Links between Islam and Terrorism

[doodlebugg 10]

I have legitimate fears as my son grows older and enters into the public school system because he has a very Muslim name. My husband and I have experienced so much prejudice and hatred in the U.S. already that we do worry about our son.

move here then! lol. I feel like I work at the UN most days. Lemme see...just looking around my cube-farm I see 5 women from China, 2 men from Lebanon (though they were born in Palestine), 3 women from Vietnam, 1 man from Israel and whole slew of peeps from Russia with a sprinkling of born Americans here and there.

[Nothing1234 2]

I have legitimate fears as my son grows older and enters into the public school system because he has a very Muslim name. My husband and I have experienced so much prejudice and hatred in the U.S. already that we do worry about our son.

move here then! lol. I feel like I work at the UN most days. Lemme see...just looking around my cube-farm I see 5 women from China, 2 men from Lebanon (though they were born in Palestine), 3 women from Vietnam, 1 man from Israel and whole slew of peeps from Russia with a sprinkling of born Americans here and there.

I LOVE THE EAST COAST

[allousa 1]

We are in the DEEP south girls....BAPTIST COUNTRY THAT IS....not a hotbed of forward thinking and quality. Man, don't get me started on my grandmother. I thought when my family found out I was seriously going to marry a Muslim Arab man...I was going to be dragged into the church with a laying of hands on me!

Most of my family has come to love my husband and see all of the wonderful things that made me fall in love with him. But despite that, they still buy into alot of what they see on TV and read in the media.

I wanted to make a point that I'm not "bashing America". I AM an American and I am proud of SOME of the things that this nation has accomplished in such a short time. I just feel like she could be so much more. I don't want to see this country spiral down into a self-centered, resource consuming monster that gives the finger to the rest of the world. We were once truly a shining beacon of safety and opportunity. This country has been made great for all that has gone in the melting pot. (Let me say I LOVE vegetable soup by the way ! At present, I don't think that is where we are headed. No, I don't think the U.S. is supposed to be the savior of the world and we cannot possible involve ourselves in every human struggle throughout the world. But dare I say that it makes sense to "pick your battles wisely"!

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

And quite frankly, the MENA countries that truly surpress women's rights (S.A. and India) are our allies!!!!

I think the Taliban are the most evil bunch of men and I would love to beat the h-e-l-l out of them myselves for all the brutality they inflict upon women and children. Yet twice now, the U.S. has allowed this cancer to grow and grow. We've turned our backs pretty much on the women of Darfur and now those women and chilren in the Congo.

If the current conflicts are truly what you say about protecting women's rights then why aren't these other regions just as important to us? I am rather surprised that we aren't involved seeing as how there are possible oil resources in Sudan and other marketable resources in the Congo. But since they don't rival the economic value of what is in Iraq, it's not worth our time.

I guess that I'm really surprised that after all that has come out about the fabricated intel and the lies that spurred us to invade Iraq, that you still really think it's about freedom.

And yes, a woman might be free to wear a hijab in this country, but that does not keep her from suffering alot of bigotry and hatred and possible violence.

I have legitimate fears as my son grows older and enters into the public school system because he has a very Muslim name. My husband and I have experienced so much prejudice and hatred in the U.S. already that we do worry about our son.

I am so sorry that you and your husband have experienced hatred and prejudice. I started this topic to discuss some of these experienced. This is our sounding board to tell others about things we have been through. But I have seen enough of both sides now ( both here and elsewhere) that at some point we have to let go of the details and start to figure out where we stand in the big picture. Do you want to live under Islamic law? Do you share many of the views as pertaining to your own life that stand with what mena countries practice? No, dont get me wrong, living overseas...anywhere overseas as long as you have money, any society can be bearable. Could I live in North Africa and not have a hard time of things over an extended period of time? I think I could.. as long as I had enough money to have running water in my apartment and give my kids the things I want them to have. Do I agree with alot of perceptions that people from overseas have about us? Some I do.. politically wise. Their opinions about our lack of culture and education I sumarily say NO. I think this country is too big to generalise. Every state is like a different kingdom and even the difference between lets say Miami and North Carolina is astounding. In Miami, a little boy named Mohamed would not be a big deal. In North Carolina in some parts, maybe. I lived in Fayetteville and it wasnt exactly a bastion of openness.

