Re: Challenges for Arab Muslims living in US
arabs have been changing their names way before 9/11 ...almost all mohammed's become mo or mike. something was posted on this a long time ago.
now as far as malhot's points go.
integration is fine but one does not have to give everything up to integrate, atleast not because some inbred redneck would put 2 and 2 together as 25,679.06.
There is a need to interact more, there is a need to but there is no ned to lose one's identity.
hell I question and belittle western society, not because I put it down but because I am a part of it, this is my society and I as a society member can question what I see as flawed. If some jackass is going to see that as an ayraaaab mooozlim putting down america then they need to go finish 8th grade and buy some common sense.
same goes for food, people have their preferences and people have to respect them. I am not going to cook eyeballs and expect my guests to eat them (not that I would eat that myself. In my experience no one has had an issue with it. even sometimes at client meetings sandwiches are ordered and all have ham, I decline and instead just have the salad and fruits etc, everyone..and I mean everyone has been okay with it and some offer to give me their salad as well. in some cases when there are a handful of chicken salad or other non pork sandwiches, people who have already picked those up have easily swapped those with me notng that theirs was a choice and mine was a belief or dietary resriction.
I think we need a better job to rech out, integrate, communicate and educate.. but we cant and will not be able to change the minds of all bigots. However we may e able to reach some bigots and we may be able to reaffirm the positive views and clear any confusion in the mids of the more civilized type of people we usually deal with on a daily basis.
as I have said before, ppl who choose not to reach out and to integrate are fools