I stand on the other side of this from most of you; I am not American, or even really European, and even though I am not very religious, my family is Muslim.

Despite those differences, I felt the same shock, sadness, and anger that many of you felt at the news of the tragedy. I have friends and family in New York; I still don’t know if they are ok. As much as anyone else, I hope that those responsible are caught and punished, and God help me, if I had my way there’d be some serious human rights violations involved...

There are people who argue about the reason that these people are fighting; I won’t be one of them. I don’t care what issues or protests they have; in the blood of innocents, of women and children, they have drowned their cause. They have already lost.

But I do have to deal with something that most of you don’t. I recently moved to America. And now, today, I had to withstand anger, hatred, and resentment from people I had hoped to be friends; directed not only at the perpetrators and their accomplices, but at the Arab and Islamic world in general. Which included me. So amid your grief and your anger, which I share, I would like to ask that you remember that these people are our enemies too. We have families we want to live in a world of peace, children we want to have a better world. Remember that when you pass us in the street; don’t hate us; we’re one the same side. Against terror and death.

I will honour those that died today in my thoughts and my prayers. I will never forget what has happened today; the terrible loss of life involved. This is the second time that terrorism has struck my life; I pray that it is the last, for me and all of us.

I’ll end with a prayer that is strange to me, but probably more comforting to most of you:

Our Father, who art in Heaven. hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive out trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us: And lead us not into temptation, but delier us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen.

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Subject: RE: RE: RE: The attack on the World Trade Center
Posted by: Mourner
Date: 09/13/2001 20:58

Just thought I’d drop something in here. These terrorists try to justify their actions by saying that they are on a "jihad". Jihad is the only way in which the Quaran, the book of Islam, condones violence. Generally, "jihad" is translated into english as "holy war"; the impression is of some kind of crusade. This is NOT what the Quaran says, at all. "Jihad" means "struggle"; it originated when Mohammed was persecuted for his new religion. Jihad allows only violence of defence; if someone is trying to kill you, and more significantly wipe out Islam, then you can fight back. Fight Back. As in defend yourself, not attack. These terrorists violate the word and spirit of the Quaran, and no true Muslim can condone their actions. They bring shame and anger to us all by claiming our faith.

Mourner.

* * *

Celebrating this tragedy would be a sick, evil thing to do. Idolizing the terrorists.... is worse. I don’t reall have the words to express how I feel about that... depraved comes close, perhaps.

I’m sure there were people in Palestine celebrating; many Palestinians hate America... but there are people who hate America everywhere, even in America. There are Palestians who are as saddened and angered as many of us.

I wish CNN hadn’t shown that footage. It was less than 30 seconds, and only of a small group of people, but it conveyed a very bad impression so soon after the attack...