An Open Challenge
 

Here is an open challenge from me to all of you undergraduate. I openly challenge you to learn about other religion other then yours. Learn it and appriciate it. I also challenge you to hold events where different religion can hold a dialogue and educate the public.

Why am I challenging you? It is because I'm ashamed to see racist taking advantage of this tragedy and spread hate across America. Pres. Bush is right that we are at war. We are not only at war against the terrorist, but also of haterd and intolerance.3
I went to Yahoo message board and saw many questioning the patriotism of Arabs and Muslim American. I see them being cursed and told that they have never contributed to this country. Well, here is my answear, many have. Here is a brief list:

Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie)
Doug Flutie (Quaterback)
Kasey Kasem
Selma Hayek
Founder of MADD (Can't remmber her name)
George Mithcell (Fmr. Senator and architecture of the N. Ireland peace accord)

The list are endless. The terrorist wan't to have a Clash of Civilization. No more. The terrorist will not win. God Bless America and the world.

Thank you for that suggestion! :)

I'm not sure that the issue is ignorance of another religion per se. We are usually talking about three things here: Difference in culture (which can be more pronounced than religious affiliation), Difference in appearance, and frankly the fact that a lof of people just like to hate people different then themselves. It makes them feel good about themselves. And this just gives them a good excuse to openly express their desire to feel better than others by bashing them.

I once talked to a man that had been in prison for a few years, and we spoke about how child molesters/kidnappers/killers seemed to be slain in jail by the inmates. I thought it was an example of an odd code of ethics, he paused for a moment, shrugged, and said: no it was just an acceptable excuse to kill someone . . .

This being said iit certainly doesn't hurt to study other religions and cultures:).

Arya, while not aan under grad, I was a So. Babtist by family.
I dropped out and would not go to church at age of 5.

I was cajoiled into going to churc with a neighbor girl. It was the Episcopal church and loved it!

I also at the same time would go after the service to other churchs to see what they thought and did.

It was very eye opening, while I drank wine as the Blood of Crhist, others drank grape juice. While I never went to Islamic as there were none, I found that they all beleived in one thing, GOD no matter what name they may have called HIM!

In time of strife, we all ask God for guidence and to help us!

Not all people are bad, there are just some bad people!

Few questions about this post. First, why is this a challenge to just undergraduates? To me this insinuates the fact that you are calling undergraduates, in a sense, uneducated about other religions and cultures. This should be an open challenge to all, no age group, there are many in this world, of all ages that need to learn and compare religions, cultures, etc. Hatred is in the world, no matter what anyone does about it. Hatred for someone, something, someplace will always exist in someone in the world. To change that may further anger that person. Although, I do not agree with the hatred that some hold towards others, and I denounce it totally, they are entitled to their opinion. good or bad, it's still their opinion. We may not all agree with it, but hey, that's life. So now...on to the next one, what if a person isn't religious at all? How can they compare their unreligious self to those of other religions. We are in a new time, not everyone is held to a certain religion, and that is also their view and/or opinion on religion and life. I was at a time religious, but being in college, I have come to realize many things, I will leave my opinions to myself, but I don't really feel like learning any religions at this point in time. Also, this isn't a matter based solely on religion. This deals with much much more, we are talking major politics, major cultural differences, major conflicts because of these. It isn't held to religion alone, there is a much greater span to deal with.

That's all I really have to say, not being harsh, I just want to make a bigger picture on the situation, and shed light on some of those that may not have had the light shed on them in the starting of this thread.

Good points...and I accept your challenge with the utmost enthusiasm and strength.

I always thought Salma Hayek was Mexican.

Ralph Nader can also be added to the list...he is Lebanese-American.

She is; Catholic too. And George Mitchell (D-Maine) is Irish-Catholic

I agree with Arya's challenge. One of my favorite teachers in high school always used to say, "When you're in college, take a comparative religions class from an agnostic." Agnostics, particularly as religon teachers, are a little thin on the ground :) but I came to realize his point many years later ~ and it's exactly what the Rho Chi's tell you during rush:

KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN.

Do investigate faiths other than your own. Do investigate all forms of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Paganism, etc. You may find that something rings more true with you than the faith you were brought up in. Or you may find renewed faith in the religion of your birth. But I've always felt that one really must embrace one's religion as an adult, rather than as a child.

Your undergraduate years are a good place to begin this search; it's (generally) the first time you're away from home. But the search goes on throughout your life. And, whatever path you find, you will have a deeper understanding of what others believe, and you will be better able to relate to them and understand them. :)

<stepping off my soapbox>

Got all of the name from this source: http://www.aaiusa.org/aboutaai/publications/kasem.htm

Sorry it took me a while, but I was one of the unlucky few who had the displeasure of receiving the Nimda virus in my computer. If I ever find the person, I'm going to throw him or her (being PC) out of the window.

Here is a list of famous American-Muslim:
Muhammad Ali
Kareem Abdul Jabar
Wesley Snipe
Malcolm X
Eric Shrody (Everlast)
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) (oops, ignore, he's british)
and others.

Arya,

I'm really glad you posted that link to Casey Kasem's article.

It's so easy to assume that only those who overtly look or act a certain way belong to a certain category, and I was educated today. It's refreshing to know that many of my own heroes or favorite famous people are, by their own life's example, are proud Americans, and proud Arab and/or Muslim Americans.

Just in case anyone is interested, I just saw the preview for the next episode of "Oprah" entitled "Islam 101" to air Friday, Oct. 5th.

I think this would be a great idea! I don't think people are intentionally trying to spread hate across the country in wake of the tragedy, but they are just dealing with their anger and frustration in a negative way. I know before I finally did my confirmation (I am Catholic), I researched several other religions and other Christian Denominations just to make sure that was really for me. As far as learning about Islam, I think it is just highly misunderstood and that turns into fear from a lot of people. I am in a Multicultural Sorority and I can really appreciate other cultures.