A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| The Radical Concept of Peace |
|---|
| Maliha |
| 03/22/03 at 15:42:49 |
| [slm] [i]This is the speech I am giving at the Actual Rally/March. Its a lot more depressing and grounded than the other one. I don't know if I'll have the chance to check your comments before I go..but please let me know if something is off, or inacurate or stupid sounding...Jazakumu Allahu Khayran Katheeran.[/i] The Radical Concept of Peace. I am standing here today, not a political analyst, a “terrorism expert”, a leader or even a scholar. I am standing in front of you today, a Muslim woman, hoarse from the pain that has been ripping through my cavity since this war on terror has been launched. People have asked me why anyone would care to hear what I have to say? The thought that may be running across many minds, is why are you protesting? After all if you don’t like it here why don’t you just go home? This is a question that I and many of my fellow brothers and sisters in faith have had to deal with time and time again. I am here to say I am an American, and I am at home. I am here to say that there millions of Muslims that have lived in America for generations, we are the doctors, lawyers, researchers, information technology specialists, we are propellers of this nations economy. We are an integral part of this nation, woven into the very fabrics of its existence, so to deny us a voice, to render our opinions irrelevant is to erode the very foundation of this nation’s very celebrated freedom of speech and democracy. Like many I have been glued to the news for the past week or so. My heart bleeds every time I see the sky in Baghdad light up, my soul weeps when I bear witness to this tragic chapter of humanity’s existence. The much promised televised carnage, that was supposed to shock and awe us into silence, has been nothing more than footage of video game like virtual reality clips. Lying underneath that night-time fireworks display, are the many women, children, and men tired, beaten, and tortured for far too long to be able to withstand this type of merciless campaign on them. They are mothers whose silenced grief has soaked the earth with the blood of their children, their husbands, their fathers, their brothers. For them life has dealt them nothing but death, carnage, and a wasted existence. They survived the long drawn out Iran-Iraq war financed and orchestrated by the United States defense department that left about a half a million Iraqis dead. They lived through a painful chapter of the first gulf war with over 100,000 casualties. In 1991 when the Iraqi people were planning an uprising against Saddam, the American intervention thwarted their attempt for a regime change as Richard Haas, Head of State Department explained “What we want is Saddam’s regime without Saddam”. United State’s direct action opposing the will of the people of Iraq has clearly illustrated that their hearts do not lie in the best interest of the people. How else can we explain the brutal sanctions that has left hundreds of thousands of young, helpless children dead, and many more suffering in the ill equipped hospitals with no medicine, food, or prospects of a future. How else can we explain the depleted Uranium used in the first gulf war, which resulted in many babies born with extreme deformities. The mothers no longer asking whether they had a boy or a girl, but the dreaded question is “Is it normal?” The United States claims that this war is about freeing Iraqis from the evil menace that is Saddam Hussein. No one who opposes this war is in favor of Saddai Hussein. No one cares for this man that has wrought many evils with his own hands. But the question that begs to be asked is how is the violent overthrow of the Iraqi government by the U.S. military prowess aiding Iraqi citizens in determining their own political fate. How is the bombing of an already dying nation’s infrastructure and the very people we claim to be liberating supposed to be good for them? What gives Bush the right or moral authority to dictate from the oval office, thousands of miles away, what is best for the Iraqi people? With the many vile dictators around the world, I wonder what make Iraq so special. I wonder if Iraq’s main export was tomatoes, or grapes, or olives, if they would have been even a subject of interest to the United States to begin with. The goals of this war have been contradictory and inconsistent from the very beginning. They claimed that this is a pre-emptive attack on a nation that is supposed to have many weapons of mass destruction. This nation that lacks the very basic necessities of a normal subsisting economy, was supposed to be a direct threat to the United States very existence. Yet we were promised a quick war. So far the United States military has faced little resistance from this larger than life evil. The Iraqi army is ill equipped, at a disadvantage and in disarray. How could they have been a threat to us? What stops the United States from attacking Pakistan, India, Iran, and other countries on similar pretexts? Israel has been using weapons of Mass destruction on its own people since 1967 It is has a powerful military structure that has been directly financed and aided by the United States. Why aren’t the Palestinians in line for Operation Free Palestine? The United States has been the only country in history to use Nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the damaging effects of which are still experienced today. In the gulf war the effects of Depleted Uranium a highly radio active nuclear material have destroyed many lives, and plundered the environment. Why should we not demand the disarmament of the United States today? While the United States claims to want to establish democracy abroad many of our civil