I am married to an Arab Muslim and lived in Eypt for 18 months and I can honestly say that the Arab Muslims I met in Egypt think we Americans are no better than dogs and cannot be true Muslims.

It is horrible to be a very good person and hated just because of your nationality or religion. In that respect I can understand the temptation to create a victim mentality. I get very angry when I think of how I, a covert to Islam, have been treated by Arab Muslims. It makes me sick and I work hard to fight the anger.

I would like to see more Muslims do the same and send more messages of peace.

Your statement “This is an absolute insult against the character and intelligence of the American population during a time of grieving. “, just want to point out, we are part of American population as well, and we are not making any insult to them, and apparently you missed all our greiving part.

A wise person told me years ago that it is important to be fully responsible for your own mentality. He was using the example of releasing anger for a horrible event that had happened to him. In explaining that his greatest battle in regaining his spirit was in letting go of “what he had every right to feel and think” about this event. He was holding a victim mentality, a poor me mentality, because it WAS rightfully deserved! But this was his own prison, and the only way out was for him to let it go. I never said there wasn’t a right to it, but in what way does it truly serve?

Do you really think that if this shooter was a muslim that mosques and muslims around the country would not be harassed?

I do not expect this reaction, but you obviously do. I do not expect it would have gone that way for the same reasons that it would not be made about South Korea (another “avowed” enemy of America). Since it proved to not be the national reaction (regarding his nationality) I also do not think it would be the reaction toward a Muslim shooters nationality or religion.

But then I do not have a belief telling me that Americans are incapable of discerning between a mentally ill individual acting from paranoid delusions and their religious/national affiliation.

Do you think the media would react the same way?

The media does not have the power of God to control the minds of the people. Again, I am not so inclined to think so little of the American people. Most people I know would speak out against any connection between this person and any religion, no matter what it is, and no matter what the media says. Who are the Americans you know?

Open your eyes my friend.

My eyes are wide open.

Some news outlets already deemed the shooter a muslim when the attacks happened.

In my experience of this event as an American citizen, who is currently home and not working, I watched as many of the main broadcasts as were available. At no time did I hear a broadcast about this being assigned to a Muslim at all. Not once. This is not to say that there weren’t some things broadcast somewhere, but I do not think it was anything significant that Americans embraced. As I said, you will find what you are looking for. Yes, there are hateful people out there who have fear of Muslims. But this event was not another event for the focus of this, unless of course you decide it was.

I’m surprised that you wouldn’t understand this as a person who studied the mind.

Which part?

I never said that there wasn’t prejudice toward Muslims. The question is, do you allow the individuals in America who ARE prejudiced become, in your mind, OUR whole majority?

Are you not just as guilty then of sweeping generalizations that create the same type of prejudice you are railing against?

Do you truly believe the whole nation is thinking this way, and if you do what does this contribute to Muslim relations in the long run?

Full accountability is the only way to get past any prejudice you may be experiencing as a Muslim. Looking at your own focus, seeing if you are looking for the worst in the society of America or truly admitting that while there are people who do not understand Islam and are influenced by the media, the majority of Americans are really not all tuned in to “fearing Muslims”.

I do not think there is a single person in this nation or even in the world who hasn’t been on the receiving side of hatred or prejudice for who they are, where they are from or what they believe.

Perhaps considering that you are NOT that special with regard to carrying the weight of being despised or hated simply for an ideology, nationality, skin color or any other external factor which defines you may help.

Muslims are not alone, no they are fully like every other human, in this sense. Perhaps understanding this, seeing the Muslim as an equal member in the wholeness of the human race, a new perspective can be formed. There are far more people who see Muslims simply as humans than perhaps you have chosen to imagine.

And what we hold as “true” in each of our minds becomes the lense which we see the rest of the world through. This is truly how the mind works.

WeAreOne, we are not suggesting one mentally ill guy represents christianity or korean people. We are just saying, what would have happened if this mentally ill guy was muslim?

My reply:

A lone person who was officially diagnosed as mentally disturbed, no matter what their religion or nationality, is just that, a mentally ill human. It wouldn’t matter if he/she were Muslim. Why do you think it has to be about this?

You have expressed that prejudice is what you EXPECT, and that, my friend, is what is known as victim mentality. What you look for you will find more of.

But don’t be fooled into not seeing your own prejudice, it is the one that says…”Americans are unable to distinquish between the act of a lunatic and their religion or nationality”. What are you saying about the “other” in your viewpoint?

This is no different than the instant concerns from Koreans that “Americans” will automatically blame this individual’s Nationality and react with retribution of some sort for this. Your comments that Americans would have went into “terrorist” mode if he was Muslim is the same accusation.

This is an absolute insult against the character and intelligence of the American population during a time of grieving.

Hassan also said:

On another thread you posted Hitler was mentally ill. Well he was not alone though, he had all Nazi army with him. By that standard we can safely say Osama Bin Laden and his cronies are also mentally ill. May be sick is better word for describing such extremists.

My reply:

I would agree that we need to consider what our thought processes contain, and perhaps determine if hate qualifies as the beginning of even deeper mental disturbances. I truly believe that it doesn’t matter what the religious root or nationality, any human who embodies with complete obsession the thought processes of hate and destruction IS very ill. They certainly are not coming from a place of love and peace!

When a whole society follows a mass murderer, such as was the case with the Holocaust, (which by the way was one of the major focuses of study by psychologists and sociologists for decades after the fact. These were the people who wanted to understand “how” this could have happened. They looked at human GROUP behavior to learn how people are able to be manipulated enmasse), then one needs to consider what other factors played in to allow such blind followers.

