-------------------------------------------------The following is an Opinion/Editorial by Faisal Alam, Founder & Director of Al-Fatiha (LGBTQ Muslims & Friends).

-------------------------------------------------In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Most Gracious Saturday, September 15, 2001 Jumada Al-Thani 27, 1422 Op-Ed: A Time for Serious Understanding and Reflection in the United States By: Faisal Alam - mfaisalalam@... Today marks the fifth day after the tragic and horrendous attacks that took place in New York City and Washington DC. The intense emotions that we have all felt over the last few days cannot be imagined. But as we mourn our victims and try to find some peace in our minds and souls we cannot fall prey to the dark emotions that are fastly rising to the surface. As a Muslim who has lived in the United States for more than 13 years it has been shocking for me to see how in less than five days our nation and the majority of its citizens have gone from extreme shock and sadness to vengeful anger and a lust for revenge. While we have all been victimized, and in many ways robbed of our dignity as human beings, the backlash of the terrorist attacks have led to the scapegoating and blaming of Arabs, Muslims, and those that are perceived to be from the Middle East. Mosques across the United States remained closed on Wednesday, the day after the attack, and are still being heavily guarded with police and security because of the fear of vandalism of

property and attacks on Muslims attending prayer services. Hundreds of reports have come in (both to Al-Fatiha and to other mainstream Arab and Muslim organizations) from people who are being verbally and physically harrassed, and in some cases even assaulted and beaten, because of their religious garb or their ethnic and racial backgrounds. What has come over our country when we begin to attack our own citizens in the name of revenge? When South Asian and Arab taxi cab drivers in New York City and Chicago (who have lived in the United States for more than 20 years) are taken out of their cabs and beaten on the street; when Muslim teenagers (born in the United States) who wear the hijab (head scarf) are harrassed (verbally and physically) in the streets of Tampa, and when Arab and South Asian men working in a convenient store in Northern Virginia are called "pigs" and "sand niggers." When our country falls victim to prejudice and discrimination our so-called "civilized" and "democratic" nation begins to fall apart and we lose the very core values that we call "American." But the issues surrounding this scapegoating and even the terrorist attacks themselves are more complex than any of our US leaders realize. The majority of Americans have failed to recognize the complexities of terrorism and the political and historical context in which these attacks have taken place. Why is America the target? Many ask this question and don't understand the answer is quite simple. It is too easy to scapegoat and blame an entire ethnic or religious community based on the actions of certain individuals. It is also equally too easy to fall victim to false pretexts of "nationalism" and "patriotism" without understanding the roots of why the United States continues to be a target for terrorist attacks

around the world. In the year 2001, we continue to fund autocratic regimes and other countries around the world that oppress their own citizens and violate the human rights of minorities. Our biased international policies towards other nations continue to reflect America's arrogant attitude of being the "only remaining superpower in the world." And our corporate and political monopoly on the world's economy continues to perpetuate the cycle of poverty and economic exploitation around the world. The next few days will be a time of serious understanding and reflection about how we will choose to proceed as our leaders galvanize the nation to start our "war on terrorism." Similar sentiments were expressed after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The result of the war on "imperialism" in Japan was the creation of camps for Japanese Americans throughout this country. Many have speculated that Afghanistan will be the target of US attacks, as the Taliban regime continues to harbor Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the attacks on the US. But while we condemn the extremist ideologies of the government of Afghanistan who has given asylum to bin Laden, we forget that the United States funded the "mujahideen" (or holy warriors) in Afghanistan to counter the occupation of the former Soviet Union in that counry during the Cold War. The Cold War is over and after a bloody civil war the Taliban have taken over Afghanistan. And today these same "holy warriors" who were armed by the United States are now declaring a "holy war" on our nation. We have not learned from our own history and our own legacy. And we refuse to take into account the political context of why terrorism is striking our world today. While we take a stand against terrorism and mourn

the loss of the thousands of victims of this terrible tragedy, we must decide today if we will continue the endless cycle of violence and death both in the United States and abroad. Or will we fight for true peace and justice without sacrificing the lives of of more innocent people? That is the question that should occupy our minds and hearts today. -------------------------------------------------Faisal Alam is a 24 year old queer-identified Muslim of Pakistan descent. He has worked in the LGBT movement, has done faith-based organizing, and LGBT youth work for over 5 years. He currently resides in Washington, DC, USA and works in the field of HIV/AIDS. --------------------------------------------------