I have known Habib for some time. He works hard, keeps to himself, obeys the speed limit and loves his family.
You have already probably made a judgment or two about Habib, maybe. You think you might know what region of the world he comes from and what religion he follows.
Yet Habib, though an immigrant, is an American citizen who loves his new home. He votes and pays his taxes. His children go to the American public school and not “The Arab School” as some around here call it.
An educated man, he is familiar with the teachings of both Islam and Buddhism. I spent some time taking Habib to lunch, and slowly, as if prying open a can of tuna with a mall screwdriver, I started to learn more about the man, and, I dare say, the world.
Once Habib began to speak, his enlightened thought process amazed me. He said, “Americans are moving further and further away from Human Spirit.”
“What the heck does that mean?” I asked.
“In the Qur'an,” he began, “Allah said that He is a hidden treasure longing to be known. Allah made man so that He himself, Allah, would be known and appreciated.”
In my naivety I asked, “And Allah is God?”
“Allah is God,” he said. “Allah teaches that death is only another chapter. Not a beginning or an end but a passage.”
“And between the beginning and the end we must seek peace and tranquility and happiness.”
Between the beginning and the end, I thought, we make money. He with the most toys at the end wins. But I quickly buried this thought.
After an awkwardly long silence, I again chimed in perhaps from ignorance or naivety, “How about the suicide bombers?”
“They have bastardized a great religion, a great way of life and happiness,” said Habib.
Maybe this guy Allah isn’t so bad, I thought.
Habib then said, “Listen to the reed flute. It is made from the reed growing in the river. But after it is cut down and removed from its rightful place, its home, you can hear it crying tender agony.”
'Yet Habib, though an immigrant, is an American citizen who loves his new home. He votes and pays his taxes. His children go to the American public school and not “The Arab School” as some around here call it.'
if Habib was not that way he would not be worth anything, would he? That seems to be the message here.Then how about ' My big Fat Greek Wedding'? There they all go to Greek school. Nobody says it is bad..
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Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 8:26:03 AM
I do not know what Panurg is saying. Here is a man who offers the very best perspective of Islam and Buddhism with a severe critique of American materialism; what does that have to do with Greek immigrants? America is a hoge-poge of all nationalities, religions, and ethic groups. Is Panurg saying we should not sit down and listen to a Musllim as Habib or we have nothing to learn from such a person?
Panurg, is it that you dislike Mr. Carey and allow that to color all your thinking about what he wrote in this article? If it had been another person's name on it, would you have made the same comments? I just do not understand why you commented this way. It seems so out of character for you.
Phil.
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pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 948 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 9:03:57 AM
Dislike is not a problem. I guess I sometimes exaggarate but I have seen a lot ' Careys' on my way and they all come up with this sugary stuff,'Oh, despite your immigration you seem to be human all right.' This is before they hear from me some quirky remarks that Lincoln is ugly or Nixon is mad. From my point of view I can be as nasty as an average NASCAR viewer. From theirs I can exist only as a model citizen. I guess in engineering we take the Pump characteristic ( that's me) and the system pressure drop ( that's them) and there is a point of coincidence. Is it here?
And if you look at what I wrote to Mr. Carey before you would see that sometimes I was very considerate. No malice. Just a Fiery Dog:)
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Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 9:24:56 AM
It is like John was saying, wow, someone could be Arab and still OK, or someone could be muslim and an immigrant and OK, imagine that!
In Republican circles like the ones John travels in, that is amazing stuff. In either Independent or Democratic and/or Progressive circles, it is somewhat insulting to our intelligence. Why not say, wow, Steve Leser is Jewish but isnt a penny pinching miser, or wow, so and so is black and not a criminal, or wow, so and so is a woman but does seem to be able to perform a high-powered job.
Republicans seem to forget that America is about assuming the other human being is a good person until they prove otherwise, not the other way around.
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Steven Leser (193 articles, 37 quicklinks, 32 diaries, 1298 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 10:12:47 AM
Wilehelm Steinitz, a genius and the first official Chess Champion of the World was the 13th son of a poor Jewish shoemaker and when young had to play chess for money. The idea wass that he would sit in a cafe and play with whoever pays to play with him. One of the regualrs was a banker named Epstein. He was a very impatient man and never liked to wait for the next move of the partner after that one thinks. Steinitz, though was always a very deep thinker. So once they played and Steinitz engaged in thinking for quite a while.
- So, hurry up,- said Epstein.
Steinits made a move and Epstein started to think.
- So, hurrry up,-said Steinitz.
-Young man,-said Epstein sternly, 'Do you know who I am?'
- Yes,- answered Steinitz, ' You are Epstein. I mean on the Stock Exchange. Here I am Epstein.'
For Mr. Carey and others like him- here I am Epstein. This is our territory .Here I and people like myself will disturb the spiritual comfort of any sugary- white, conceited Republicaan we encounter and put Tabasco sauce on every pile of feces he/she produces. Oh, yes. This is America. Mr.Carey will have his Twilight Zone shattered every time he wanders into our turf. No malice but no mercy. In memory of those poor souls who were 'processed' by Careys I encountered when I was a homeless refugee, in memory of those who committed suicide ( on my watch) because some stupid buerocrat decided that they were not worth to live, in memory of the people who were worth more than a thousands Bushes, I will never ever let go and I will never compromise in this. And thanks to Mr. Leser, he understands.
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Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments)
on Sunday, July 8, 2007 at 6:47:25 AM