I believe YOU HAVE experienced difficulties and predjudice and I think it would be good to hear about them because the purpose of starting this thread was actually for people to talk about experiences talking about Islam and muslims with co workers and family and varying experiences. I think MOST want to like and embrace others. I know that if I tell someone my daughter is muslim and that she is arab, they havent been mean to her because of that. But that has alot to do with where I live and who I interact with . My catholic aunt is furious about it and condemns me for that. My mother says that she feels sorry that I have stigmatised my daughter with an arabic name. Both are PhDs and are supposed to be open minded. Both have travelled extensively through MENA and my aunt actually works with MENA professors who have fled their countries and old life because of the problems they experienced back home.

There is no right answer for any of this. I do believe you wholeheartedly but I dont blame you for it. I blame the people who decided to throw bombs and blow themselves up and kill in the name of jihad for giving muslims a bad name. I dont recall growing up very many people being mad at islam and all muslims anywhere I travelled and lived. I do recall alot of people with alot of animosity towards Palestinians but that of course has to do with alot of high profile terror acts like Munich,Lebanon and other things... 9 11 brought alot of the hell down on muslims and our families.... Thats really where alot of the things started with Americans being fearful of Islam and being afraid of muslims whether we like it or not.

[allousa 1]

I have legitimate fears as my son grows older and enters into the public school system because he has a very Muslim name. My husband and I have experienced so much prejudice and hatred in the U.S. already that we do worry about our son.

move here then! lol. I feel like I work at the UN most days. Lemme see...just looking around my cube-farm I see 5 women from China, 2 men from Lebanon (though they were born in Palestine), 3 women from Vietnam, 1 man from Israel and whole slew of peeps from Russia with a sprinkling of born Americans here and there.

Bridget, I would to work in an environment like that. Unfortunately, I work in an industry that is very male dominated and work with alot of deep south Good 'Ole Boys, if you know what I mean. I got this job right before I met my husband and it's a great job. I've had to put up with ALOT of racist comments though. I would pretty much stake all that I own on the fact that my boss would NEVER hire a Muslim and especially a woman that wore a hijab.

As a matter of fact, we have already been told that we can either work on MLK day or use that day to take off during Inguration Day since we will not be able to watch it at work or on our computers. Any guess as to who he voted for? We weren't allowed to talk about politics at ALL during the election.

[Nothing1234 2]

We are in the DEEP south girls....BAPTIST COUNTRY THAT IS....not a hotbed of forward thinking and quality. Man, don't get me started on my grandmother. I thought when my family found out I was seriously going to marry a Muslim Arab man...I was going to be dragged into the church with a laying of hands on me!

Most of my family has come to love my husband and see all of the wonderful things that made me fall in love with him. But despite that, they still buy into alot of what they see on TV and read in the media.

I wanted to make a point that I'm not "bashing America". I AM an American and I am proud of SOME of the things that this nation has accomplished in such a short time. I just feel like she could be so much more. I don't want to see this country spiral down into a self-centered, resource consuming monster that gives the finger to the rest of the world. We were once truly a shining beacon of safety and opportunity. This country has been made great for all that has gone in the melting pot. (Let me say I LOVE vegetable soup by the way ! At present, I don't think that is where we are headed. No, I don't think the U.S. is supposed to be the savior of the world and we cannot possible involve ourselves in every human struggle throughout the world. But dare I say that it makes sense to "pick your battles wisely"!

I attended university for one year at BAPTIST University for a program I was dying to be in...I had to leave and return home to NY. I had such culture shock in the south...however, the cooking ROCKED MY SOCKS and people I did meet at school were amazing and sweet!

I didn't take anything you said as "bashing". I think you had some very good points...and I'm proud to be an American but not so proud of some of the things our goverment has done or gotten involved in. Things could change for the better and we'd all be happy campers!

[allousa 1]

When I was pregnant, friends and family threw me one big, HUGE baby shower. When someone asked me what I planned to name our son, and I told them, a quiet came over everyone. Several people asked me how could I do that to my son? Keep in mind that he had Mohammad in his name. Even my mother was very angry for awhile and tried many times to get me to change it. It was awful. To this day, I have several family members that refuse to call him Mohammad but call him by his middle name instead. This really bothers my husband, but he deals with it.

You say that you don't want to live under Shaira law, so can you imagine how those that do live that way don't wish to live their lives in the way that we do, yet that is exactly what we expect of them?

And I think this openly practiced racism towards Muslims and Arabs was well under way before 9/11. That horrible day only intensified it.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

And quite frankly, the MENA countries that truly surpress women's rights (S.A. and India) are our allies!!!!

