religious bigotry

[chelidon]

mine, that is.

I'm sitting in Dulles airport, waiting for my next flight, kind of tucked behind one of the gate booths because it's a relatively sheltered quiet place, and that's where the outlet is for my laptop. And a woman wearing a head scarf somewhat furtively ducks behind here, puts down her prayer rug and does her prayers, then gets up, looks around nervously to see who saw her, and scurries over to another gate area.

I have two responses, one I am okay with, and the other not. The second reaction I had was to feel bad and embarassed that she obviously had such a fearful response to doing her chosen spiritual practice in this horribly fear-permeated climate in which we now live -- she had to wonder who might see her, who might be angry or report her, or try to get her thrown off her flight. She probably felt fear, and perhaps shame, and that's not right.

But my first reaction, before I could even think about it, was to wonder, "I sure hope she's not on my flight -- what if she's a terrorist?"

God(all of them)-dammit. I will not live in constant fucking fear of people who think or act or believe differently than I do, even if a small percentage of them believe that the ends justify the means, and are willing to use wretched violence to promote their hateful intolerant beliefs. And by that I mean both terrorists, and our current government. I will not succumb to the poisonous atmosphere of fear and distrust and xenophobic bigotry. I've been literally surrounded by it since I drove into the airport -- constant subtle and not-so-subtle reminders of freedoms curtailed, the need to be vigilant and careful and watch my bags and don't pack the wrong thing or park in the wrong place for too long or hesitate to show my papers and smile and hope not to get singled out for special attention. That atmosphere is absorbed, willing or no, unconsciously, and the next thing that happens is that I look at a woman doing her spiritual devotions and think, not "what a wonder faith is, and how precious mankind's ability to belive in something larger than their own individual ego and needs," but instead, "I wonder if she's a terrorist?"

Yes, my day to day life is blissfully of metal detectors and identification papers and security checks and pole-mounted cameras and radiation detectors and facial recognition software, so perhaps my guard is down, here in this place, to the subtle poisons, built into the environment built all around, "for my own protection."

But there really is no excuse, because I can choose. I can notice, and I can hold intent, and I can choose. And I choose respect. And I choose wonder. And I choose love, not hate, not fear, not paranoia, not the insanity of closing myself off from the world around me.

I choose love. Here and now, behind an anonymous gate in a huge impersonal airport, with its Starbucks and its security warnings and its subtle poisons of paranoia on every hand, I remember who I am, and I choose love.

Love to you.

Comments

[ardaraith.livejournal.com]

I sure do hear this. I have had this same reaction and it unnerves me, saddens me. How insidious fear is. Makes me aware of the importance, not only of my internal space, but of what surrounds me. Fetch picks up on the 'chatter'.

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

ah-yup. It is insidious. No matter how good your intent or barriers, being surrounded by poison, whether paranoia, bigotry and intolerance, or an environment of abuse or shame which damages one's self-esteem, some of it gets absorbed, some of it gets through. So I figure it's important to not only notice it consciously, but create as far as possible healthy areas, oases of sanity.

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

Do you know or understand the mechanism by which you began to associate Muslims with terrorists? I know Muslims locally; I see them often; seeing them pray at various times doesn't really trigger much for me, but I think that's due to familiarity -- seeing Muslims in a variety of contexts helps dissipate any single message you might be getting about them. I suspect you see fewer in your neck of the woods and wonder if that's part of it.

This is why I am a big believer in living in ethnically diverse cities/towns -- at least if you're going to form some kind of generalization about people, it'll be based on a variety of observations and experiences... and, in general, you don't form too many specific prejudices if (as you are) you are open-minded.

I'm glad you caught that reaction and are working on it. *hug*

[kitten-goddess.livejournal.com]

My reaction would have been fear. Fear for her that she'd get noticed and that the TSA would grab her, detain her, taser her, god knows what. Fear for myself that the TSA would shut down the entire airport and order us all to go home.

I would hope she would not be on my flight also. I would not fear that she is a terrorist, because I see people with headscarves all the time where I live. No big deal anywhere but on the plane, where having such a passenger on board could cause some idiot to be all paranoid, have a spaz attack, and cause the entire flight to get diverted a million miles away.

It took me over five years to learn how to get through airport security without panicking. I was fearful I would get taken away and detained and never let out again if I did one thing wrong - if I did not obey quickly enough, fail to be courteous enough, pack the wrong thing.

Nothing that ever happened. About the eighth trip through without incident, I finally figured out I was being ridiculous.

