I wrote this in the fasting month
Lately, the negative sentiments towards the muslims begin to sicken me. I used to be able to ignored it for a while, but somehow, for me, it began to hit a whole new level. I don't know whether this is because of the fasting months make you tends to be more religious, but I do know that all that exist and I'm not being paranoid about it.
I'm sick and tired about it. Now, I come to the point when I can't be arsed anymore. Is that the best option? Probably not. But arguing with people with prejudice isn't good for your health. What argument can be used if they already made up their mind?. And I'm not in any obligation to change their point of view. So fuck them.
Btw, I found this interesting article below. Probably is already dated (it's 10 years old), but still I felt it had a relevance somehow.
Prayer time: Abdul-Rauf takes a stand - basketball player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf - Editorial
Christian Century, April 10, 1996 by James M. Wall
WHEN BASKETBALL STAR Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the Denver Nuggets came to Chicago recently to play against the Bulls, he planned to meet with 25 children in the area who suffer from Tourette's syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by various motor and vocal tics. Abdul-Rauf himself suffers from Tourette's, and as an NBA standout he serves as a role model for children trying to cope with the malady. But the meeting with the kids was canceled. Abdul-Rauf was under intense media scrutiny and had to travel with security personnel that weekend, so it was difficult for him to move around the city.
Abdul-Rauf had been thrust into the national spotlight after the, Denver media discovered that he was not' standing for the singing of the national anthem. A devout Muslim, Abdul-Rauf had concluded that showing such respect for the U. S. flag was a violation of his religious beliefs. Once his refusal became known, the NBA suspended him, citing its rule requiring players to stand respectfully for the anthem.
The suspension was lifted when Abdul-Rauf decided that during the anthem he could stand and pray, his hands held in front of his face in the traditional Muslim manner. In his first game back after the suspension, Abdul-Rauf was roundly booed by Chicago fans. He managed to score 19 points in the Nuggets' loss.
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Watching him sitting on the bench, with boos raining down on him because he had taken what he felt was a principled stand based on his religion, one could see the facial ties and head twists that characterize people with Tourette's. The syndrome has not interfered with Abdul-Rauf's basketball skills, however. He was a first-round draft pick (as a sophomore) out of Louisiana State University in 1990, and though small by NBA standards, he has been his team's playmaker and leading scorer. Raised as a Baptist under the name of Chris Jackson, Abdul-Rauf converted to Islam.
Talk radio hosts and sports writers blasted Abdul-Rauf for his refusal to stand, and then for his willingness to compromise. Of course, not all NBA players stand respectfully for the anthem. Some are rocking back and forth, others are joshing with their teammates. As for the spectators, many ignore the anthem altogether; they are busy getting to their seats or munching on hot dogs. At the Nuggets game, though, the Chicago crowd was very attentive, and their cheers displayed a record level of patriotism.
Abdul-Rauf's experience calls to mind another athlete's protest in the name of his religious commitment: Eric Liddell, later to serve as a Christian missionary to China, who was a member of Great Britain's track team at the 1924 Paris Olympics. As recounted in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, when Liddeu discovered that in order to qualify for the 100-meter race he would have to run a heat on a Sunday, he refused to compete. Raised in the Scottish Congregational Church, Liddell believed that competing on the Sabbath would be a sin. The sports world was shocked, but Liddell did not change his mind. He eventually won a gold medal in the 400-meter race.
Chariots of Fire won a best-picture Academy Award, and audiences widely admired Lidden's stand on behalf of his faith. But Liddell was a Christian, and Abdul-Rauf is a Muslim. Might we draw some conclusions from this about the public's attitude toward Islam?
Consider also the current movie Executive Decision, in which a courageous American foils an attempt to blow up a jetliner by a team of Islamic terrorists. Their leader is a mean, tough but quiet-mannered Muslim who reads from the Qur'an and sings the praises of Islam when he is not bullying the plane's passengers. For years "Arab terrorist" has been a handy movie villain. Perhaps now that category includes the fanatic, practicing Muslim.
There is much in Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf to admire. Besides being skilled at basketball, he is able to ignore the boos of rude fans and hold to his religious convictions. The television cameras usually ignore the singing of the national anthem, but for a time they will focus on Abdul-Rauf. Point him out to your children. Tell them that he is a Muslim, and that he is not a terrorist. Tell them that to play basketball with Tourette's syndrome is not an easy assignment. And explain that Abdul-Rauf took a stand based on his interpretation of his faith. Be sure to tell them about the boos and his scoring 19 points.
