Comments on: Closing Guantanamo http://suspectpaki.com/2008/12/13/closing-guantanamo/ Islamophobia means never having to admit you're racist Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:01:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: SallyX http://suspectpaki.com/2008/12/13/closing-guantanamo/comment-page-1/#comment-3090 SallyX Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:40:14 +0000 http://suspectpaki.com/?p=992#comment-3090 Thank you for that welcome. I'm working my way through your entries, and they're all wonderful to read. I agree wholeheartedly with one post in which you said, "...Britain is still the best country in the world to be a Muslim." I (Indo-Pak Muslima) left Greater London - very reluctantly - for USA many years ago, and it has been worse than any culture shock describable. I'm in "metro Boston" and the touristy impression of New England aside, I have found it overall an odious place to be a Muslim outside the enclaves in university groups, for example. The locals, admittedly, have this awe for India and Indians, and you'll get this hand-clasping, head-bowing "namaste" in their simpleton effort to make you feel they're so worldly and understanding....and then you politely point out that it's a gesture more appropriate for an Indian of Hindu belief, and that you're Muslim. The disappointment, or revulsion, is pretty palpable (mention being Pakistani: ten times worse!), and this is from the mostly middle-class to more affluent circles I usually interact with. My experience has been, that as Muslims, we are barely, and superficially tolerated here, and that I'm on thin ice in USA continuing to wear my Muslim identity with pride after the 9-11 set-up. I have relatives in Canada, who empathise with me, so I know I'm not imagining my US experiences. I'm in amazement, therefore, at Americans like Eli who runs his left-i-on-the-news blog; another favourite. Gosh, a Yank who regards the killing of Iraqi soldiers defending their homeland to be just as tragic as civilian killings. Methinks, I'll have to start my own blog--as antidote and an antithesis to Alistair Cooke's Letter From America. Salaam! Thank you for that welcome. I’m working my way through your entries, and they’re all wonderful to read. I agree wholeheartedly with one post in which you said, “…Britain is still the best country in the world to be a Muslim.” I (Indo-Pak Muslima) left Greater London – very reluctantly – for USA many years ago, and it has been worse than any culture shock describable. I’m in “metro Boston” and the touristy impression of New England aside, I have found it overall an odious place to be a Muslim outside the enclaves in university groups, for example. The locals, admittedly, have this awe for India and Indians, and you’ll get this hand-clasping, head-bowing “namaste” in their simpleton effort to make you feel they’re so worldly and understanding….and then you politely point out that it’s a gesture more appropriate for an Indian of Hindu belief, and that you’re Muslim. The disappointment, or revulsion, is pretty palpable (mention being Pakistani: ten times worse!), and this is from the mostly middle-class to more affluent circles I usually interact with. My experience has been, that as Muslims, we are barely, and superficially tolerated here, and that I’m on thin ice in USA continuing to wear my Muslim identity with pride after the 9-11 set-up. I have relatives in Canada, who empathise with me, so I know I’m not imagining my US experiences. I’m in amazement, therefore, at Americans like Eli who runs his left-i-on-the-news blog; another favourite. Gosh, a Yank who regards the killing of Iraqi soldiers defending their homeland to be just as tragic as civilian killings. Methinks, I’ll have to start my own blog–as antidote and an antithesis to Alistair Cooke’s Letter From America. Salaam!

]]> By: shahid http://suspectpaki.com/2008/12/13/closing-guantanamo/comment-page-1/#comment-3087 shahid Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:57:25 +0000 http://suspectpaki.com/?p=992#comment-3087 Thanks for visiting SallyX and wa `alaykum as salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu. You're right of course. I meant in comparison to what they're enduring illegally, but you're right. They should all be released. Thanks for visiting SallyX and wa `alaykum as salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu.

You’re right of course. I meant in comparison to what they’re enduring illegally, but you’re right. They should all be released.

