Terrorist actions not limited to foreign born
by Bryan Bland, reporter

    Those people watching the news know North Texas currently holds the title for the most incidents of hostility toward Muslims and any other group of Americans who bear resemblance to people from the Middle East.

    For example, Asma B., a metroplex resident, was driving in her car with her children when two adult males in a red car noticed her scarf and began tailgating her.

    Soon, the men moved in front of her and began hitting their brakes although no other traffic was on the highway at the time.

    Scared half out of her mind for the safety of herself and her children, Asma exited the highway and stopped at a restaurant to call for help.

    “I really wish they could be educated about us,” she said.

    Asma has a strong point. One of the greatest enemies of ignorance is education, and for the benefit of those who do not yet know better, a few points must be made.

    First, not everyone who wears a turban or has tan skin is a terrorist, or even Muslim for that matter. Even if they are Muslim, not all Muslims are terrorists.

    The terrorists are extremists, which by definition suggests they are comparatively few in number. Muslims, in general, are as peace loving as most Americans. In fact, many of them are Americans.

    Even if they are not American, they are still not likely to be terrorists. Just because they may look and act differently, their appearance does not mean they feel the pain of this tragedy any less.

    Second, when a person takes an action without thinking, he leaves an opening for someone else to make a snap judgment about him and others of his gender, race or age.

    On Sept. 11, an extremist group of hateful people did something truly horrible to countless people they didn’t know. Those terrorists believed their victims to be not innocent, but rather representatives of a perceived evil.

    In reaction, some people have lashed out at fellow Americans because they vaguely resemble the perpetrators of this tragedy even though they have absolutely no connection to the extremist faction.

    The Americans who have lashed out against fellow citizens have taken actions in the same way as the terrorists. They have struck out at innocents, just like the terrorists. We should never judge all by the actions of a few unless we want to be judged by the actions of people to whom we have no real connection.

    Instead, we should strive to learn more, to better understand. Then perhaps, we can recognize the true allies and not fail to recognize the real enemy.