Muslims under Attack

From other Muslims

ISIS/Daesh/ISL has targeted Muslims who aren’t part of the caliphate.  The stores, coffee shops, rock conert and bars that were attacked by extremist in Paris were in mixed neighborhoods, where Muslims, Jews, Christians, agnostics live and work.  The Muslims who live in such neighborhoods are deemed ‘grey’, not true to the faith, and apparently not pure enough for the wackoos who know the truth about God and religion.  That is bad enough, and I’m sure terrifying for those who want the comforts of the west while adhering toi their religious beliefs.

From ignorant xenophobes

People in the US want Muslims out of their communities.  There have been numerous documented instances where people don’t want mosques build in their towns. Last week in Fredrickberg Va. 

“Every one of you are terrorists. I don’t care what you say. I don’t care what you think,”

Where are these people, who just want a normal, peaceful life, raising kids, having jobs to turn.  I joined a volunterr organization to help other in medical need.  Of the 51 people in our graduating class we had: Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, agnostics, atheists.  Nobody seemed to care about any other’s faith, in fact, we were able to leam about dealing with medical issues with certain people, what their culture and religion demand about questioning and touching people of the opposite sex.  Nobody cared about anything except “What can I do to help this person?”

Jersey City is one of the most diverse cities in the US (first or second in most reports).  I am proud to live here, and proud to be part of an organization whose mission is to help those in medical distress.  I am glad that others shared that mission, and helped educate the rest of us on how best to do it.

Reflections on an article in the Nov. 29th NYTimes Magazine