[News]

News:

[mubaarack]

Just an experience I want to share with everyone..

It was on the news a few weeks ago that some born american muslims (arabs by blood) entered into a flight and suddenly one from among them said "I prefer sitting by the window"  and the others smiled and said "fine". The men were casually dressed and the ladies had hijaab on. In about 5 minutes the FBI came into the plane and ordered the pilots to delay the take off and they invited these americans for some interrogation which lasted approximately 45 minutes. Afterwards they informed the pilots and the passengers that everything is OK so the plane can take off now. The managers/owners of the flight disagreed to travel with their fellow americans so they had to book a flight with a different airline later. I later heard the company was sued for racial profiling.

After a tragedy such as 9/11, americans have become more than cautious to the extent that every little suspicion raises a red flag, and that's fine. But don't you think if these people came into the flight with some evil intention they would be too clever not to talk about sitting near the window? Does this mean that arabs or muslims can't feel free to express themselves anywhere? I mean talking about where to sit on a plane or vehicle is very normal. A step further, we can agree that the interrogation was ok since it appeared that some passengers were terrified, especially thinking about an event such as 9/11.

This is the news item I was discussing with a Master's student, who said she totally agrees with the airline. She made remarks such as "I agree with the airline, I'll travel with them from now on...these arabs are crazy people because they believe when they kill everyone including themselves they are going to heaven..."

Later in the discussion she was surprised when I told her NOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE ARABS AND NOT ALL ARABS ARE MUSLIMS. At first she was hesitant, but after explanation she was amazed she now came to know that there are arab christians. I made a similar statement to a christian student about last year on Legon campus and he said "then I have to watch what I say now".

See, this's the brainwashing am talking about, how can educated people believe things like these?

 

[annuralislam]

Interesting story. And truely, as you've said, it's happening everywhere. Even the so-called enlightened (i.e. ppl with higher education) make decisions based on prejudice and stereotypes. There are still others who keep spreading rubbish about Islam knowingly. It is these I blame the most. The rest, who say such things without full knowledge also have their share of the blame, because being intellectuals, one should not expect them to pass on heresay until they have verified it.

Thankfully, the internet is here and has a wealth of information for whoever looks for it (in the right places).

I must commend you for taking your time to explain things to your friends. I'm sure if each of us were to do the same, rather than argue with them, insult them or just brush them off, things will improve.

Thumbs up bro!