I was horrified today to see the events in Boston transpire. As horrified as I find myself too often these days. But there has been a change in me, another response is rising. I am no longer worried that the perpetrator of this atrocity labels himself/herself Muslim or not. I am no longer worried about Islamic/Christian, Islamic/Whatever relations in the United States or elsewhere. I feel no need to apologize, condemn, defend, or explain anymore. As a responsible citizen of this country and this world, I have transcended these second-class accommodations.
Honestly, I do not ask NRA members to apologize for or condemn the nuts who take those guns and shoot school children (although to some of them guns don't kill, Islam does) - I understand that the bulk of their membership are like me, decent human beings who abhor such actions. I do not look to my American or European Christian friends when people like McVeigh or Breivik pervert their faith to justify their hatred and blood lust. I do not crawl through sacred religious text with a contemptuous lack of context and good faith looking for cheap under girding for my venomous soul. I don't demand consistency from some liberal media experts who think that an American male who murders dozens isn't a terrorist, only a mentally ill individual, probably bullied and harassed as a child. I don't track down the few racist rednecks I meet occasionally to tell me what they think when one of their brethren ties a Black man to their pick up for some fun. They don't owe me anything. And although I don't owe any of them anything either, I can think, I can reason.
I love the Christians I see everyday living their faith - the differences in my belief do not demand that I seek out the exceptions among them to diminish what is all around me, what I can see with open eyes and and an honest heart. I have wonderful friends who own guns - I don't need to point out the terrorists who hold pieces of my country hostage periodically with automatic weapons as somehow indicative of these citizens who practice their constitutional rights. Finally, I don't need to practice the folly of attempting to educate the innumerate around me that extrapolate the actions of literally hundreds of "Muslims" to the billions who loath those violent actions and who illuminate my faith perfectly, daily. I am done with this. I am a Muslim, I am Michael.
Honestly, I do not ask NRA members to apologize for or condemn the nuts who take those guns and shoot school children (although to some of them guns don't kill, Islam does) - I understand that the bulk of their membership are like me, decent human beings who abhor such actions. I do not look to my American or European Christian friends when people like McVeigh or Breivik pervert their faith to justify their hatred and blood lust. I do not crawl through sacred religious text with a contemptuous lack of context and good faith looking for cheap under girding for my venomous soul. I don't demand consistency from some liberal media experts who think that an American male who murders dozens isn't a terrorist, only a mentally ill individual, probably bullied and harassed as a child. I don't track down the few racist rednecks I meet occasionally to tell me what they think when one of their brethren ties a Black man to their pick up for some fun. They don't owe me anything. And although I don't owe any of them anything either, I can think, I can reason.
I love the Christians I see everyday living their faith - the differences in my belief do not demand that I seek out the exceptions among them to diminish what is all around me, what I can see with open eyes and and an honest heart. I have wonderful friends who own guns - I don't need to point out the terrorists who hold pieces of my country hostage periodically with automatic weapons as somehow indicative of these citizens who practice their constitutional rights. Finally, I don't need to practice the folly of attempting to educate the innumerate around me that extrapolate the actions of literally hundreds of "Muslims" to the billions who loath those violent actions and who illuminate my faith perfectly, daily. I am done with this. I am a Muslim, I am Michael.
you are wonderful, you are Michael
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