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I've had to grapple with the fact that growing up as a kid post 9/11 I was taught to be Islamaphobic by American society. Those harmful beliefs were further reinforced in the military.
It's something I'm deeply ashamed of but we should not bury the truth. This was and is America
It's something I'm deeply ashamed of but we should not bury the truth. This was and is America
I'm sharing this because I know so many my age grew up the same way. We must actively push back against attempts to re-write history and patriotize what was a deeply shameful decade post 9/11
Muslims are our friends and neighbors.
Muslims are our friends and neighbors.
What changed things for me was visiting places in the Middle East on deployment. I traveled "out of bounds" and was exposed to kind people who opened their culture up to me and were so happy to share it.
I quickly realized I had been spoon fed propaganda and lies.
I quickly realized I had been spoon fed propaganda and lies.
We need to get the fuck out of countries we have no business occupying under the guise of safety.
It's imperialist and it's wrong.
It's imperialist and it's wrong.
I was drunk and alone one night in Bahrain. An old man came and forced me to sit down with him and his friends playing a card game.
I was afraid because I was taught to be.
They offered me some falafel and refused to let me say no. I spent an hour with them, becoming friends.
I was afraid because I was taught to be.
They offered me some falafel and refused to let me say no. I spent an hour with them, becoming friends.
There is a lot of hate in America right now. The first step to fixing it is to examine how our systems and institutions have made many of us fearful of other human beings.
Unimportant: but that old man probably saved me from a lot of trouble and possibly losing rank in the Marine Corps.
I was without my assigned liberty buddy and was WAY too drunk to get back on the base past the guards on duty.
He helped me sober up and find my buddy.
I was without my assigned liberty buddy and was WAY too drunk to get back on the base past the guards on duty.
He helped me sober up and find my buddy.
I'd like to end this thread by asking you all to read/listen to this piece by @FarnoushAmiri https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/01/08/454050270/the-day-that-never-happened
