Becoming Inclusive in America: Lessons Learned from Ramadan
Since 9/11, Sikh and Hindu Americans have been facing bigotry under the false assumptions that they are Arab or Muslim. Photo from asamnew.com
BY: Warren David/President
What happened to inclusion in America?
At one time we were proud to be part of the great melting pot of immigrants that defined America. Whether you were Polish, Italian, or Arab; Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, America’s strength was that we were diverse, yet part of the mosaic.
Americans struggled for several generations to become more inclusive than those before them. In every culture, there have been fearless youth refusing to be part of the system of racism, instilled by elders, that still guides small parts of American society today.
Fighting for inclusion was what made America great. So why are Arab Americans and Muslims facing some of the worst forms of bigotry yet? Since the Paris terrorist attacks last November, and the increasingly dangerous rhetoric from presidential candidates like Donald Trump, there has been no end in sight to the attacks on our community.
An act of violence committed by one individual does not define an entire group. This is a lesson that many more minority groups in America learned this summer.
Hatred directed toward not just Arab Americans, but also all ethnic and racial groups, has led to the bigotry we have witnessed this summer, particularly during the month of Ramadan.
Unfortunately, the incredible lessons of Ramadan were overlooked this month by rampant violence and hate crimes committed by angry people who want to divide our country. As Ramadan was coming to an end and the three-day Eid al-Fitr celebrations began, Arab, Muslim, and other minority Americans were being grossly attacked.
A woman asked Donald Trump to violate the Civil Rights Act and ban all people wearing “heebijabies” (hijabs) from working in the TSA. Trump said he was looking into the proposal.
Almost a dozen men were randomly beaten, shot, or stabbed outside of mosques late at night on their way to morning prayers by rogue men.
Police outside of Cleveland tackled an Emirati man who was assumed to be pledging allegiance to ISIL because he was wearing traditional Dubai clothes and speaking Arabic.
Protestors interrupted an outdoor Eid celebration with offensive signs and chants, saying “Your religion would be killing us right now.”
And two more black men were wrongfully murdered by police officers – a particular form of civil rights violations in which Arab Americans can strongly identify.
These acts of hate have only brought more violence, fear, and misunderstanding – words with tired, diminished definitions that have little impact on our society anymore.
Ramadan is supposed to be a special time of year for Muslims across the globe. For Arab American Muslims, Ramadan traditions from their country of origin and their new country merge together to create a joyous time of spirituality from early-morning gatherings at local restaurants, to educating friends about fasting, to charitable giving for communities in need.
There are endless opportunities to join in Ramadan’s spirit of generosity, which is what Arab America did this year. We created a campaign called “Hummus for the Homeless,” where we fed those in need outside our office in Washington, DC every Friday during Ramadan with the help of Catholic Charities.
Arab American Muslims and Christians gave generously to “Hummus for the Homeless,” as well as our non-Arab and non-Muslim volunteers who helped to serve food with us. Within a matter of hours, we had assembled a diverse team of staff, volunteers, and donors who answered a call for help, creating a living example of the benefits of inclusion.
Because of our ability to work together and serve a greater purpose – of helping the community – we were able to overcome the fear and anger that developed from hate crimes during Ramadan.
We need to come together and overcome the exclusionists who seek to divide rather than unite us. Respect and love for one another and working together to build a better America will make America great again—not an America which includes just an elite few.
The solution does not lie in pointing blame to one community or another. We learned that it takes the small gestures of kindness by ordinary people to instill empathy, get to know our neighbors, and get back to our daily lives after a tragedy.
Being inclusive is easy.
A lesson learned from Ramadan is that if we curate a simple message of giving back to our community, many would join, regardless of background, because basic humanity unites us far more than hatred ever can.