Brexit and Trump and Le Pen and the rise of national socialism around the world and more so in the "West" is depressing.
One feels as if Daesh has won. They managed through fear to separate the world with a deep bridge in between.
On one side the Islamic world amalgamed with Arab culture whether Muslim or Christian.
On the other side what was the world that upholds democracy and human rights who seems to have crumpled into bigotry and intolerance at the first sign of stress and danger.
In the middle, most of us in both worlds that do not belong and are foreign to the stereotyping.
Stuck in the middle, betrayed by the social and liberal democrats who are supposed to uphold solidarity, we see women rights and minorities rights eroded and trampled under the brunt of the "fight against terrorism".
Then today, and following the Trump messed up border protection decree of banning people from Muslim countries entry to the US, I saw people sitting in airport to defend Syrians, Iraqis, Yemenis, and all citizens from countries included in the ban.
I also heard Trudeau welcoming refugees to Canada and Pope Francis who faithful to his name seek Francois D'Assise, entered the debate setting the precept of Christianity away from bigotry and the "Christian values" of intolerance preached be the extreme right. Respect! His words count for many and are respected and admired by the other half.
It gave me hope, and belief that maybe Daesh did not win after all. And that the values I believe in are still alive.
It also drives me to say to Muslims around the world that it is time that they stand against injustice and violence and extremism. They cannot cower and be driven by an intolerant doctrine that seems to prevail.
Many of the young Arab women I meet these days, ask me about the sixties and seventies and if it is true that they were enlightened times. They tell me that their mothers tell them about the time they did not wear the veil and where they had more freedoms than today.
The majority of the young women wear the veil, not out of conviction, but due to societal pressures.
It is high time for the majority of Muslims that are not part of the actual fundamentalist interpretation of Islam to take to the streets, not against dictators only, but against the religious institution that is driving them into the direction of the dark ages.
One feels as if Daesh has won. They managed through fear to separate the world with a deep bridge in between.
On one side the Islamic world amalgamed with Arab culture whether Muslim or Christian.
On the other side what was the world that upholds democracy and human rights who seems to have crumpled into bigotry and intolerance at the first sign of stress and danger.
In the middle, most of us in both worlds that do not belong and are foreign to the stereotyping.
Stuck in the middle, betrayed by the social and liberal democrats who are supposed to uphold solidarity, we see women rights and minorities rights eroded and trampled under the brunt of the "fight against terrorism".
Then today, and following the Trump messed up border protection decree of banning people from Muslim countries entry to the US, I saw people sitting in airport to defend Syrians, Iraqis, Yemenis, and all citizens from countries included in the ban.
I also heard Trudeau welcoming refugees to Canada and Pope Francis who faithful to his name seek Francois D'Assise, entered the debate setting the precept of Christianity away from bigotry and the "Christian values" of intolerance preached be the extreme right. Respect! His words count for many and are respected and admired by the other half.
It gave me hope, and belief that maybe Daesh did not win after all. And that the values I believe in are still alive.
It also drives me to say to Muslims around the world that it is time that they stand against injustice and violence and extremism. They cannot cower and be driven by an intolerant doctrine that seems to prevail.
Many of the young Arab women I meet these days, ask me about the sixties and seventies and if it is true that they were enlightened times. They tell me that their mothers tell them about the time they did not wear the veil and where they had more freedoms than today.
The majority of the young women wear the veil, not out of conviction, but due to societal pressures.
It is high time for the majority of Muslims that are not part of the actual fundamentalist interpretation of Islam to take to the streets, not against dictators only, but against the religious institution that is driving them into the direction of the dark ages.
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