Ignorance

“Let me tell you, what’s going on over there right now? Make no bones about it. That is pure, unadulterated evil. I don’t even care, I don’t even care if you think I’m crazy anymore. Because I have, I have a beautiful daughter. I have a wonderful 19 year old son who is a United States Marine. As a matter of fact, I know quite a few marines who will be willing to help these terrorists to an early meeting in paradise.” 

-Deborah Pauly 

Said to hundreds protesting outside of a Mosque where they were holding a fundraiser to help a women’s shelter.

So here is my open letter to her.

“Dear Deborah,

I know that you think because of your physical appearance that you are more “American” then Muslims are but make no bones about it, we are just as American. You speak of your son in the Marines as if no Muslims are in the army but there are Muslims in the Army. I personally know quite a few,here’s an interview I had with one of them. I’ve been to airbases as well. Have you?

Anyways you go on to say that what is happening there is pure evil. Really? People holding a gathering to save money for women’s shelters is evil? If that’s evil, I don’t want to make of your moral and ethics.

Lastly, you say you know a few marines would help send those ‘terrorists” to paradise. First off, look at the people you are protesting against. A mother with her children, one daughter so frightened by hate not knowing what to think. And when her daughter asks, “Mother, why do they hate us?” What should she respond? Because we wear a head covering just the way Saint Mary and the Nuns do? Because we follow the word of God and respect the Bible and Torah? Because of the actions of a handful, people judge 1.7 billion.

These are sights all too familiar. These scenes remind me of Elizabeth Eckford walking to school in Little Rock, Arkansas being shouted at. These sights remind me of times that I read about and thanked God that such ignorant and intolerant people didn’t exist anymore. People who judge others based on their color, Religion or race. But little did I know that those times were not over. They are still here. Your ignorance baffles me beyond what I thought possible and in a few years, whether one year or twenty years from now, photos of you will be put into textbooks were students as young as seven and eight will sigh and wonder “Who could be so ignorant?” But I can answer that question. People like you.