Hatred

Submitted by Discouraged (United States), Jun 1, 2007 at 14:13

Just a little background before my main point:

I was overseas (in a non-Muslim country) for the first time, and was astounded at how everyone HATES Americans. I am American, and the entire time I was there I just kept thinking that as soon as I get back to America, I'm going to stay and never leave again. When someone from another country (Including all other "Western" countries) would make a comment about ugly, ignorant Americans I would bristle, remembering my friends and family. I couldn't help but think that THEY were the ugly, ignorant foreigners.

I then met (fell in love, and MARRIED) the man of my dreams...and he is MUSLIM! Imagine that...I grew up in the "bible belt" of America, small towns with farms and cows. But he is the nicest, most caring man I have ever met (equal to that of my father). He didn't disrespect me by pressuring me to do things that were inappropriate before we were married (like many American men do to women), and he was ALWAYS open and honest that he respected my lifestyle as an American. He has never tried to change me.

After reading some of the post against Muslims, I have now changed my mind about Americans. Those who posted negative thoughts have profiled a religion (rather than a group that happens to come from similar regions as Muslims) as terrorists. You have summed up 1400 years of un-changing text (the Holy Quran) as untrue and blasphemous. You have taken the beliefs of 22% of the world and ground them into the dirt...whatever happened to religious tolerance?

Terrorists: Timothey McVeigh, Terry Nichols, John Tomkins, Luke Helder, Paul Jennings Hill ( a member of the ARMY OF GOD!!!), Theodore Kaczyncki, David Gilbert, et. al. All Americans, all performed actions against other American people, businesses and/or government offices. Every race/religion/country contain members of the society that are sub-par. Why would you think America and Americans are different?

When I was overseas, there were no gang shootings, crack houses, school shootings, teen pregnancy was non-existent (since the students were too busy STUDYING 10 to 12 hours EVERDAY), drugs (the only drugs I heard of was an American military member arrested for possession of drugs). There WAS a strong sense of family, patriotism and honor.

As Americans, we need to re-evaluate where we have gone wrong in our own society, with our own children and with ourselves before trying to fix the world. Who are we to dictate what other people should believe? Why do we HATE so much? Do we think we are better than everyone?

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