Rasha

After reading Rasha's story of inhumane treatment and resentment from Americans, I was struck with man emotions and reactions. First, it was interesting to digest the kind of life that many Muslim-Americans must have to go through. The text highlighted on the idea of growing up and the challenges associated with that already tumultuous time in one's life. However, growing up as a Muslim in a post-911 United States is undoubtedly harder. Rasha and her family were discriminated against simply because of their religion and where they came from in the world. This is absolute madness. Its absurd that there are even people ignorant enough to discriminate against someone solely based on the actions of a few individuals who share their religious beliefs. If that were the case, than every religion in the world should be hated, as there are equally bad Christians and Jews and Buddhists and every other denomination. It is not a certain religion that is the problem, it is the humans that interpret those teachings in negative ways.

One part of her story that really struck me can be found when she was discussing taking riflery classes in Syria. The fact that the girls around her told her not to speak about the government, that it wasn't allowed, just makes me feel very privileged to live in this country; to be able to live in a place where our freedoms are guaranteed to us. At the same time, it makes me question why my freedom should be more guaranteed than Rasha's. She, for the most part, grew up in this country the same as me. She was a college student when our government unfairly "kidnapped" her family. I can't understand why so many people in the world allow fear to govern their ideas about others, and allow that fear to slowly turn to nothing more than blind hate. A person is a person, regardless of where they are from or what they believe in. Everyone should be allowed to practice whatever religion they so choose, or none at all, not only in the United States, but in every country in the world. Basic human rights should be a global theme, but, sadly, that is not the case. America is meant to be a refuge for anyone that is in need, and stories like these are further developing my disgust with the fact that this refuge has always been something that is only for people that we deem as worthy. Everyone is worthy. Everyone deserves that chance.