]]> By: SallyX http://suspectpaki.com/2008/12/13/closing-guantanamo/comment-page-1/#comment-3086 SallyX Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:48:59 +0000 http://suspectpaki.com/?p=992#comment-3086 ASAK brother. Fantastic site, and glad to have found it. However, you say, "These men would be very happy to have a fair trial, but I’m not sure if they’d be mentally fit anymore for any trial." Yes, they have been psychologically destroyed, but the capturing and incarceration of "these men" is as sickening an occurrence as the West has (rightly) accused the former Soviets of doing. Except that no, emphatically no, they should not be tried, because they are wholly innocent, and should be released immediately. Their capture was as justifiable as going to any city in the world and randomly plucking men from the streets and imprisoning, torturing, and isolating them. Of course, the Yanks have encased each of "these men" with an elaborate story alleging their "terrorist" and "enemy combatant" status that the populace repeats with glee. With that spurious reasoning [so, what's new; this is how Yanks habitually reason], every single opponent of US aggression throughout history, whether political or military, should have been similarly incarcerated. That means, for instance, Martin Luther King, and every Cambodian and Vietnamese soldier, should have been dealt the same fate as "these men". There is a history of vengence and retribution in the US culture and mindset (not just in the military sense, but in every day life as well; I know, I live amongst it) that is parallel with the Israeli and Jewish desire for same towards anyone that attempts to oppose them. Hey, "we have a right to f**k you over; just shut the f**k up while we do it" mentality. Brutality with accompanying impunity is the US and Israeli expectation. My son's head teacher ran into me during the so-called first Gulf war, and in an ecstatically rejoicing tone told me how "happy she was about the war with [sic: assault on] Iraq" and what a historic day it was for Americans! This was said to me out of the blue, uttered in lieu of "hello, how are you", and not because we had engaged in any other discussion. This celebration of slaughter from a woman; head of a supposed prestigious private school that prided itself on its educational and nuturing record with kids. ASAK brother. Fantastic site, and glad to have found it. However, you say, “These men would be very happy to have a fair trial, but I’m not sure if they’d be mentally fit anymore for any trial.” Yes, they have been psychologically destroyed, but the capturing and incarceration of “these men” is as sickening an occurrence as the West has (rightly) accused the former Soviets of doing. Except that no, emphatically no, they should not be tried, because they are wholly innocent, and should be released immediately. Their capture was as justifiable as going to any city in the world and randomly plucking men from the streets and imprisoning, torturing, and isolating them. Of course, the Yanks have encased each of “these men” with an elaborate story alleging their “terrorist” and “enemy combatant” status that the populace repeats with glee. With that spurious reasoning [so, what's new; this is how Yanks habitually reason], every single opponent of US aggression throughout history, whether political or military, should have been similarly incarcerated. That means, for instance, Martin Luther King, and every Cambodian and Vietnamese soldier, should have been dealt the same fate as “these men”. There is a history of vengence and retribution in the US culture and mindset (not just in the military sense, but in every day life as well; I know, I live amongst it) that is parallel with the Israeli and Jewish desire for same towards anyone that attempts to oppose them. Hey, “we have a right to f**k you over; just shut the f**k up while we do it” mentality. Brutality with accompanying impunity is the US and Israeli expectation. My son’s head teacher ran into me during the so-called first Gulf war, and in an ecstatically rejoicing tone told me how “happy she was about the war with [sic: assault on] Iraq” and what a historic day it was for Americans! This was said to me out of the blue, uttered in lieu of “hello, how are you”, and not because we had engaged in any other discussion. This celebration of slaughter from a woman; head of a supposed prestigious private school that prided itself on its educational and nuturing record with kids.

]]> By: DrM http://suspectpaki.com/2008/12/13/closing-guantanamo/comment-page-1/#comment-3059 DrM Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:03:05 +0000 http://suspectpaki.com/?p=992#comment-3059 Well said, Shahid bhai. Isn't it about time we refer to them as hostages? Well said, Shahid bhai. Isn’t it about time we refer to them as hostages?

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