'The Shopping Cart Thing'

While browsing the Washington Post website I came across a local opinion article called, For many Muslim Americans, King's hearings add to weight of community's burden, written by Petula Dvorak. In the article Dvorak spoke with several members of the Muslim American community about the impact of the King's hearings on them. One Muslim woman referred to it as 'the shopping cart thing' and when Dvorak asked what exactly she meant the woman responded, "You know, when you're at the grocery store you always make sure to bring the shopping cart back. Never leave it in the parking lot, because someone may think, 'Oh, those Muslims,' if you're wearing your scarf and they see you leave the cart in the parking lot." I found her explanation pretty shocking because I never knew that people thought that way about Muslims. It made me think what people thought about me, other African Americans, or any other race if we didn't bring the shopping cart back because I rarely do! Dvorak shed light on how Muslim Americans, sometimes, don't feel like "regular" Americans (whatever those are). Ashraf Sabrin, who is a volunteer firefighter and EMT, told Dvorak, ""I'm from Ohio. I never thought I would have to point to those things to show I'm just a regular American."

It's sort of weird reading about situations like this because I never knew that the Muslim American community felt this way. I guess I always thought that they fit in because I don't discriminate against them but that's obviously not the case. The article gave a emotional account of how Mohammad Salman Hamdani, a Muslim emergency medical technician died in the Sept., 11, 2011 terrorists attack on the World Trade Center. Hamdani was rumored to be involved in the attacks when in fact, he was among the first responders who risked their lives trying to save others. Reading about Hamdani made me sort of sad because no one wants to be "rumored" to be involve with something that their not even close to being associated with.

I really enjoyed this article because Dvorak shed light on something I knew NOTHING about. She had the facts along with the emotional appeal. I wouldn't want anyone to feel like they don't belong in America because we are a melting pot, there is so many races, ethinicites, religions, that are here. We are all blended together and I think Dvorak reported in a delicate but honesty way about how Muslims don't feel welcomed and it shouldn't be that way. It's not right the way they are being talked about or discriminated against because if it was any other minority, or majority, in their shoes, we wouldn't want to be talked about that way either.