Dear Syrian Refugee,
The mainstream American media is not representative of its people. Do not listen to the bigotry and hate that the American media spreads. Some people do not know, and therefore they do not understand. They do not understand Islam and its followers. It is not one political party or one group of people, but the overall ignorance of so many Americans of not only your situation, but also Islam. I know that ISIS is not Islam and I know you are not a terrorist. The amount of fear Americans feel at this moment is less than 1% of the fear you have been living in for the past 5 years, but it is new fear. It will take time for people to understand the war in Syria and the implications of ISIS.
I am not a Muslim, but I am a believer. I believe that Christianity and Islam teach us to love and to spread peace. We are different, but we are both humans.The Quran tells us
that God made us all different intentionally.
We are different so that we may know each other and I want to know you. Do not let the xenophobic attitudes of a few allow you to feel alone, neglected and without hope.
America prides itself on being founded upon Christian
values. What they do not see is what the Bible is truly trying to teach. They
take the stories too literally to be able to understand them seriously. The
Bible teaches tolerance and peace. But hate is dramatic and controversial.
People like drama. What they do not see is that the drama is putting your life
in the hands of murderers and thieves. They do not see that your life is the consequence of
their debates.
Americans live in the shadow of 9/11, and extremism is terrifying. But I know Americans are not alone in that. You are terrified, but you are also tired and hungry and without a home.
People are afraid and they cannot control their fear. They let themselves be controlled by the fear that they feel, and it changes who they become. They become slaves to terror and unease. They become men and women of hate and isolation. They become followers of people who claim to be leaders but are really just cowardly lions with a thundering roar.
But this is not everyone. These are the strong, cold voices of a few that have overshadowed the open hearts of many. These harsh, resounding roars have dwarfed the beliefs of the gentle Americans.
From the Gospel of Matthew:
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited
me into your home.
"We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must- at that moment- become the center of the universe."
You are the center of the universe. Love will prevail and the bigotry will fail.
If you were alone in the world, you would have
the right to choose despair, solitude, and self-fulfillment, but you are not
alone.
We hear your cries. We see your struggle. We know your pain.
To see what is right and not do it is cowardly. We are not cowards.
"Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who need us desperately."
Love will win. We will rise above national interest and self-interest to see humanity for what it really is: a manopoly of human beings, who, in their essence, are the same.
Come. I will give you something to eat. I will give you something to drink. I will invite you into my home. The propaganda that you hear is not the truth that many believe.
With every difficulty, there is relief (Quran 94:6).
Be well,
A gentle American
