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Non-Arab Protesters Enrage Arab Americans
Being in the U.S. we are born with rights; one of them being the first amendment, freedom of speech. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but to go as far as to disrespect one another’s religion is what many agree to be a step too far. In Dearborn, Michigan, there was what some may have thought to be American Muslims attacking or, “stoning” Christians. Although there were items thrown at the non-Arab Christians, the YouTube video going viral does not reveal the truth by only showing one side to the story.
Chicago’s highly anticipated Arab American festival, Chicago Arabesque, was unexpectedly cancelled earlier on this year due to lack of vendors. On the other hand, Dearborn’s Arab and Muslim festival had many Arab attendees, both Muslim and Christian. What had not been expected were the protesters at the festival. Videos have surfaced just three days ago of the festival with the title, ‘American Muslims stone Christians in Dearborn, Michigan’. Although this video reveals the angry Arab Americans cursing and throwing random items at the non-Arabs, the video does not reveal what drove the festival attendee’s to such extremes. If viewers would take the time to discover what drove the Arabs to blow up in an outrage of disgust and hatred they will see the disrespect the festival’s attendees were faced with. The video posted recently, ‘Christian Extremists invade Dearborn Arab and Muslim festival’, reveals the Arabs side of the story.
In the second video, viewers will see the non-Arabs had signs that bashed Islam and the prophet Mohammed. Viewers will also discover what many thought to be the utmost sign of disrespect. A man stood arrogantly with a real pig’s head on a stick. In Islam, it is ‘Haram’ or (forbidden), to eat pork. What Americans may not know is that Arab Christians do not eat pork as well, as it is rather ‘Haram’ to eat pork in Christianity. Many will agree the video does not justify how the Arabs and Muslims reacted, however individuals may now understand where attendees’ rage stemmed from. Although, cursing and assaulting one another is never the solution to any problem. Acting as the Arabs had is rather frowned upon in both Islam and Christianity. If Muslims took the time to rather take the non-Arab Christians and welcomed them to join and understand their heritage and Islam perhaps the non-Arabs would no longer fear Islam. To non-Arab’s surprise, Jesus Christ, Issa in Islam, is actually a prophet. In the Quran both Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary are mentioned a numerous amount of times. Indeed, if the non-Arabs would have taken the time to understand the Arab heritage and Islam, instead of protesting and instigating conflict between the two groups, perhaps they will see that Islam and Christianity are rather similar. If both groups would have led each other by example by making an effort to rather understand each other, they would have avoided tension and hatred that tends to plague the two groups nationwide, to this day.
Nada Tadros
Examiner