Muslims Are People's Neighbors

“There are two billion Muslims in the world, like, that’s two-sevenths of the world population.”

Hold a Conversation

In addition to the questions below, please see How to use the questions for reflection.

Clarifying Questions

What happened at the mall?
How would you describe the speaker’s reaction? her friend’s reaction?

Interpretive Questions

Why do you think they were different?
Why does the speaker start her story about the Boston marathon bombing with the fact that there are two billion Muslims in the world?
Why does she end that story by saying that there’s “no reason for you or for anyone to be unaware of, you know, what’s happening to your neighbor?”

Implication Questions

Do you think we become better neighbors to each other when we educate ourselves about each other’s experience? Why/not?

Let us know how the conversation or self-reflection went. Email us or discuss the experience in our comment box.

Transcript for Muslims Are People’s Neighbors

I think everyone has a responsibility to educate themselves. When people hear about things happening to Muslims here, they don’t necessarily care, you know? Like for example, I have friends who, I’m probably the only Muslim they know, you know? And so when something happens and I tell them, they’re like, “What? This happened?” I’ll never forget the first time I went shopping with a friend after I put the scarf on and there was this guy at the mall who was just like, staring me down, like, I’m walking and he just stood in the middle of the mall and just like, glared at me. To the point that his friends came and like, grabbed him and I just kind of like smiled and waved at him and was like, “Hi.” And my friend was shocked, like, shocked. She didn’t even’t know what to do. And she was so angry, and I was like, “It’s not a big deal. Let’s just keep going.” And like for the next two hours she just kept going back to it, and I was like past it already, like I was just kind of like, “Whatever, it happens,” and she’s just… “I can’t believe he did that. I can’t…Do you always get that?” And I was like, “Yeah, of course.” And she’s just like, “Oh my God.” It definitely makes me very conscious of everything around me, and I’m one of those people who typically just kind of like walks without realizing where I’m going, so it’s annoying that I always have to like, be aware of anyone who might do or say something.

There are two billion Muslims in the world, like, that’s two-sevenths of the world population. And then to go and blame two billion people for the actions of a supposed few… because of course now we’re getting it with the Boston bombings—when were the bombings? Like three weeks ago? I don’t even know how many stories I’ve heard of women or men getting beat up, getting assaulted. The day after the Boston bombings, people compiled, some website compiled all the Tweets that people Tweeted after the bombings and the stuff that they were saying about Muslims and Arabs, I mean, it was absolutely ridiculous. I mean, really. And just the fact that, you know, after they found out that the suspects were Chechen, right? There was like a lull on the internet for a while because everyone had to go online and learn where Chechnya was. Is it a Muslim country? Is it this? You know, it just shows you, you know, for the most part the people who say anything like that…complete ignorance. Ok? People who do anything, it’s out of complete ignorance, and the only way to combat ignorance is with, you know, knowledge and education.

In Valpo…I didn’t have any problems. I was very lucky. But I know for a fact, you know, I had family overseas who were like, they’re like, “Be careful. Don’t let anyone do anything stupid.” You know? Because people in other countries, because they get worried, you know? If I’m going out alone, or my brother or my sister, my mom and dad. People are sometimes, they just do things they wouldn’t normally do, and you know, a lot of times, Muslims are the ones who have to deal with that, you know? And I’d say that about, you know, I think that’s any—most minority races when something like that happens—but for right now, the popular thing is to, you know, attack Muslims, and…you just got to be careful.

There’s absolutely no reason for you or for anyone to be unaware of, you know, what’s happening to your neighbor. Like, Muslims are people’s neighbors in this country and every country everywhere around the world; they’re a huge presence, and I think everyone just, you know, you really, you need to know. And if you don’t know, the blame is ultimately upon yourself.

Muslims Are People’s Neighbors – Short Version

Transcript for Muslims Are People’s Neighbors (short version)

I think everyone has a responsibility to educate themselves. When people hear about things happening to Muslims here, they don’t necessarily care, you know? Like for example, I have friends who, I’m probably the only Muslim they know, you know? And so when something happens and I tell them, they’re like, “What? This happened?” I’ll never forget the first time I went shopping with a friend after I put the scarf on and there was this guy at the mall who was just like,staring me down, like, I’m walking and he just stood in the middle of the mall and just like, glared at me. To the point that his friendscame and like, grabbed him and I just kind of like smiled and waved at him and was like, “Hi.” And my friend was shocked, like, shocked. She didn’t even’t know what to do. And she was so angry, and I was like, “It’s not a big deal. Let’s just keep going.” And like for the next two hours she just kept going back to it, and I was like past it already, like I was just kind of like, “Whatever, it happens,” and she’s just… “I can’t believe he did that. I can’t…Do you always get that?” And I was like, “Yeah, of course.” And she’s just like, “Oh my God.” It definitely makes me very conscious of everything around me, and I’m one of those people who typically just kind of like walks without realizing where I’m going, so it’s annoying that I always have to like, be aware of anyone who might do or say something.