Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Why Do We Fight?

I believe; ‘We fight this war there so it does not come here, to our soil, to our families, in our homes’.

My brother was in Iraq for a year. He believes this also. Believed it enough that at the age of 40, he re-enlisted with the Marines. Specifically for the reason to go there. I have had the honor to discuss this subject with many American service members, they also believe it. I have not been there, I have never met a Muslim extremist. So my opinion is based on relative experiences.

In my short time on this planet, I have had the honor to know several Muslims. 2 from Pakistan, 4 or 5 from India and another 4 or 5 from Africa (specifically Senegal). They, without exception, are wonderful people. A very strong belief in family god and their religion. They all have an honest desire to better themselves. Some were in school while working 2 jobs, a couple others are managing small businesses with a desire to open one of their own. On occasion, we have discussed this war and what it means to them. The 2 guys form Pakistan left because of the extremists and what they had done to their families for not fighting for them. All of them agreed that they (the extremists) will kill Americans because we are Americans. That included Muslim Americans, because they do not fight for them.

Without knowing your ethnicity or religion I ask, have you ever been hated for what you are? If you are black, Jewish of gay then you can say yes, I’m sure. Many Americans can not say they are or have been hated because of what they are. Not something they did, just what they are.

I’m interested in your opinion. What do you think??

5 comments:

Pink Icing said...

Sadly predudice appears in many forms and places.

I myself am white, middle class and British. I am also short and Welsh and both those have received their fair share of prdudice.
I think the instances that have upset me most was in the East End of London, which was once famed for its Cockneys, now homes a large Asian community. My daughter lived there a few years back and had a flat on the top floor of a Victorian house that was inhabited by Asians. I was spat at many a time by the men and barred from a local shop, all because I was a white woman on her own. It upset me and made me miserable but determined that it wouldn't stop me.
I also had a similar experience in Liberia in Africa.

The journey for me is that I can't let it get me down. I must fight and be there for others to fight as well. It just doesn't always have to be aggressive. Support can be enormous in a small gesture. Lets not forget whhat we all want. It's peace isn't it??! Many of us have to face predudices, some more severe than others. I believe it's about how you deal with it, your attitude. I have friends who are crippled and bitter about what they view is the injustice of it. Life is s**t but in every negative there is a postive, just ask a man who survives a prison term. Life isn't perfect, it's not meant to be, I believe we are here to learn and sometimes we learn through suffering; ours and others.

Anyway sorry about the ramble, just a tip of my emotions today. must be a bad day cos I just cried at a movie here in your Unitesd States that wasn't really a weepie! Gawd, must be those blinking hormones again.....phew better not say too much there'll be those among us that have strong predudice of those as well.........

Pink Icing said...

Of course I mean 'prejudice'......

DirkStar said...

Ring-a-ling!

Kat said...

One time a couple years back, I was the only white person (aside from the teacher) in my Intro to Philosophy class. We had what the teacher promised to be an extremely difficult test. I studied hard, and truthfully, don't recall it being all that difficult. Anyway, I got the highest grade in the class, a "B." The girls in front of me, upon seeing my grade, said: "Oh, look, White Girl must have cheated to get that grade!" and other stupid comments along those lines. Nope, sorry, dearies... I just studied my butt off!!!!

Pepper said...

yes I have been and it is horrible. I won't go into details but it is frightening to be singled out by ignorant people. I could of hidden away, or moved away but I stayed with my head up.