A New September 11

Yesterday was Sept. 11, that day of quickest death in the history of humanity, the most dangerous of days that brought disaster and a foul reputation to Arabs and Muslims throughout the world.

I recall this day as if it were yesterday: the day of the explosion at Twin Towers, the crash at the Pentagon and the attempts to strike the Capitol and White House. I recall that many friends disappointed by Israeli-funded American policy — those who rummage around for an Arab victory of any kind — called me on that day yelling excitedly about the good news: “God is great! We’ve taught those Americans a lesson they’ll never forget!”

I was deeply hurt by those comments and warned them that this naïve gladness would be turned into regret, hurt and suffering for every Arab and Muslim in this world; that the destruction of the Twin Towers was a deed that would make every person with a connection to an Arab character or Islam pay a heavy burden. One of my brothers accused me of being afraid, of equivocation, of cowardice — even of betrayal — and capped his opinion by saying, “You don’t even understand. Those Americans are afraid; they are not embarrassed.”

Not even a month passed until they came running back with their disappointment and feelings of shame and reproach. One came to me, complaining of not being granted a visa to enter the United States; a second, needing to wait a month for a meeting with the French Embassy; a third, a veiled woman who recounted that she was forced to exchange her hijab for a baseball cap while in New York; a fourth, forced to transfer his son from a university in Los Angeles to one in Dubai; a fifth facing problems with his bank account because every dollar which entered or left his account had begun to be scrutinized.

Arabs have been subjected to this state of affairs three times in the last half-century. The first came after the defeat of 1967, the second after the killing of Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich, and the third after the infamous events of Sept. 11. Each time, the mental image of Islam, Muslims, Arabs and the Arab character was interposed with one portraying them as uncivilized, savage, cold-blooded killers who hate those from different religions. It does not suffice that we say to ourselves, “This is, naturally, nonsense, lies and erroneous allegation.” We must move from a state of self-address and consolation to one of informed awareness in regards to “the Other” who sees us through an obscured and demonizing lens.

We alone carry responsibility for improving the negatively stereotyped mental image that others have of us. Engagement in civilized discourse is imperative. Seminars, conferences, news outlets and social media are of the utmost importance, along with cultural exposés of our civilization and its monuments. But more important than this is our comportment when we interact with others!

Historically, Islam entered Indonesia and other areas of Southeast Asia without raising a single sword or spilling a single drop of blood because of the positive influence of civilized Muslim businessman. The killing and butchery which Arab tyrants undertake these days on our TV screens is a return, once again, to the distortion of our image and a confirmation of the conception that we are a community of murderers.