There is one conclusion that can be drawn with relative ease and haste. Every American is a member of a white supremacist clan. Those nasty men dressed in conical costumes, chasing after non-white people with machetes, threatening to slay them, burn them and string them up from trees.
So the next time you see a white American walking around your neighbourhood, talking with a loud twang, wearing faded denims, boots and a cowboy hat, calling out to the passing horse and bull, please do mankind a favour — call your sister. Tell her to call the police immediately. And the police must bring those evil, menacing, assault rifles with them to tame this member of the supremacist clan who has been allowed to run free. This American has his conical costume hidden somewhere and will come chasing you sooner or later. Better to be safe than sorry.
There is another conclusion that can be drawn with relative ease and haste. Every Arab and Muslim is a terrorist. They go around killing infidels and blowing themselves up at the drop of a hat. So the next time you see one walking around your neighbourhood, tell your sister to call police like the woman did in Avon, Ohio.
On June 29, this woman spotted an Arab man in his kandoura and immediately alerted her sister. This man was speaking in Arabic (God forbid) and was wearing that white garb. What did it mean? Head of Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Terrorist.
You know the routine — the cops came with their frightening guns, and what unfolded was nauseating, gut wrenching. They pinned the ‘terrorist’ down to the ground, with one policeman digging his knee into the back of the man’s neck, as the others handcuffed him. The Arab man’s headdress came off as the policemen searched him. They found a wallet and telephone cards. No gun. No bomb. Not a terrorist after all. The man collapsed soon after the brutal frisking. The policemen then strapped him to a stretcher and took him to hospital.
The Arab man has been identified as Emirati businessman Ahmad Al Menhali. The 41-year-old from Abu Dhabi had travelled to the United States for medical reasons.
What this nasty incident highlights is ignorance. Ignorance of culture, religion and humanity. One woman’s lack of basic knowledge and understanding led to this horrific assault by policemen. One is given to understand these policemen undergo rigorous training and can gauge a situation when they see one. A reporter covering the police beat has instincts and will immediately understand whether there is danger lurking or not.
This woman’s ignorance one can comprehend. But what is shocking is the way Avon police acted on her alert. With one look at Al Menhali’s body language and demeanour, these highly trained, skilled, equipped and armed policemen would have known he was not a threat to anyone. Avon police have now apologised to Al Menhali and have regretted the incident.
It is indeed very courteous of them to have apologised, but imagine if Al Menhali had gone into shock and developed complications? What then?
One can understand the US is on edge with terror attacks. America must also understand that the Arab and Muslim world is on edge. Just for the record, Daesh has killed more Muslims than others. But that’s not the point. Terrorists are killing Muslims, Christians, Hindus and people of various beliefs. These are terrorists. They kill for kicks. They have nothing to do with religion. If an American is worried, so is a Muslim, a Hindu and a Christian. It is time we understood that no religion of this world prescribes terror.
Ignorance is a cancer, as the actions of this woman proves. Arabs and Muslims have prospered in the US just as Americans have built their lives in this region. There is respect for one another’s culture and identity. This incident has left a very bitter taste in the mouth. The video footage of the brutality is disturbing because it goes to show how suspicion and ignorance have overtaken our world. Ignorance can wreak as much havoc as terror.
Yes, the video footage makes one angry because the way Al Menhali was treated was inhuman, humiliating, demeaning and extremely painful. Painful because it shows what the world has come to. We treat another human being with such brutality because of ignorance tinged with arrogance.
But anger is not the need of the hour. Understanding is. Understanding that the woman had her fears out of ignorance and she acted upon those insecurities. The need of the hour is tolerance and understanding that no religion calls for violence. The need of the hour is not to come to absurd conclusions that every American is a member of a supremacist clan and every Arab and Muslim is a terrorist.
Do not label religion as a tryst with God and guns.
Religion is a peaceful, personal commune between people and God. Let it be that way.
