If I Were an Arab Today

NMB, Florida September 29, 2001 A.H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on Issues, Ideas and Reflections on the Times. Published Now and
Then. Opinions Pro or Con Are Welcome.

IF I WERE AN ARAB TODAY
If I were an Arab today, which I am not, I would feel very much like a Jew
felt not too long ago. As an Arab I am looked at as an outsider. My
religion is strange to the majority around me. I am a descendant of Abraham
who is father also to Isaac and the Jews and Judaism is closely related to
its offshoot, Christianity. As a Muslim I am a follower of Mohammed. Jews
were Hebrews and followers of Moses. Christians (a word derived from the
Greek word for "Messiah") should more properly be called Jesusians, or
followers of Jesus. I feel like an outsider when all this is explained as I
have just outlined here.

If I were an Arab today, unlike the Jews who were accused as being slimy
Orientals, I would belong to an organization such as the Muslim American
Society. I would not have noted that the Jews put American in front of the
names of their organizations. They put America first. As an Arab how could
I do this? Allah is everything.

If I were an Arab today I would, like some other newcomers to this country,
be more American than Americans are. I would become a super patriot and
wave the flag strenuously. That is what real Americans do. If I were an Arab
today I would insist that my children speak English better than the English
and with an American accent even though I might never become adept at this
most difficult language. I might make the mistake of not speaking Arabic at
home so my children would become American faster.

If I were an Arab today I would most probably and quickly have my name
changed legally. You can no longer tell American Jews as Jewish by their
names because they have changed theirs or had their names changed when they
came to this country by officials who could not pronounce them. If Osama
bin Laden were to have his name changed to Oscar Ladenson and shaved his
beard no one would think him Arab at all. Some of us Arabs might decide to
have surgery to be rid of "Semitic" noses.

It is probably best if I were not an Arab today. I have my own "tsouris"
(trouble) being Jewish. What do you think? Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of
10.