By Nake Kamrany.
Christian Refugees from Syria
The current political dialogue and debate of the 2016 presidential election has propelled the issue of merit and demerit of Moslems entering and residing in the United States. The debate transcends elements of religion, nationality, qualification, prejudice and the broader issue of global religious conflict between Islam and Christianity. Although President George Bush and President Obama both have emphatically denied the current Middle East conflict to reflect a religious war, one cannot deny that the current Western, and in particular, U.S., England, and France intrigue against ISIS and other insurgent groups have radicalized many of the affected population in the region. However, the West’s military response is not the answer to resolve the issue, instead some diplomatic approach must be found to resolving the conflict.
The West has to stop killing innocent villagers through incessant bombing and the insurgent must agree to cease and desist killing their own people and innocent people in the West. The West must recognize the formation of Sunni ISIS as legitimate government covering specific areas in Iraq and Syria that are under their control in exchange for peace and eventual march to civility and internationalism. Diplomacy may resolve the conflict as it did in the Iran-U.S./coalition agreement. Otherwise the war damages sustained in blood, wealth, refugees and time could go on in perpetuity. And the conflict will permeate the major religions and implicate many innocent people who do not wish to be a part in the current conflict and huggermugger.
Moreover, negative worth created about Islam is offensive and unfair. Moslems in the United States are good citizens and productive as the rest of the population and the exceptionalism of the American society spreads over to the Moslem population as it does to the rest of the population. Let me illustrate with respect to my own family. As a Moslem exchange student from Afghanistan I enrolled at UCLA many years ago. My six sisters made me promise to bring them to the United States, which I did. At first we took menial jobs but attended schools and universities including our progenies. Today we have among our adult cousin, nephews, nieces and grandchildren – 60 family members with college degrees including Ph.D.’s, J.D.s, M.D.s, M.A.s and B.A.s. All of us own houses, cars, TVs, computers, health insurance, adequate food and vacations. We are acculturated to the American society and are proud and loyal Americans and will defend our beloved and adopted country.
Members of our family have married individuals of different national origins, ethnicity and religions – and we love and enjoy the diversity. This is the story of a Moslem extended family in the United States. It is not an incongruity and not an exception. There are many Moslem families who have integrated with the American culture and have contributed to its prominence. We have indeed experienced the wonders of American life and its exceptionalism.
