Terrorist V Terrorism

Martha,

I understand what you are saying to a point. I have visited the UK only once and of course that does not adequately teach one anything. Part of defining what "racism" is and what it is not is to let people do it for themselves. I have no idea of your ethnicity. Nor on one level is it important. How does one define racism? Now for most white people in the US, they think racism is not very prevelant. You ask many nonwhite people of their experiences they will paint a very different picture, sometimes of outright prejudice, sometimes the subtler forms of it. 

And really what does intergration means to you? Is not culture and society constantly changing? What is wrong with change? Are the mainstream British not willing to adapt and grow. I know it used to be fish and chips all over UK, now it is curry. Is that not a cultural shift? (Giving a very general example.) Ideas of culture etc. are not static. The worlds population is mostly nonwestern. If my children grow up learning to speak another language does it matter (in the general sense, not say for survival etc., but on pronciple.) is there anything wrong with that. Is English so "special" they must learn it?

Intergration or forms of it are two way streets. The level in which a person should have to intergrate is depatable to me. Not I believe you may want to learn the language of  the economic commerce of a place. But besides that, I am happy if we have Little Italy, Little China, Little Pakistan, etc. Do I care if they intergrate.. personally no. (I am not sure what is "American culture" anyways.)

There is xenophobia. Especially if you so obviously look different. I as a white, blue eyed woman would get far less trouble then a woman who looks like a "foreigner" dressed in hijab. 

When you've mentioned about why you don't wear hijab. And one thing is that it is that you possibly are treated poorly cause of the actions of some Muslims. Imagine that for a black person. They never escape the prejudicial ideas that black people commit more crime, they sell drugs. Black men are dangerous. Even as some people are bad. They take the brunt of it and cannot "hide". I am not saying you should. My point being is that you are not responsible for another's actions. Nor should you be. And you have a choice. The nonwhite people don't have a choice to "hide" from the glare.

If people are not "racist" as you say they would not infer that you are "bad" if you are Muslim. People ARE prejudicial. Are any of us not, no. But the reality is, it is getting worse for Muslims. It is often nothing they are doing. It is the fear-mongers in governments that spread hate and fear.

Hope this makes sense  

Look, I answered the original post inwhat I feel was a fair manner. I pointed out that racism is not as rife as was originally posted. Along with other facts about the schools.

I also pointed out that changes in all ways take time. Integration is important. It brings unity. I have never said that change is not important. In fact it is necessary. But that comes from all angles and all faiths.

I am not blind to my countries faults. And yes, I will do whats necessary for me regarding Islam.  

HMMM it seems that we are off topic here so I'm curious how all of this is related to the original topic.

It is easy if you're not of the disadvantaged underepresented group to pressupose that racism is not prevelant. Racism is very much prevalent (by this I mean the state of how it exist) because it still endures but it may not be as outward as it has in the past perhaps that is a better way of looking at it.

As sister Hayfa pointed out we all have stereotypes and prejudicial beliefs, but what is important is the manner in which we control these beliefs and not to allow it to develop into self-destructive behavior. I remember sitting in a forum once at USC (University of Souther California) for the annual MSA (Muslim Student Association) gathering and I remember an Arab (or Pakistani Muslim) asking some of the Black Student Association members "how come you didn't defend us after 9/11 when we were attacked racially?"

A black student stood up and said "Where were you in 400 years ago when the slave boats docked in West Virginia?" Since this discussion I never had sympathy for many Muslims being checked at the airports. What that whole discussion said was those who are in a previledged position do not understand the disadvantaged group until they become one of the disadvantage themselves. So now many Muslims since post 9/11 want to cry about whay they are unjustly treated (which they are). Martha unless you can walk in the shoes of a minority you'll probably never see racism for what it is.

Whisper wrote: Martha unless you can walk in the shoes of a minority you'll probably never see racism for what it is. Brother, I promise, upon my scout's honure, she sees it, she knows it, but it's terribly terribly English just to look the other way and see nada!

Unfortunately, it is also typical American to look the other way.