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Article Source: CNN
"It would be another test of a question they wondered when they first set off from New York three weeks earlier: Is America still the accepting nation that embraced our forebears or has it reached a new level of intolerance?
Far from the media frenzy dominating headlines, from the so-called "ground zero mosque" to a pastor's planned Quran burning, Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq traveled more than 13,000 miles into the heart of America over the last month, visiting 30 mosques in 30 days for Ramadan.
It was also remarkable to have people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, "just bend over backwards and be friendly to us," he said.
As for what's next for the young men, they plan to celebrate Eid with their Muslim brethren in Dearborn, Michigan -- happy to have discovered an America that still embraces them, even if that's not always portrayed in the news media.
#1 - Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:38 PM EDTbend over backwards and be friendly to us
Well of course! Because that is the truth about Americans....not all this Islamaphobe crap the Far Left is spewing. All weekend that is all I have heard from the Left and it is nothing but shameless lies about this country and their fellow Americans. If Americans were as the Left describes, there wouldn't be any mosques here at all and two Muslim travellers wouldn't have been able to enjoy their cross country trek.
#2 - Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:51 PM EDTIf Americans were as the Left describes, there wouldn't be any mosques here at all and two Muslim travellers wouldn't have been able to enjoy their cross country trek.
Riiiiiight...it's all an illusion. (sarc) Give me a break. It doesn't take but so many to change an atmosphere. There are a lot of people who don't feel the comfort of enough like-minded to show themselves also. But, they have made their presence known, make no mistake about it. There is a tipping point that we've yet to reach however.
Besides, these guys employed the same common sense and instinct to avoid danger that any of us would have on their trek into the "heartland". If they wanted to find trouble and intolerance, they could have or would have found it along every stop of the journey.
happy to have discovered an America that still embraces them, even if that's not always portrayed in the news media
Riiiiiight...it's all an illusion. (sarc) Give me a break
You sound like one of the fear mongers they were lucky enough not to run into!
You sound like one of the fear mongers they were lucky enough not to run into!
And you sound like the cat that swallowed the canary.
Ali and Tariq were embraced nearly everywhere they went, from a Confederate souvenir shop in Georgia to the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada, to the hills of North Dakota where the nation's first mosque was built in 1929.
hmmm - wonder how much attention this will get?
#3 - Mon Sep 13, 2010 3:52 PM EDTKrishna---thank you. I thought this might be the case. Excellent!
#5 - Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:39 PM EDTTheir experiences were pretty extensive-- so I would tend to believe this is an accurate representation of the current realities. Of course there are bigots in America-- but they are obviously a minority...
Which brings up an important point-- why the discrepancy between the actual facts-- and the scenario we are often presented with on Newsvine?
#6 - Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:13 PM EDTThere are only two ways to find out what America really is. Either take a car trip or a train trip. Both will take you to places that show you America and where it's pride and sense of community come from.
I think it is great these two gentlemen got to experience what America is really all about.
#7 - Tue Sep 14, 2010 12:01 AM EDTI think it is great these two gentlemen got to experience what America is really all about.
There's been a lot of political spin lately .....and often a false picture in the media.
Newsviner Perrie was curious as to the actual facts-- and not so long ago did quite a bit of research to see what the actual truth about prejudice in America was-- and how much was actually experienced by various groups. She published her findings in this article:
Hate In America. Not Much Has Changed.
According to U.S. Department of Justice, A hate crime, also known as a bias crime, is a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin.Although reporting hate crimes is different from location to location it seems that hate crimes are alive and well. And not only do they exist, but the same groups that were always targeted in the past are still targeted now. It seems that the more things seem to change, the more they don't. The latest 2008 statistics on Hate Crime in the U.S. is the highest for the following groups:
Its really interesting to see what the actual reality is re hate directed at various minority groups (as opposed to some of the common misconceptions)
Oh it is not like I do not know there is a sizable amount of hate crime that goes on in this country, but it seems you have to really look for places that still have good morals, and treat others with respect.
