An American: I am with you [Archives:2003/628/Letters to the Editor]
Yana Hylton
[email protected]
I want to say to the Arab and Muslims people that I have no words strong enough to fully convey my sadness about my government's decision to dismiss the UN and attack Iraq.
I fear the future unlike anything I have ever known. My country has not seen the suffering that has occurred around the rest of the world. My neighborhood, my city, my state, my nation has not been bombed during my generation, not once.
We don't know what it is like to fear for our very existence, which is, of course, why too many in this country think nothing of using bombs instead of real diplomacy. The arrogance here is so awful. The ignorance is so vast. The compassion born of understanding is lacking.
So, here I am. I have written, I have called, I have marched, I have prayed, I have stood in vigils. The government doesn't care. Even my Representative and Senators disregard my voice. I fear that the dream of American democracy and liberty may well be finally crushed here and now. That “grand experiment” that the founders of this nation embarked upon may well and truly be over.
We will all lose, but for now, it is the Middle East that the United States is focused on and therefore, my love and prayers are with you all. The beginning of what may be an end of our known world order is in your backyard. I wish I could do something that would change all this. Be brave, be strong. And know that there are those of us here who do understand and do care and won't resent or hate because there are reactions against us.
Revenge…we will see it here, of that I am sure. But I will pray for peace for you – all of you. I will pray that something changes the hearts of my leaders. I will pray the American people wake up and see the horror that they are unleashing on innocents. I will pray and pray and pray.
May Allah bless all of you and may He forgive my country. He is the Almighty and most Merciful – God/Allah.
——
[archive-e:628-v:13-y:2003-d:2003-03-24-p:letters]
