLIM. She got looks, she got glares, she got questions. She even got forgiveness.
For what?!
She wasn't the one who hijacked a plane and caused the death of 2,000+ people. Yet, my mother and other American Muslims faced situations like that for years to pass. Even though they hadn't done anything, they felt like they had with too many people giving them accusing looks.
11 years have passed and American Muslims as well as Muslims all over the world are still facing criticism as a result of a tragedy that wasn't caused by them. There are still people out there who carry grudges and prejudices in their hearts against those who are of the same religion as the terrorist behind these attacks.
Here's my question to people like that: What religion did the Columbine shooters believe in? What about the man who walked into a theater and shot at families and friends who were simply there to watch a movie? What about the men who rape women or serial killers who murder children?
Why aren't they terrorists?
People who deliberately cause the death of others have no religion. What kind of God would tell his believers to kill those who are different from them? What kind of religion orders its believers to become murderers?
Islam is a peaceful religion. The prophet himself even said: "Whoever has three [signs] together will have gathered the Faith: Equity with yourself, offering peace to the world, and spending from small amounts."
Muslims are not fully Muslims until they're peaceful to the world. If you see a Muslim not acting like a Muslim, it is ignorant for people to say that all Muslims are like that. Are all Christians murderers? No, of course not. There were murderers that were Christian, but that doesn't mean all Christians are murderers. The same applies for Muslims.
Hate crimes against Muslims haven't stopped, even though it's been 11 years. I think sometimes people need to remember that Muslims died in those buildings too.
We're all human beings living in the same world. Why are people so desperate to blame those who haven't done anything just for the sake of pointing an accusing finger?
Let's all remember the victims of 9/11 and pray that their families and loved ones find the patience to get through another year without the ones they've lost. And let's pray for the hate crimes and prejudice to end.
Let's be wishful :)
-Wishful Dreamer
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