September 12, 2006 — WELL, here it is, five years late, but here just the same: an apology from an Arab-American for 9/11. No, I didn’t help organize the killers or contribute in any way to their terrible cause. However, I was one of millions of Arab-Americans who did the unspeakable on 9/11: nothing.
The only time I raised my voice in protest against these men who killed thousands of innocents in the name of Allah was behind closed doors, among the safety of friends and family. I did at one point write a very vitriolic essay condemning their actions, but fear of becoming another Salman Rushdie kept me from ever trying to publish it.
Well, I’m sick of saying the truth only in private - that Arabs around the world, including Arab-Americans like myself, need to start holding our own culture accountable for the insane, violent actions that our extremists have perpetrated on the world at large.
Yes, our extremists and our culture.
Every single 9/11 hijacker was Arab and a Muslim. The apologists (including President Bush) tried to reassure us that 9/11 had nothing to do with Islam, but was a twisting of a great and noble religion. With all due respect, read the Koran, Mr. President. There’s enough there for someone of extreme tendencies to find their way to a global jihad.
Emilio Karim Dabul is a freelance writer and PR consultant living in New Jersey.
3 comments:
Wow, now that's certainly not something you read everyday. It's nice for a change, though.
My favorite part...the note to President Bush.
Emilio Karim Dabul is really asking for it. If he thinks his opinion represents the majority of American Muslims, I think he is in for a rude awakening. I would be interested in learning the state of his health this time next year.
It's nice to hear from you again Christina,
I too thought the note to President Bush was most enlightening.
Chris I pray he remains safe. If he ends up in an "accident" the muslim community has a lot of explaining to do!
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