[redwill.livejournal.com]

I certainly have sympathy for that woman, however, I refuse to respect the concept of Starbuck's. :D

[mystfemme.livejournal.com]

Love to you. It takes courage to admit this even to ourselves. I'm always shocked and amazed at the thoughts that run through my head. I feel ashamed of them and angered by them. But I can, as you did, recognize them for what they are and choose both my reactions and further thoughts. I can choose love.

[barboora.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling......
Living here I find myself having to deal with that fear a lot.
I hate to stand in a red light next to a bus....
I drive my kids everywhere - just so they don't have to go on a bus.
Security in the airport here has always been tight, and we are used to it. But ask our friend R, and she will tell you how horrible for her was to go through security leaving Israel....
I am also used to traveling with muslims and living with muslims all the time.
You know I am involved here in the "Sulcha Project" which in it's heart are council circles where we sit and just listen to personal stories of people - Palestinians, Jews, others. When I First started - there was so much fear in me that the first time I strained my back so badly and had to cancel....
I took a few Islam classes last year, that made me understand a lot - but also gave me a grave feeling of "there is no hope", according to the basic foundations of the religion - there is no hope and no way for peace (least of all for Pagans).
and on the other hand our class had a visit with the Ahmadiyya community(Link to their site: www.alislam.org ) and that restored some of my hope.
I must say that though my everyday dealings with muslim & Palestinians people are filled with lot's of talks, and many friend - still the site of a person dressed in traditional muslim garments makes me uneasy. (But so does the site of a man dressed in Black traditional eastern-European Jewish clothing....).
and choosing love, to me - is the only answer, every single time.
Even though there is no guarantee at all the "other side" will choose love over fear as well.

[celaenos-aerie.livejournal.com]

And love right back atcha.

[maitrix.livejournal.com]

I was born and raised in a Muslim country, have Muslim friends and still have this immediate, visceral reaction when I see someone openly Muslim board my plane. Then, I chide myself for doing it because:

a) it's a misguided and ignorant reaction one should not entertain before it becomes an unconscious and accepted habit,
b) those who perpetrated the airplane attacks of 9/11 wore western clothing to their deaths, and
c) I'm sure there are those on the plane who wonder if I'm a terrorist.

As my friend says, "I only think smarmy. I don't do smarmy." Thought and meditation are not crimes. Therefore, your ability to think it, talk about it, discipline yourself for having thought it and being an honorable person after it all is the crux. That you have the ability to judge your own thoughts before judging others is the real proof as to your worth as a fair and just human being.

Love back.

Love

[cerr.livejournal.com]

Love is the answer, after all. We can teach our children to love and yet I suspect when society so brazenly force-feeds us propaganda that triggers the responses we've all had (let's be honest here, I've certainly had those thoughts......we fly fairly often and it's happened...I've spoken with others who've had similar thoughts...) then there is the reminder that for many, we're the ones who are to be feared. We are the ones who choose to respect and love and GIVE and HEAL. Yet we're the ones to be feared because we are not understood. Perhaps it's time for some mutual understanding and to find a way to heal the bitterness and the bile and the rage....
The only way I can think of that will do this off the top of my head is to start one at a time. Inspire. To do what we do and walk our collective talk and BE who and what we are - and let that speak FOR our Truth. I've found over the years that walking my talk has been a more eloquent method of respect-earning (ho, even for myself!) which is easier said than done within our Community. So start at home - and teach this message and in the immortal words of Cirque du Soleil: Invoke, Evoke, Provoke!
Blessings and love,
Cerr

Re: Love

[redwill.livejournal.com]

Are you referring to the Feri community? I'm not part of that, but I've run across similar problems in a forum community of people who have a lot of common interest at stake against a lot of negative social pressure. You would think that they would band together in love and respect for each other, and at first they did, but too soon the 'honeymoon' was over and there is infighting, lack of respect, ego attachment to opinions, and very little in the way of love. It was very saddening to see it go, and to see some people leave the community because of the falling away of affection. Walking the talk did not seem to gain respect. I hope it has been and remains more effective for you.

