Zulfi Ahmed: Hey Muslims, reach out and get involved
My fellow Muslims, we have been labeled terrorists or terrorist sympathizers, a terrible indictment. It seems we are guilty until proved innocent. Now what?
Yes, we vehemently condemned the 9/11 attacks and subsequent Islamist terror. And still these acts brought a dark cloud of suspicion on us. We were going about our business enjoying the fruits of this great nation, working hard and providing for our families. Then we got sucker-punched by these Muslim terrorists who killed our fellow Americans, in the land that we love and respect and call home.
We did not want this. We did not pray for this. It should make us mad.
And it’s time to take action. Here are the four things you can do:
1. Enough with the mosques. By some estimates, there are more than 2,000 mosques in the United States, including about 40 in North Texas. These are owned and built by you. There are only two charitable institutions in North Texas owned and built by Muslims.
Muslims there have recently held two fundraising events: one for the Plano mosque expansion, which raised an astounding $1.8 million. The other was for a charitable entity that provides shelter for abused Muslim women that raised a disappointing $70,000. Put a moratorium on building houses of prayers and put your money in houses that give shelter, safety and hope to humanity.
The Quran mentions this world and the heavenly world the same number of times: 150. Refocus the mosques to take on charitable causes massively (the 72 virgins and stuff in the afterworld is just a myth, and you know that). Let salvation and rewards come through humanity and not just Mecca.
2. Got a neighbor? I know you can throw a party. Biryani, falafel, shawarma, kabob – no one can turn down this food. Be the glutton that you are, but do it with your neighbor. God knows gluttony is your fellow American’s favorite sin, too. So open your home. The bonds formed by breaking bread together are never broken.
You know deep in your heart this is the most open and welcoming society in the world today. Trust me, once they get to know you, they will like you. If all else fails, tell them you dislike Washington. This always breaks the ice.
3. Be local. I know you love national and international politics, we all do. It is like a drug. But do you know the name of your mayor? Your city council member? State representative? Can you name three local charities in your city? (The American Red Cross does not count.) Do you know the president of your school board? Do you know there is a school board?
Get involved and get out. The five daily trips to the mosque and the weekend mall shopping do not count. You are the good guys, but people don’t know that, and they won’t unless you get out of your cocoons. Go vote, even if it is for Trump. (OK, I said it, and it took courage.) Become an electoral statistic.
4. Go to the movies. I mean, lighten up. Yes, there is a lot of bad news coverage about you; it is the election cycle after all. So take your kids to a movie, take your spouse to lunch, invite your in-laws to visit. OK, scratch that thought, stick with lunch with the spouse. Light up your house for Ramadan, Eid, Diwali or Christmas. Do some fireworks on Independence Day. (Just don’t store fireworks or anything that goes bang in your house, at least for now, if you get my drift.)
Yes, there is broad unfounded suspicion and splatters of discrimination. Welcome to the party. This is an age-old sport in the U.S. to challenge the new kids on the block. Did you think you were special and would not be put through the grind? Accept the fight, this is the American way.
We live in a nation of laws, among fair neighbors, and I don’t mean fair as in white necessarily, but fair with a rich history of immigration. Americans are a welcoming people and a determined bunch. We don’t like being blown up. Last time it happened 200 odd years ago, we put up a helluva fight and made the oppressor king and his army retreat to a small island on the other side of the Atlantic.
Zulfi Ahmed is an insurance executive living in Plano, Texas. This commentary first appeared in the Dallas Morning News.