Saturday afternoon my doorbell rang. I open it and see two young (10 or so) boys with pamphlets in their hands. Immediately I go into my suspicion mode but the smaller boy just says, "Hello, sir, we want to bring you a message of peace" and handed me his pamphlets. I was a little confused, reached out, and said, "that is it?" to which they responded it was. I then saw the title of the pamphlet "Muslims for Peace" and smied and told them I wished them luck. I also noticed an older man, probably their father, waiting in the street so I waved to him. A little bit later I walked my dog and noticed there was cluster of people standing to the side of an intersection. There was a little boy in front of a camera talking into a mic. Pretty sure I heard him say something about terrorists. There was also one car that had a magnetic sign on the door saying something about stopping hate. A few things to which I had a reaction: 1. How sad is it that I have an immediate suspicious reaction to people coming to my door? I see people with something in hand and am immediately irritated by a suspected upcoming attempt at a sale or a conversion. 2. I was greatly saddened by the reality that produced whatever this was. Americans are so fearful or hateful with regards to Muslims these days that a group felt a need to go around saying they like peace (the pamphlets were very minimilistic and not preachy...just that they don't want a world with violence and hate). 3. I walked my dog just because I realized I would have liked to have said more but was too far thrown off initially. Unfortunately they looked very busy and were recording so I did not hang around to talk but I was interested in the neighborhood reaction (mostly whitey) and in hearing more about why they were doing it. Now I feel as if I missed out on an opportunity for somethign interesting. 4. Anyone here know about something similar in Houston over the weekend? I am curious why it happened in my neighborhood.
Any idea what your neighborhood's reaction is? I agree, it's sad that they even feel they have to do that. Last time ATW and I went at it, I did link a story about this specifically going on in Houston. Ah, here it is: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/religion/7228321.html
ad 1) It's a normal reaction, usually people who come to your door unannounced want something from you...your money, your attention, your soul. ad 2) That seems like a gross generalization (the part about Americans being fearful/hateful). It's nice that they want to convey that they are about peace, but I am not sure that it is necessary to ring people's doorbells for that.
Most Americans couldn't even point out a Muslim I bet. I would probably have a hard time unless they looked like the Taliban in traditional dress with a beard or it was a woman wearing a burqa. I understand there is a lot of hate out there for Muslims. I just don't think they exactly know where to direct that hatred...unless they are targeting a mosque or something. I know many people looked really stupid after 9/11 while taking their anger out on mostly people from India from what I could tell from the news. Stupid idiots didn't even know who they were telling off and shooting at...just some foreign looking people that fit their flawed profile of what a Muslim looks like. Interesting campaign to have toddlers running the campaign for Muslims for Peace. It sounds like some kids had an idea at a church function to spread awareness about the peace-loving Muslims. Good for them.
If he's brown he's either a Muslim or an illegal. Either way, he better not try to pray in MY neighborhood. Edit: I want to be clear that this was meant satirically before I get reported!
Sure they do! Remember at that anti "Ground Zero Mosque" rally in NYC? They went after some black construction worker from Ground Zero. Hey, he was dark-skinned and had a skullcap on (close enough to a turban, which all Muslims wear -- right??).
Oh, I know - I am not faulting myself for that...just thinking about our strange world. I don't think it is gross generalization. Everywhere you look there are people protesting some mosque or center or what have you. It goes back to 911 but has escalated recently to the point of irrationality. Sure, Islamic terrorism started the bad name, but many in this country are working themselves into a needless frenzy. Why else would you suggest they are doing this now (going around with a message of peace)? Because the US is pro-Muslim? As far as the necessity to ring people's doorbells...why not? Don't people always ask where the peaceful Muslims who will say they are against terrorism are? It is not as if WASPS are going to start going to mosques to learn something. To me a couple of Muslim kids wishing me peace is better than anybody trying to convert me or tell me I need to join their church or I will burn forever. Regardless, as I said, I was greatly saddened afterwards by what their outing represented...from all angles.
Yep, that was the group and national organization. I had not seen that article before and, obviously, my suspicions for why they are doing it was correct. I do not know what my neighborhood reaction was. I wish I had found a chance to talk more in depth.
Yeah, form some comments on Chronicle and KHOU websites so would many others. I found a report about Saturday in my area: http://www.khou.com/news/Muslims-For-Peace-trying-to-take-back-their-faith-104677579.html
Yes. Why saddened? Why not encouraged? It is a positive gesture by them, which is nice and commendable. Yet, you are attributing a lot of negative things to everyone else because of it, which is a gross generalization and unfair. So if I come to your door and give you a leaflet that says Germans are about peace, it will sadden you because you then think all Americans are fearful and hateful of Germans?
Too late, SamFisher has already pulled the trigger. If you apologize publicly, he might "withdraw the reporting".
Yes, I would be sad if Germans felt it necessary to do so. Germans are good folk, if not a bit meticulous (been having a close business relationship with a German airline for the last two years), and if a good chunk of people still thought they were all anti-semites based on WW2 to the point where they had to hand out leaflets that they love Jews (or are for peace), it would be quite sad. But really, it's a bad analogy overall because the two situations aren't really comparable (only one is real).
My point is that rimbaud makes it seem like everyone hates them and the proof is that they "have to" hand out leaflets at his door. I'm not saying that some people aren't ignorant, but he generalizes too much and takes them coming to his door as proof that his generalization is correct.