Re: Love

[cerr.livejournal.com]

Nope, not referring to the Feri community specifically but our Pagan Community as a whole - and IMHO this has very little to do with affection, truth be told. It's more a matter of mutual respect and a genuine desire to be a part of a Community if that makes sense. It's not only one "named" group (ie: Feri, BTW, Alexandrian, Hellenistic, Celtic, Welsh, Norse, etc ad nauseum) I'm talking about the simple Truth that there are folks of pretty much every/any Trad (even NO Trad) who consider themselves holier/witchier-than-thou for whatever reason, right or wrong. They choose to judge others of other Trads (or No Trad) simply because they haven't been through the same teachings. I've been the owner of an online Pagan (multiple Trads) discussion group for about 5 1/2 years now and have moderated others for years before that - and my post above is simply an observation based on my experience of people-watching/Pagan-watching and being a PART of discussion groups for all of these years - to me the in-fighting, lack of respect, ego, etc. are very much needing to be addressed. I'm not saying by any means that it should be shiny-happy-people ALL the time (not possible and ugh.....no....just...no...) - just that it's possible to have respect for people within your community (or should I say it's possible to respect the diversity within your Community?) and yourself and possible atop all of that (which is quite a lot) to have respect for others and THEIR beliefs - and I DO think that love is a large part of the answer - that said, I also think that respect for yourself and for others and walking your talk rather than simply talking it up without any follow-through is an important step towards mutual understanding. If you're not going to walk your talk, why talk it in the first place?
"Walking the talk did not seem to gain respect."
** Really? How is that? Not trying to poke a sleeping bear here, but am truly curious. I've found by my own experience that it's those who DO walk their talk who have earned the respect - perhaps it's just my own perspective here, but it's the reason I think Chelidon really has hit on something here. Love is very much a part of respect - but it works like pond-ripples. Touch something and that expands and touches still more and still more - every touch goes deeper than can be seen and *energy* works much the same - so to choose love rather than snark and negativity is, I would hope, a step in the right direction. For individuals who touch others in their lives or in discussion groups or in their Community or in OTHER belief-systems. The ripple-effect can be a phenomenal thing - but the choice to accept that or no is up to the individual. I personally choose to accept that and work harder on my own personal choices - Love rather than snark anyday!

Re: Love

[redwill.livejournal.com]

Walking their own talk is exactly what one faction doesn't want the other to do; they feel that the particular walk is bad for their own image, and they seem unconcerned that repressing that walk would keep those walkers from being themselves, from expressing who they are.

So that this makes clearer sense, I'll tell you that I'm talking about a 'community' of gay people. Some of them want to fit into hetero society as quietly unnoticed as possible, and want to repress the behaviour of the more visible, and perhaps more negatively perceived by society at large, members. I'm concerned that some people seem willing to sacrifice others' freedom to be themselves in order to make their own lives easier.

This is all from my own viewpoint, of course; I'm sure you might get quite a different opinion from someone else.

Re: Love

[cerr.livejournal.com]

I do understand what you're talking about here - but I'm not talking about repression in any way but those who judge the spiritual choices of others - not to make one person's life easier or no....simply to judge and be "one up" if you will...I see no point to that. That's of course, my own opinion!
'Factions' are there simply to divide....what do we need to do to bring people *together* and heal? Maybe just exactly what this blog has suggested: start within and acknowledge the horrible truths within (ie: that some of the propaganda DID seep in after all) and try to make a choice for something that doesn't divide...look at the difference the voice of ONE person can make....just as an example: "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" was published after her death; yet her words continue to inspire and heal the hearts of so many who continue to be affected by having been repressed. She died alongside others of her faith, "gypsies", homosexuals and basically anyone who didn't agree with the status quo at the time. The ripple effect of her words alone continue to this day! They are words of hope, of love, of a wish for peace. That's maybe a bit naive and optimistic to some; but to so many others it's a step in the right direction as well. The choice is up to the individual, yet I will continue to be blown away by those who choose to judge others for their spiritual or lifestyle choices. Of course those in power are unconcerned about those they are repressing...they hope to stay in power forever. Doesn't work that way, though - never has. No-one ever expected the Spanish Inquisition (heh....apologies to Monty Python and all....) - and yet even THEY were done in after a while! Even Rome fell! So maybe the whole point then is that with the right focus, those who would repress and have their way aren't allowed to continue as long as there is ONE person who will stand up and say "NO!". We certainly don't have to meekly allow ourselves to BE repressed or LET the propaganda sink in - we CAN stand up and say "No!" and to do that with LOVE at the core is, I think, a beautiful, healing thought, indeed.
Blessings

[northlighthero.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on having the level of self-awareness to realize that these thoughts have not originated with you.

It's amazing the effect of programming. It behooves us all to monitor what we hear and see ... and avoid hearing and seeing most of it in any mode but "full conscious attention".

Love and light and lots of laughter -- and safe flying