YEP!

editted--'tarding out with the quotes

Edited December 3, 2008 by Y_habibitk

[HLM 1]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

[Nothing1234 2]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

So sad honey.

It happens in the US all the time...only people become freaked when its "overseas" to them. There is no difference where ever you are...losing a child to an ex spouse would kill anyone's heart. It's not just a MENA thing...that's why two parents have to agree (if on BC) to allowing a passport or taking children out of state in divorce situations in the US. It would happen here as well if a mother or father tried to run with a child.....

[HLM 1]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

So sad honey.

It happens in the US all the time...only people become freaked when its "overseas" to them. There is no difference where ever you are...losing a child to an ex spouse would kill anyone's heart. It's not just a MENA thing...that's why two parents have to agree (if on BC) to allowing a passport or taking children out of state in divorce situations in the US. It would happen here as well if a mother or father tried to run with a child.....

really? i didnt know that!! thnx for the info

[allousa 1]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

I think it's awful how parents keep children away from the other parent when relationships fall apart. Understandable when abuse is involved, but when it's simply to deprive the other parent because of emotional reasons based on anger...very sad because the children end up as the ones being hurt.

But would you not agree that this is a universal problem and not one limited to MENA. Just look at the number of children missing in the U.S. that have been taken by the other parent.

It's all very sad.

[allousa 1]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

So sad honey.

It happens in the US all the time...only people become freaked when its "overseas" to them. There is no difference where ever you are...losing a child to an ex spouse would kill anyone's heart. It's not just a MENA thing...that's why two parents have to agree (if on BC) to allowing a passport or taking children out of state in divorce situations in the US. It would happen here as well if a mother or father tried to run with a child.....

really? i didnt know that!! thnx for the info

Yes! I had to get an Affidavit from my husband since he was in Morocco in order to apply for a U.S. passport for our son BECAUSE his name was on the BC.

[Nothing1234 2]

I've left Morocco with just my son a couple of times now and not once have I EVER been questioned or stopped or asked to provide a document from my husband.

Thats because he didnt call the authorities and alert them to your leaving and ask that they stop you.

My husband likes to kid and say, next time i come to visit he will call the police and have my stopped at the airport, then just send for my son... LOL yep, he has a sick sense of humor, just like me... one of the reasons i love him

Yes but thats because so many times the mothers flee with the children depriving the father from seeing them; and it wd have nothing to do with who is bad and who is good! My brothers ex wife demanded divorce after making a huge fight with both families my brother granted her the divorce she took his son away for a whole yr and a half!!! we had absolutely no way of knowing where he is and she turned out to be in syria!!!! i dont think its fair really! now shes back we had to go to court to be able to see his son and finally we do once a week.

So sad honey.

It happens in the US all the time...only people become freaked when its "overseas" to them. There is no difference where ever you are...losing a child to an ex spouse would kill anyone's heart. It's not just a MENA thing...that's why two parents have to agree (if on BC) to allowing a passport or taking children out of state in divorce situations in the US. It would happen here as well if a mother or father tried to run with a child.....

really? i didnt know that!! thnx for the info

It's just so much harder when you live thousands of miles away..."visitation" is just impossible for some. But you make a choice when you marry a partner from another country. Many things to think about...

[notime4haterz 0]

All I can say is, just like people don't want Muslims coming to America and forcing everyone to live the Islamic way, well, Muslims in other countries don't want America or anyone for that matter, coming to them and pushing their way of life on them either. Everyone needs to just let everyone else be.

If America is so concerned about womens rights and the welfare of children, etc, they can issue refugee status to anyone asking for it. Otherwise, it's best to stay out of it! No one will ever be able to overcome a religion that has over a billion people in it...no one.

As for the visitation thing and child custody. In America, they give custody to women who are crack whores. Just because they're the biological mother. No questions asked. Do you know how difficult it is for a father to get custody? Almost impossible. Do you think this method is correct?

In Muslim countries usually the men are the ones working and making money. For that reason it makes sense for them to be responsible for child care and expenses (not to mention Islamically they have to pay for their kids 100%). Could this be the reason why some MENA governments give custody to the father? Rather than just saying it's because they're chauvenists?

However, you would need to ask a scholar about the correct rulings on child custody, because I don't believe Islam would put a mother in a position where she cannot see her kids. How can it? When the most important person after Allah and Mohammed (Peace be upon him) is the mother???