9-11, Community Center, and Immigration

September 11^th!!! In Support of Park 51 and Comprehensive Immigration Reform

As a Methodist Christian, during the process of joining my Islamic sisters and brothers in the month long Ramadan fast, I have come to the realization that more progressive voices are needed in the current debate about the New York community center and the comprehensive immigration overhaul in the United States. However, my decision to speak out is not borne out of some epiphany and/or altruistic liberal virtue. On the contrary, I am speaking out of the basic human instinct of survival, morals and principles. My decision to fast does require more self examination because it was motivated by solidarity with others and the need to take charge of my health and well-being. The last time I experienced this difficult consecutive fasting exercise was a teenage born-again evangelical Christian. When I look around the United States I realize how some on the right of the political spectrum have decided to demonize “the other,” “the different,” “the foreign,” and “those cultures” etcetera etcetera.

Consequently, I have come to the unique but honest realization that the same fringe and evolving contemporary conservative movement on the right might one day single out my offspring for discrimination due to political convenience. The protestation about the Islamic center and the clamor to deport immigrants are both political avenues of sowing discord in society in this climate of economic recession. Conservatives are in an intermediary era, with a president that they are refusing to identify with, acknowledge and/or respect. They are afraid of change and would like to maintain the status quo, hence their decision to dwell on divisive propagandas and exploit our so-called differences. Examples of their misinformation are that President Obama was born in Kenya and he is a secret Muslim. Would they have supported him if he was a Muslim? The more bigoted premise is that affiliation with the Islamic faith is grounds for disqualification from elected/appointed positions in the United States of America.

Since, it is politically incorrect to cast aspersions about race; the next line of attack is to conveniently question Mr. Obama’s national origin (place of birth) and religion. It is worth noting that while President W. Bush and Cheney were in office the current hatred for Muslims and Immigrants that we are currently experiencing in the United States from the Republicans, did not reach this feverish pitch. Did the Bush administration take advantage of the fears of “the other” after September 11^th, 2001, the answer is absolutely yes. Bush and Cheney lied and deceived the country into a war in Iraq. They transposed Osama bin Laden’s transgressions and Al-Qaeda’s declaration of war to Saddam Hussein and Iraq respectively. Bush did not want us to blame the 1.5billion Muslims for the war declaration on September 11^th, 2001, however he substitute one Arabic name for another and Hussein became Osama.

Coincidentally, my children have recent immigrant heritages and their middle names are Arabic. They are citizens of Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the United States. In my humble opinion they are citizens of the world and their allegiances should be extended to make the planet a better place for all. My son’s name is Nnaji Yusuf. Nnaji is his Igbo name which means (Our Lord is holding) and Yusuf is his Arabic name which means the (The Lord Increases). My son’s middle name is a tribute to his uncle the late Alhaji Yusuf Conteh who arrived from war torn Sierra Leone and met his untimely death in Prince Georges County, Maryland. In objectively analyzing the current debate with regards to the Islamic community center and the insistence by some in the Republican Party to target Latinos in the immigration situation, I can not help but think that similar methodologies would be utilized against my children in the future.

            Moreover, some fools might decide to question my children on the legitimacy of their birth certificates, and whether they were actually born in Silver Spring Maryland. Their Nigerian heritage and/or Arabic middle names are going to become an issue, if we keep quiet and do not speak out at this juncture in history. Some in the future would definitely suggest and/or attempt to invalidate their United States citizenship. While others may think that this is impossible and can not happen in America, I would like to remind them that there is already a movement to denial citizenship to children who are born within the American territory. This debate is going on despite the fact that the citizenship provision of the United States constitution is one of the bedrock of the 14^th amendment. If conservatives have the audacity to challenge the Citizenship clause of the amendment that allows African Americans and all persons born in the United States to be naturalized citizens, then my supposition is very feasible.

            However, enough is enough! Progressives and people of good conscience need to stand up to confront the likes of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. We need to counter them in their attempt to derail this nation in transition. The freedom to freely express religious beliefs is enshrined in the constitution and should not be trampled with. The Park 51 project should proceed and be a testament of our resolve to appreciate diversity and inclusion. Recent immigrants should be provided with a path to citizenship just like it was the case in the past for other generations of immigrants. We should make a commitment to organize and vote out of office those who use religious intolerant and immigration as discordant political issues. Let us stand up against the bigotry of the majority from individuals and groups that want to rescind freedom of association and religious liberty. Those that site public opinion polls and try to intimate others with antics like the Koran burning should be called out. Truth tellers should remind our society that the same public opinion polls could have continued the patriarchy hegemony of this country with Jim Crow segregation and racism still in place.