Fear and Loathing of Everyone Who's Not Just Like Us

2002-09-12 || 5:53 p.m.

Well, it's September 12th. A full year has passed. And on the surface, life is more or less the same. I don't think it really changed us as a society, other than helping us appreciate those who every day give of themselves in the emergency services. Leading into the next topic is a blessing: I ask most sincerely that God would bless those families who lost loved ones, whether on the planes, the Pentagon, or the World Trade Center. I also extend that blessing to those whose relatives hijacked the planes and destroyed thousands of lives that day, because they are people as well, and God loves all of us, regardless of whether or not we love Him back.

Why are we all so xenophobic? People all over the world are xenophobic, and Americans are no exception. However, I've chosen to deal with them specifically. I quote Greg Proops: "Every time an election comes around, there's always that same message of love in this country: 'You know what's wrong with this country? People from other countries.' Of course, people from other countries. Now we're Americans. Technically, who IS from this country? Only the Indians, who we graciously let dwell on their native casinos. We all came over in a boat one way or another, right?"

What's sad is that this country is one of the best, if not the best racially, socially, and economically integrated counrties in the world. Isn't that sad? Look how far we have to go.

The TA in one of my classes this semester is from somewhere in the middle-east; haven't yet had the chance to ask where yet. On our first day of class, he told us several times that he didn't hate us, that he didn't want our country to be wiped off the map, and that if he said something we found offensive, it's because he's new to the culture, not because he loathes us. And so please just tell him, rather than kneecapping him in an alley somewhere. I was appalled. Not at him for saying that, but rather that he felt it needed to be said.

Equally appaling was a conversation that Millard had with someone in the CS labs here. The guy was saying that A-rabs (that was the pronounciation that he used) deserved what the US was giving them, and more "because A-rabs are bad people". I can't apologize for him, but to the worldwide Arab community, please know that not all of us are like that.

For those of you who might be reading this and have some hostility toward Arabs, think about this the next time you see one, or think of one (actually, this applies to everyone and every race): What did this person ever do to me? What have they ever done to justify my hatred? Probably nothing.