That link you posted left out one detail I would have like to have seen; the locations were most of these hate crimes are conducted, Urban, rural, north, south, east, west, etc.
That link you posted left out one detail I would have like to have seen; the locations were most of these hate crimes are conducted, Urban, rural, north, south, east, west, etc.
Interesting question-- I hadn't thought of that. We could speculate, but it would be nice to see real data.
My guess would be that regional differences are not as significant as in the past, due to the fact that Americans are so much more mobile now-a-days.
My guess would be that regional differences are not as significant as in the past, due to the fact that Americans are so much more mobile now-a-days.
It is very true that we are more mobile now a days; However, communites that we call home probably still have different views.
Example: Now I would expect hate crimes against latinos to be higher in the south-western states, vs. northeast states, because they are closer and more familier with illegal crossings, along with the results of illegal immigration because they pretty much see it happening everyday, and will take actions to make sure this stops, which could lead towards hate crimes against any latinos.
It is very true that we are more mobile now a days; However, communites that we call home probably still have different views.
Well, I think thats also true.
I don't know about people in the South-west in general. You might be right-- but it might also work two ways. (For example, I once knew a guy in southern CA who employed illegal immigrants-- he loved having them because they worked so cheaply-- lowered his expenses considerably).
OTOH, I know a few people from Arizona-- they really see the impact of illegals, and are really pissed at the fed'l governments' attitude.
I don't know about people in the South-west in general. You might be right-- but it might also work two ways. (For example, I once knew a guy in southern CA who employed illegal immigrants-- he loved having them because they worked so cheaply-- lowered his expenses considerably).
OTOH, I know a few people from Arizona-- they really see the impact of illegals, and are really pissed at the fed'l governments' attitude.
I understand the two different views. However, I think it is reasonable to say there are a larger amount people that are upset at both illegal imigration and those who hire them. It is probably safe to say that there are greater amounts of people angry at the greed of the smaller amounts of business men who actually like the illegal immigration because it satifies the owner of the business who really does not care about everyone else, and the overall damage that is being inflicted on the country.
That is just one example, I would also expect hate crimes to be higher in the southeast and urban areas than rural America against those who are black. I live in rural America and we were all pretty much white and had the same views on life. Now we did have a few minorities, but most never displayed hate towards them, because of our strong value of community. Of course you always had someone that was presiguse towards others, but never acted like such in front of them.
Another issue that may have been ignored is the age group. Younger Americans may conducted hate crimes because of what they have seen on TV or in a movie. I have know young people to act out "hate" crimes towards others because they were the minority, but did so because they are influenced by what they have seen and think it is entertaining and not so much presigues or hate at all, they seem to be just bored and looking for entertainment of some kind and do not really understand the true meaning of what they are doing.
The pair set out to build real bridges. Rauf chose another path.
#8 - Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:02 AM EDTHere's another recent related seed-- quite interesting:
Our Non-War Over Islam - Tolerance and assimilation are the real story
#9 - Tue Sep 28, 2010 1:43 AM EDTGood for them! I hope their story gets cwide overage in the Islamic world although I doubt it.
Remember there is a big difference between what people actually feel and what politicians and "men of God" want them to feel - both sides. It is time we took the world away from the hate mongers, including those with power in the US.
#10 - Tue Sep 28, 2010 4:29 AM EDTJust came across this agin.
What struck me is that their Their findings certainly are at odds with some of the prevailing views!!!
#11 - Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:59 AM EDTShocking how friendly Americans can be to individuals....you'd almost think that they separate the individual from the relgion sometimes.....:)
Separate them from their religious leaders, politicians, ..phobes, and newscasters and we are not so bad. At the same time, I live in a Muslim country and people here are very nice to me. Congratulations to these young people for doing some exploration on their own and not listening to their and our messengers of hatred and intolerance.
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