When a charismatic leader espouses grandious claims which gathers momentum and support, with the full intent to destroy any other human group, great harm can come. If we as humans can not determine and absolute when it comes to the sanctity of human life, and martyrdom or war is used as a justification, then religion has no power to bring peace and understanding in reality.

When there are currently in our time, enmass protests where thousands upon thousands of people are marching in the streets, filled with contempt and hatred, shouting death to another (any other)people, I have to wonder where is the radar at that says, WHOAH! Where are the people stepping up and drawing the line on this type of rhetoric and demonstrating.

It is because we HAVE studied and explored the human behavior behind Hitler’s SS and their compliance, we know much more. But if one has never ventured into an indepth consideration of what the Holocaust said about the HUMAN RACE, and one’s view has been limited by prejudices toward either the victims or the perpetrators, one will be hard pressed to truly understand how these things can happen. How easy it is then to say “The Holocaust was a Christian event”, which was posted on the blog about the Holocaust.

I currently do not see enmass groups of people in America chanting death to anyone. I do see protests against the war that destroys human lives. I do see protests against other things that harm, such as tobacco and drunk driving. I do see Americans grieving over the loss of human lives in a senseless act of violence by a mentally ill human being. It really doesn’t matter where he was from or what his religious affiliation was.

My own rant on this:

Personally, in a time of national mourning, it is in poor taste to trot out the “If it were a Muslim who did this we would be hearing no end of it!” card. This seems a bit egocentric.

But if you really need even this event which has nothing to do with Muslims to be all about “the prejudice we must endure as Muslims!” so be it. I am sure you will find more than one racist to support your view of “the American people” being prejudiced toward Muslims simply for being Muslim.

The sadness to this is that one will miss so much good that is expressed and demonstrated in the character of the American people, simply because they can only fear and seek proof of the worst.

And isn’t this the very thing that Muslim’s object to regarding how THEY are viewed?

We are talking about Br. Waleed, because we identify more with him, just like Sepia Mutiny is talking about the Indians who died. And Arabs are emphasizing the three Arabs who died. Others may emphasize their classmates from high-school, or those who are from their town even if they didn’t know them personally. It does not mean that we or they are not saddened by the death of the others. Quite the contrary, this is such a tragic event that our hearts go out to all the victims. In fact, read the last paragraph of the post:

“May Allah give patience to all those who are grieving”. This includes Muslims and people of all faiths.

Hope this clarifies your misunderstandings.

For example: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1176152812105&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

an article about one of the victims who was a holocaust survivor.

Also, i’m in the MD-VA-DC area, I cannot even tell you how much pain and heartache we are going through. specific places have identified victims from their region and focused on them. It is the same for other states, like Rhode Island:

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-17152500.apds.m0262.bc-ct–virgapr17,0,7253755.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire

Please do not accuse us while the whole world is “guilty” of what you describe.

Furthermore, no one is denying that the gunman was mentally ill. I am in the mental health field and when I heard how he was described, I immediately presumed that he suffered from schzioprehia, paranoia or bipolar disorder.

Also, do you really think that muslims “victim” mentality is uncalled for? Do you really think that if this shooter was a muslim that mosques and muslims around the country would not be harassed? Do you think the media would react the same way? Open your eyes my friend. Some news outlets already deemed the shooter a muslim when the attacks happened. I’m surprised that you wouldn’t understand this as a person who studied the mind.

Anyway, I really do not think we should be focusing on this..the real issue is how he purchase guns so easily, and how can college campuses and all schools monitor students with mental health problems.

And Allah Knows best, and we seek His Help.

It was stated that Cho’s religion is not mentioned but his nationality was. Perhaps he doesn’t have a religion. Not everyone does. It is assumed that idiots on the web who are living with ignorance and fear of world events which are severly highlighted by the “victim mentality” of the average Muslim, who also fear they are the sole targets of racism and judgement, have the voice for all of America. It was assumed that Americans would start attacking Koreans. It was assumed many things which show very little respect for the American population.

The America I know took time to grieve deeply. The Americans I know cried in their own homes and prayed for all who suffered, not just those who were “Christian” or other religions. The Americans I know will turn this event inside out looking to understand how it could have unfolded and do what they can to prevent it again.

I have noticed accusations coming from the ME, Iran in particlar, the “America’s VA Tech shootings are proof of the whole society’s illness and decay”. Nice sweeping statement of judgement that doesn’t make the radar on Muslim forums. Moralistic judgements which negate the true tragedy, which nobody on this forum has even begun to discuss. What is it?

That this was an example of a human being who was suffering from a mental illness. The understanding of mental illness is woefully unachieved by most cultures and societies. The acts of lunatics becomes a banner for a particular religion or nationality instead of being defined as the results of a sick mind.

Remember this. The brain is an ORGAN in the body and is subject to illness just as any other organ. While you can accept that there can be kidney failure, liver damage, lung collapse, heart disease, without assigning it to other motivations, it is much more difficult for the average human to consider what happens when the BRAIN starts misfiring. The brain controls thoughts and this becomes the central aspect that the illness effects.

As a social worker who has worked with the mentally ill population, it makes me sad to see how often the real issue which we all need to be more highly educated on is swept under the rug as groups such as this wish to take it as another slander against them for fueling their “we are always a victim of hatred” views. While this victim mentality is not mental illness, it is definitely a waste of energy to define horrible human tragedies like this as fodder for their rantings about “poor us” as Muslims. This attitude is self serving and insensitive to the other 31 human lives who were destroyed, but were not Muslims. I guess they don’t really matter to you since you believe they are going to be condemned upon death anyhow.

All of this is the same as saying that since Hitler was a Christian, that the holocaust was a Christian act…which people on this forum have stated. Hitler was severly mentally ill and commited suicide just like Cho. What blindness to your own phobias about every other person or belief system that is NOT Islam.

The hypocracy astounds!