While watching Prime Time tonight, the mini-mart scene with the Muslim woman being refused service illustrated mixed results regarding American attitudes toward people from the Middle East.  A fair percentage did nothing at all or gave the thumbs up.  Consider the following:

 

Scenario 1.  We here in America were experiencing 20 or 30 public random bombings coast to coast and it was proven to be by people from the Middle East?

 

Scenario 2.  If the above was occurring except, instead of people from the Middle East doing it, middle class white Americans were doing it?

 

If scenario 1 was occurring you can bet there would be a tremendous increase in those who stand by with their tail between their legs.  But there would also be an increase in people giving the store clerk a thumbs up.  Our government may even reduce or eliminate visas for people from the Middle East wanting to enter the US knowing that eventually the number of extremist in the US would decrease through attrition. 

 

If scenario 2 was occurring, it would be total chaos as we would have no choice but to live on and let good eventually win out over evil.   I can see it now; those who could afford it would be hiring people to go shopping for them at the mini-mart, grocery store, the mall, etc. 

 

It is difficult when you cannot differentiate friend from foe.  We as Americans over reacted during WW II with Japanese Americans being imprisoned.  Many initially overreacted after 9/11 by refusing to get on an airplane.  It is terrifying enough, even when you can narrow down who the enemy MAY be.  But when you can’t even begin to differentiate………!  I believe much of the negative attitude toward the Muslim woman in the mini-mart was not because she was Muslim.  It was about what she represented to some Americans regarding who we are fighting overseas in the Middle East. 

 

As human beings most all of us have an element of self preservation.  As we know there are exceptions, those who have no regard for their own life much less others lives.

While watching Prime Time tonight, the mini-mart scene with the Muslim woman being refused service illustrated mixed results regarding American attitudes toward people from the Middle East.  A fair percentage did nothing at all or gave the thumbs up.  Consider the following:

 

Scenario 1.  We here in America were experiencing 20 or 30 public random bombings coast to coast and it was proven to be by people from the Middle East?

 

Scenario 2.  If the above was occurring except, instead of people from the Middle East doing it, middle class white Americans were doing it?

 

If scenario 1 was occurring you can bet there would be a tremendous increase in those who stand by with their tail between their legs.  But there would also be an increase in people giving the store clerk a thumbs up.  Our government may even reduce or eliminate visas for people from the Middle East wanting to enter the US knowing that eventually the number of extremist in the US would decrease through attrition. 

 

If scenario 2 was occurring, it would be total chaos as we would have no choice but to live on and let good eventually win out over evil.   I can see it now; those who could afford it would be hiring people to go shopping for them at the mini-mart, grocery store, the mall, etc. 

 

It is difficult when you cannot differentiate friend from foe.  We as Americans over reacted during WW II with Japanese Americans being imprisoned.  Many initially overreacted after 9/11 by refusing to get on an airplane.  It is terrifying enough, even when you can narrow down who the enemy MAY be.  But when you can’t even begin to differentiate………!  I believe much of the negative attitude toward the Muslim woman in the mini-mart was not because she was Muslim.  It was about what she represented to some Americans regarding who we are fighting overseas in the Middle East. 

 

As human beings most all of us have an element of self preservation.  As we know there are exceptions, those who have no regard for their own life much less others lives.