QUOTE(rahma @ Aug 24 2006, 11:47 AM) 
QUOTE(sheraz @ Aug 24 2006, 11:39 AM)
Many people will simply answer this by saying that they want to have the right to wear anything they want. True. But its the stuborn folks who get into arguments and make the rest of us look bad. All middle easterner should realize that even though they may have been born here, they are not natives of this land. Trying going back to Saudi, Yemen etc, the difference between natives and non natives could be seen. Pakis are not even discriminated against even in the middleeast. I dont understand why the middle easterners have such a problem when it comes to them in US.
Should we aspire to be like Saudia, Pakistan et al, or should we aspire to uphold the ideals of the constitution and the ideals that founded this country?
Since this is a country of immigrants, very few of us are natives here. As different cultures come, we blend and add more to the mosaic. I'm proud to add my european heratige and muslim faith to this country's flavor. Of interest to you, perhaps, is many of those who contributed to this thread are in fact, not middle easterners, but rather american women who have embraced islam. I know my family has been here for close to 2 centuries. We've fought in the civil war, world war 1, world war II, etc. I'm about as native to these lands as you can get, short of being a native american.
The key here are rights, as you mentioned. I'm not going to give up my rights because someone is uncomfortable with me. With that attitude, blacks would still be sitting at the back of the bus. We're not second class citizens
Last time I checked, there were, ideally, not suppose to be any second class citizens here.I dont think people of european heritage are going to be profiled. The fact still remains that all the terrorists are from the middle east. So inorder to make the travel safe, we need to comply with safety concerns. I would like to add that Pakistanis are descriminated against in Saudi. True we have to act like a mosaic but as muslims we need to understand the reality of times and stop creating a fuss about things.
Most buses in the Houston metro are filled with African Americans. The only difference is that the whites have moved on and have left the buses. Progress cannot be accomplished by simply demanding rights but by rather having a positve attitude and hard work. Jews are the best example. Asians didnt demand rights, they worked their way up. Its the turn of Muslims to show they are peaceful, law abiding and adaptable.
QUOTE(Bosco @ Aug 24 2006, 11:56 AM)
QUOTE(sheraz @ Aug 24 2006, 12:39 PM)
I dont understand all the complaints on profiling muslims. I am originally from Pakistan. I know that someone wearing a tshirt with hebrew text would have been asked to take it off. Infact there are no tshirts with urdu language text in Pakistan. I am frequent traveller with an average of 4 round trips a month and have been to the smallest and largest airports in US and Canada. By the grace of God have never been yet singled out. I mind my own buisness. And so should most travellers. Now here is my question
-Why would you want to wear a tshirt with arabic text on it on the plane. You know the situation around the world.
-Why would you want to start reading the Quran on the plane. You know the issues. If you want to pray, you can pray silently and recite in your heart. Its that simple.
My mom and wife wears Paki dress when she travels from Pak to US (on American Airlines) and Trousers for travel with US. Its just that simple. She has never had any problems.
In my view, mind your own buisness when travellings. If you need to wear hijab, simply take the numerous muslim airlines( turkish, egypt air, PIA, Saudi, Emirates, Qatar etc). or travel by road if in the US. If you are wearing hijab, do you really have to go to the waterparks in Florida.
Jews and Christians (in roman times) and throughout history adjusted their ways to suit the prevailing times. Its the turn of Muslims now.
Many people will simply answer this by saying that they want to have the right to wear anything they want. True. But its the stuborn folks who get into arguments and make the rest of us look bad. All middle easterner should realize that even though they may have been born here, they are not natives of this land. Trying going back to Saudi, Yemen etc, the difference between natives and non natives could be seen. Pakis are not even discriminated against even in the middleeast. I dont understand why the middle easterners have such a problem when it comes to them in US.
I was not taught that to wear trousers was more American than wearing salwar kameez, or that to wear a cowboy hat was more American than to wear hijab. I don't think a gandora is less American than a mini skirt. Why should eurocentric practices outweigh those of other cultures? Those of us with European heritage are not somehow more entitled, more American (although many think differently). A white face isn't more American than a brown face, New York accented English is not more American than Egyptian accented English and Chinatown isn't less American than Greenwich Village.
European ancesstory is the majority in the country. Majority rules. That has to be accepted.
But again, what I'm complaining about here is not profiling. If I pass through all the security checks, once, twice, three times, then I'm safe to be on the plane and act in my normal manner. I'f I've passed the security checks, then no mob should be able to pitch me off because they find my manner of dress bizare or that I may speak in a different language.
I agree with you 100%
Sassy
