Racism
I just watch a video from A&E which really got me thinking, about a lot of things. The video showed Middle Eastern children between the ages of 6 and 9 in military fatigues, and combat rifles. Some of the children could barely even hold the weapon let alone aim it correctly, but none the less there they were running, popping in magazines, and yes even firing the weapons. They were being trained in the ways of war either by their parents, or just other adults; who were going on an on about Jihad.
My 9 year old walked out of his room to make him self something for lunch; he was still wearing his hockey uniform, and holding his hockey stick. The irony struck me; I dare say that it even almost panicked me. I looked at my son in his uniform, and then at the 7 year old on TV in his uniform. Both children, so young, both with the potential to change the world for the better, but one being quickly corrupted as if his life was already over. He was being trained to end my son’s life.
“Dad are all Muslims bad?” What should I say here? I didn’t see my son come into this world, because I was fighting the Muslims after September 11th during operation Enduring Freedom, and now my son was getting his first glimpse of someone his own age being trained to kill him. I’d be lying if I said what I saw wasn’t making me angry, but how can I let my son fill himself with fear and hate, because of something on TV? How can I let my innocent child feel that kind of animosity towards an entire race of people? I sat silently and just looked at him for a couple minutes, I new he needed an answer, I also knew if I told him what I felt it would be wrong. I kind of stepped out of my body for a second and said something that honestly kind of surprised me.
“Son I don’t rightly know.” “Everyman has to make decisions in their life.” “So if you’re asking me if every one who worships Allah or Mohamed is bad, the answer is I don’t know.” What I will tell you, is this, if you judge people based on their race you’re a peewit. You have to take men and women one at a time. The one thing people do have total control over is the choice to be good or evil. We can pray for that boy on TV and hope that he fills his heart with enough peace and love in his life, that he won’t have enough room in his heart to hate us…And I thought about my own feelings and I looked at him and said, I love you very much, but could you do me a favor…? “What Dad?” Say the same prayer for me to.
