Bigotry, racism and terrorism - Is there any hope?
I just returned from a trip away from California and used air travel to go to and from my trip to Nevada. This was during all the heightened airport security in the aftermath of the London foiled terrorist plot to blow up airplanes. Security was tight, passengers were cooperative and things seemed to go more smoothly than I had expected. There was some inconvenience but it was worth it to fly feeling safer.
I did notice something strange while waiting for my flight near the Gate, since I had much time to sit and watch people come and go. In the stream of passengers from Gate to Gate, I noticed several people who looked like they could have been from the Middle East. What I noticed was nothing particular about them, but I did notice other people looking at them in a way that seemed less than hospitable and friendly towards them. I can understand people are afraid as they travel, as they have been sensitized to be more fearful by the President, Vice President and others preaching from the same fear bible. I thought to myself, Is anything good going to come out of this in the future or is there anything good coming out of this now? I did notice something else that was a breadth of fresh air and possibly the most transformational societal change I have witnessed in the past 50 years. It is a problem we have been dealing with most of my lifetime and here was a side benefit of all this fear of Islamic Fundamental terrorists.
What was this event? As I had noticed others focusing on these people of possible Middle Eastern background, I noticed also several black people who blended into the stream of passengers, also waiting at Gates, but where others were friendly and warm towards them and engaged in apparently congenial conversation. Could it be that the Black community in America might finally be accepted and embraced. There were no stares, no avoidance, no mumblings, just good energy. I thought for the first time in my life that racial bigotry of blacks might actually have a chance of remission. God, I so hope so. Unfortunately, others are taking their place on the bottom rung of the bigotry and racism ladder, those being anyone looking like they might be Middle Eastern. That's what fear breeds. That's where the poorly planned peace and constant instability in Iraq, have taken us. Wake up America. Stop the fear by voicing your opposition to these tactics and instead replace the feelings with HOPE. Vote in November to make a real difference.
I did notice something strange while waiting for my flight near the Gate, since I had much time to sit and watch people come and go. In the stream of passengers from Gate to Gate, I noticed several people who looked like they could have been from the Middle East. What I noticed was nothing particular about them, but I did notice other people looking at them in a way that seemed less than hospitable and friendly towards them. I can understand people are afraid as they travel, as they have been sensitized to be more fearful by the President, Vice President and others preaching from the same fear bible. I thought to myself, Is anything good going to come out of this in the future or is there anything good coming out of this now? I did notice something else that was a breadth of fresh air and possibly the most transformational societal change I have witnessed in the past 50 years. It is a problem we have been dealing with most of my lifetime and here was a side benefit of all this fear of Islamic Fundamental terrorists.
What was this event? As I had noticed others focusing on these people of possible Middle Eastern background, I noticed also several black people who blended into the stream of passengers, also waiting at Gates, but where others were friendly and warm towards them and engaged in apparently congenial conversation. Could it be that the Black community in America might finally be accepted and embraced. There were no stares, no avoidance, no mumblings, just good energy. I thought for the first time in my life that racial bigotry of blacks might actually have a chance of remission. God, I so hope so. Unfortunately, others are taking their place on the bottom rung of the bigotry and racism ladder, those being anyone looking like they might be Middle Eastern. That's what fear breeds. That's where the poorly planned peace and constant instability in Iraq, have taken us. Wake up America. Stop the fear by voicing your opposition to these tactics and instead replace the feelings with HOPE. Vote in November to make a real difference.
posted by Charles Amico at 10:40 PM
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