rights are fast being eroded. The Patriotic act is unconstitutional! As Benjamin Franklin, one of our founding fathers said, “He who is willing to trade liberty for security will have neither”. Since the war on terror began, United States citizens have been living under siege disguised under the banner of patriotism and national security. Sweeping acts have been passed through a dazzled congress to significantly increase the surveillance and investigative powers of law enforcement agencies in the United States. The act has given the United States government the ability to excavate any information from internet usage, to email tracking, to phone tapping, to medical, financial, and sensitive personal records that were once deemed private. The INS has been given the green light to detain immigrant citizens and non citizens alike for months with no evidence, representation, or the courtesy of being told what they are being held up for. Secret Evidence is unconstitutional! The basic rights to end discrimination based on race, ethnicity or ideology is history now. Anyone is fair game for suspicion, random arrests, and surveillance. The lessons learned from World War 2, with the gross treatment of Japanese Americans in this country have been thrown out the window. That is why it is imperative for us to voice out our opposition to injustices both at home and abroad. It is our patriotic responsibility to ensure that this nation lives up to its ideal. We are responsible to speak and ensure that this country remains true to its fundamental principles of freedom and democracy. Being silent means giving up the very reason why America was founded in the first place. In our quest to free Iraqis trillions of dollars are poured into the defense industry. The growing resentment of the International community against the United States unjust policies and direct action abroad is not making us any more secure. So more money is spent on constructing massive weapons of destruction that are supposed to guard our lives. Meanwhile, poverty in America is rising. Education and conservation funds are slashed, millions of people lack access to proper medical care and social security funds are dwindling. In the face of so many pertinent issues at home, why are we wasting much needed funds domestically to inflict terror abroad. Many Americans on top of their daily struggles now are faced with the fear of retaliation. As September 11th, has shown, the world is increasingly getting smaller, and the repercussions of injustice are bound to haunt us. Thomas Jefferson once said “I tremble for my nation when I think that God is Just”. Infinite Justice does exist and fortunately its not in the hands of the likes of Bush, Cheney, Powell or others. Perfect Justice lies in the hands of God. It is our faith that inspires us to struggle for Justice despite the many odds against us. It is the certain knowledge that evil by nature is fleeting that keeps me going in a world that is drowning in the oceans of schisms, fear, greed, lies, injustice and death. The blood of the innocent has flowed for too many generations for the sake of the Mighty elite. It is time we put an end to it! It is time to take our outcries for justice to another level, and work across ideologies, race, class, and ethnic lines to bring together a harmonious existence. It is time to raise the bar and establish peace not as a radical concept but the way of life everywhere. It is time to think strategically and form long term plans on how we can channel our energies and frustrations into formulating long term solutions for the sake of humanity’s existence. The road is long and the work to be done is hard. Yet it begins with you and I. The long road to peace and justice begins NOW. -Maliha Balala [wlm] |
| Re: The Radical Concept of Peace |
|---|
| AyeshaZ |
| 03/22/03 at 19:18:06 |
[wlm] subhan'Allah sister Maliha!!!!! Insha'Allah these words will have a profound impact on everyone !!!! |
| Re: The Radical Concept of Peace |
|---|
| Maliha |
| 03/24/03 at 13:01:23 |
| [slm] Alhamdullillah the rally and march went great!!! we have close to 2000 people!!!! The largest anti war rally in conservative Richmond ever!!!! ALhamdullillah. I had to speak first...my! I was shaking sooo hard...My voice was strong, but I couldn't stop my hands from shaking...it came to the point that i could barely see my words :p Alhamdullillah though...people loved it! Some dude right towards the end of my speech comes to the very front and started chanting "Jesus Loves you!" ??? I was like "what?" and he kept going on...I said "We love you too"..and he was escorted out. It was a bit weird. The march was nice and peaceful. Until when it was over. We all left and a handful of kids took to the streets, they started throwing rocks at the National Guard recruting office and other government places...broke a couple of windows, tear gas, arrests etc. Of course the media showed nothing about the march and focused on what happened afterwards! >:( They also claimed there was only "several hundred" people out there!!! I was sooo mad! We had the cutest little kids, and their parents, and stuff. It was a beautiful day, and they showed none of that! Just the cops chasing kids and arrests etc. Meanwhile there was a parallel Pro-War rally that apparently had 7000 attendees :( we are in da south. They showed soooo much of that. How nice and peaceful it was, how patriotic and everyone was decked out in flag colors....aghhhh...i was just mad >:( Oh well, the people that came learned a lot Alhamdullillah. A couple of people asked for a copy of my speech..and i made some really good contacts with other groups. So all in all it was good Alhamdullillah:) Thanks y'all for the positive statements :) Sis, Maliha [wlm] |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |