American Minorities - It's my country too

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American Filmmaker - Valerie Kaur making Salman Ahmed's music video, Saagar

Divided We Fall

 

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One thing I've seen with my interaction with the majority white Americans is that most of them don't even realize that what a true horror post-911 was for the minorities. I think at least amongst the Pakistani origin American community everyone pretty much knew someone or the other who had been attacked or was a victim to some form of a hate crime.

 

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The Patriot Act

More than anything else, Mohammad Salman Hamdani wanted people to see him for who he truly was, not for who he seemed to be.
He was an American citizen, and he hated it when his two younger brothers teased him by saying, "Why don't you go back to Pakistan," where he had been born. He could not say the same to them because they were born in the United States after his family immigrated when he was 13 months old.

He wanted to be seen as an all-American kid. He wore No. 79 on the high school football team in Bayside, Queens, where he lived, and liked to be called Sal. When he graduated from Queens College in 2001 and did not get into an American medical school, he refused to apply to schools in any other country. He told his parents he intended to be an American doctor.

He became a research assistant at Rockefeller University and drove an ambulance part time. One Christmas he sang in Handel's "Messiah" in Queens. He saw all the "Star Wars" movies, and it was well known that his new Honda was the one with "Yung Jedi" license plates.

And yet, some people continued to see him as something he was not. After Mr. Hamdani, 23, disappeared on Sept. 11, ugly rumors circulated: he was a Muslim and worked in a lab; he might have been connected to a terrorist group. Months later the truth came out. Mr. Hamdani's remains had been found near the north tower, and he had gone there to help people he did not know.

And then, at last, everyone could see Mr. Hamdani for what he truly was.

 

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[prithwidw]

The Patriot Act

This is sad and at the same time disgusting. I feel sorry for this guy and my prayers are with his family.

 

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One thing I've seen with my interaction with the majority white Americans is that most of them don't even realize that what a true horror post-911 was for the minorities. I think at least amongst the Pakistani origin American community everyone pretty much knew someone or the other who had been attacked or was a victim to some form of a hate crime.

Nah this not true.

There have been hate attacks on Muslims which have ranged from 1,400 per year (highest of all time) immideately post 9/11 and have steadly declined. This is a very tiny percentage of Muslims in the U.S.

The Sikhs, and Muslim women who wear Hijabs have seen the worst of it in this category.

But this figure does not even compare on the hate attacks on Homosexuals, Blacks and South Americans.

You may find this suprising but Jews (especially those with kippahs) also face alot of discrimination despite the U.S. and Israeli government closeness.

Barack Obama has signed a Federal Hate Crime Law making any hate crime a Federal Offense that carries enhanced punishment.

 

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The Patriot Act

This is pathetic. I would have slapped the snot out his two younger brothers.