Subject:
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Re: What we can do...
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 25 Sep 2001 14:40:01 GMT
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Viewed:
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189 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> This editorial:
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19887-2001Sep24.html
>
> raises the point that it is not just the president that ought to be
> exhorting Americans to be tolerant, it's all of us.
>
> But what can we do. We can call for tolerance on discussion forums. We can
> tell our Muslim friends we like them as much as we ever did. But the
> intolerant bigots don't always read LUGNET or go to the same schools we do.
>
> I am interested in hearing from other people about what can be done. Any
> ideas about specific concrete steps?
This one is particularly difficult I think. Personally I wouldn't hand out
with intolerant bigots and they wouldn't want to hand out with me either.
Their friends probably think as they do so they get support for their way of
thinking.
The other problem is that I don't have many Muslim friends to begin with. I do
have some Indian friends though. But they are friends and for me that doesn't
change and they know that.
I guess one thing for me is that my son who is just about 1 year old has a new
playmate at his daycare who is a Muslim girl. I havn't met her parents but I
guess I could invite them over so our kids can play (Isn't it great how
little kids just LOVE other little kids, doesn't matter who they are or what
color skin they have...).
That doesn't really answer your question though...
One point is that we have to try and change peoples mindset. That is very hard
to do. Sure there are some usually tollerant people that were so affected by
the events of 09/11 that the said some very intollerant things. Now that some
time has passed those people have seen that their emotions got the better of
them, for the few that havn't maybe we can help them.
The other thing to do is to try and show support of Muslims, maybe even go out
of your way to shop in a Muslim owned store or buy gas at a Muslim owned gas
station. Then just shake their hand so that they know that there are tollerant
people out there. Unfortunately for them they probably see more negative and
intollerant people then tollerant people because that is what is on TV and
because it seems that negative experiances stay with you longer.
I guess if I ever saw someone harassing someone else just because of their skin
color, racial background, or religion I would have to step in and defend the
person being harassed. Again this probably doesn't change the view of the
harasser, it just gives the harassee a somewhat possitive memory of being
defended by someone that kind of looked like their attacker.
Lets face it, there are some real idiots among us who only take people at face
value. That is wrong, not to mention very dangerous in these times. The
terrorists of 2 weeks ago and their organizations would like nothing more than
to see non-Muslim Americans alienating and attacking Muslim Americans. In
their view that gives more credance their possition that this is a "holy war"
and that we (Americans) are out to crush Islam.
All really sad, but I just don't know how to fix the problem either.
Eric K.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | What we can do...
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| This editorial: (URL) the point that it is not just the president that ought to be exhorting Americans to be tolerant, it's all of us. But what can we do. We can call for tolerance on discussion forums. We can tell our Muslim friends we like them as (...) (23 years ago, 25-Sep-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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