I have to speak out. I’m just that type of person. I cannot just sit back and let bigotry, racism, intolerance, and hatred run rampant and unchallenged. Why am I saying this here and now? It has to do with a recent discussion that I have been having with another individual in another blog. To get things started, I’ll share with you a couple of statements that this individual (whom I will henceforth refer to as “the author”) said:
“I’m real American, white and Christian, u presuming to “American public” as “Muslim.” “Muslim” CANNOT POSSIBLY BE TRUE AMERICAN.”
and
“America a nation made by white Christians for white Christians.”
I believe that everyone has the right to express their opinions…period. I will defend a person’s right to voice those opinions. But I don’t believe that anyone has the right to force their opinions/beliefs/values/morals etc. on another person. On a personal level, I am very concerned and disturbed with the author’s statements.
First, the phrase “real American” must be brought into question. The author seems to be suggesting that the white, European settlers who came to North America, stole the land from the Native Americans, brought disease, and slaughtered millions are the “real Americans.” Without hesitation or reservation, I must wholeheartedly and emphatically disagree. If we go by the “either-or” premise that the author seems to be suggesting, then by rights, aren’t the Native Americans the only TRUE Americans? They were neither white nor Christian. By the way, if I recall correctly, weren’t the Native Americans here first? Hmm.
I find the author’s lack of understanding and mutual respect truly disturbing and flat-out dangerous. You see, I am an “American.” I was born an “American” and have lived in the U.S.A. my entire life. My father, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers all served in the U.S. military. My ancestry is predominantly of Scottish descent (on both sides) but my great-great grandmother was Cherokee. My wife and kids are part of the Cherokee Nation. In my opinion, stating that only white Christians can be true Americans is blatantly offensive and implies that my family is somehow less “American”…in fact, less human. To me, the mentality of any person who refuses to acknowledge and respect another person’s cultures, beliefs, values, morals, etc. is no different than the type of mentality it takes to fly airplanes into buildings. Respect and acknowledgment of another’s culture and ideas doesn’t mean that those cultures and ideas have to be embraced and/or adopted by the individual. Our differences are what makes us truly strong and human.
Second, although I am not a Muslim, it seems to me that saying that a Muslim cannot be a TRUE American is not rational and certainly would not be able to withstand any legitimate cross-examination. Remember, not all “founding fathers” of the United States were Christians. What about Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin? They were principle players in the founding of this nation, yet they did not buy into the premise that the author stated when he/she said, “America a nation made by white Christians for white Christians.” Isn’t it ironic that self-professed “Christians”, like the author, often forget the fact that Jesus, himself, was not a “Christian.” He was, of course, a natural-born and “practicing” Jew.
Everyone has a different idea of what “truth” actually is. I would even go so far as to say that no two people are capable of believing or agreeing on everything exactly the same way. People may be like-minded to varying degrees, and some may even agree on most things. However, since people are individuals, their life experiences are different and, therefore, they are incapable of agreeing on absolutely everything. Even twins do not share the same life experiences. In fact, two people could be standing right next to each other, watch a car crash, and come away with two completely different interpretations of what happened. Both would also claim their observations as “truth.” It seems to me that, at best, their observations are only partial “truths.”
Many people make claims like, “If I see it, I will believe it.” The inherent problem with this conclusion is that we cannot truly trust our own senses. Professional magicians & illusionists make a very good living at making people “see” something that isn’t really there. Even security cameras don’t always provide the entire truth because we are only seeing one perspective. And sometimes, even that perspective is blurry or fuzzy and has to be interpreted.
Many people believe in a heaven. However, no one knows with certainty if there is actually one or not. A sincere belief in something does not make it an actual truth. The individual believer may consider their belief to be a truth, but that doesn’t make it actually so. Another illustration can be seen in our own court system. A defendant may be found “not guilty,” but that doesn’t mean they are actually “innocent.”
So, I guess what I am saying (in a very long-winded way) is that I don’t think EVERYONE can ever completely be in agreement regarding what is actually true. Usually, it comes down to a consensus by the majority as to what is considered to be acceptable societal truth.
For me, embracing the cause of diversity has been one of the most rewarding, enriching, and life-changing decisions I could have ever made. Diversity provides a clearer glimpse into the idea of “truth” for me. I actually see the world in a different light than I did when I was younger. In my opinion, striving to see the world through another person’s eyes is one of the most honorable and noble of all human achievements. This very striving helps me to work past some my own prejudices. While I don’t always agree, I do try to understand and respect. The way I see it, mutually inclusive change can only truly take place when we are willing to risk opening our eyes, minds, and hearts to each other.
Be well.
