I've become a little scared lately at what is happening to
America. This
is not the
America
that I remember when my folks came here in the 70s to get away from a brute
dictator that was systematically killing all of their college friends. Our 70s
America was a fun
America. Everyone got alone, went
to the Persian market for their sweets, headed to the Greek deli for their
feta, and the French bakery for their bread. I remember my classmates in school
being mixed; we had Indian, African American, Hispanic, even an Iranian. The
college town where I grew up had all kinds of nationalities that got alone
great because there were no haters. Our potlucks were amazing mixtures of
delicious spreads.
But this America that I'm raising kids has school, mall, military fort,
and office shootings. And what about the our droids attacking play grounds, our oil
spills that last for months, and worse of all, we have two grown men publically
fighting to try to save a country falling off a cliff? But the
America
that is hurting me most right now is that one that includes people like Pamela
Geller.
For those that do not know who she is, please go
read up on her on your own.
Go ahead, this post will still be here when you get back.
Okay, for those that know who she is, I'll continue.
In my language, we have a word for women like her: Makara. This is a person that goes
out of her way to be mean. She is that bully in the high school cafeteria that
stuck out her foot as you were walking by with your tray of food. She is that twit
that won't let you merge in the lane even though you've been signaling well
ahead of her. She is that person at work that drinks the last of the coffee and
never makes more for others. That is what Pamela Geller is: a Makara.
When I first created A Crafty Arab, my number one goal was to try to combat
negative Arab stereotypes with positive images through my
craft products. I wanted to let people know
that what happened that horrible day in 2001 had nothing to do with me or what my
religion stood for. It was a group of 12 men who thought they spoke on
behalf of 1.62 billion people. But in reality, what they did is everything that
my religion speaks against.
But here is Pamela Makara, trying to stick a finger in my face, blaming me
for what happened and the downfall of civilization as she knows it. So, today, inspired by this
video, I
made a Love notebook for her. If anyone has her address, please send it my way
and I'll include this lovely letter with it:
Ms. Geller,
I made a Love notebook that I'm dedicating to you. Please don't panic over
the Arabic writing, it does not say Death to all
Americas, it actually says Love.
Inside this notebook, I'd like you to write down each good deed that you do a
day. This good deed can in no way harm another human being. It should not make
people angry on a morning commute in their
subway . And this good deed should in no way make one human want to push another
human off a train platform. Examples of good deed can involve donating your current funds
(and salary) to a breast cancer organization or perhaps help out your neighbors
with a little
Sandy fund donation? Your deed can be volunteering your Thanksgiving time feeding the homeless or perhaps builing a Habitat for Humanity house in New Orleans? You may visit the website
United We Serve for more ideas on ways to fill your notebook.. Whatever you do decide to put in your notebook, I will pray to our God that it makes you happy.
Sincerely,
A Crafty Arab who loves you
Okay, I did include a couple of P.S.s on there, but they sounded a
little bit makara from me.
So I will
not add them in the letter, but they did feel good to write. ;P
Oh yeah, here is the notebook.
I hope
she likes it!
