To whom it may concern, I would like to bring it to the newspapers attention, that there is a club currently going on called the Islamic Awareness club. This is a club that brings attention to Islamics who came from Islam while under bad times. It represents those who are commonly thought of as terrorists just because of the stereotype set into our society: Muslims. They wanted to create a place for them to come together with not just other muslims, but people of other ethnicities too, and show peace.
I know of a person that has been bullied before because she was muslim. I have known this person since middle school and they are one of the kindest people I know. They unfortunately were called a terrorist, and was even threatened by fellow classmates to have their house bombed. They have lived here for 5 years, and had even become friends with some of the people who threatened them. Although this person is not FROM Islam, they are a part of the Islamic community. This person is the one of the sweetest and most gentle person I know, and I know that that community is always so welcoming towards people of all races and ethnicities. They accept people of all shapes and sizes. They deserve to be heard and supported by everyone.
The issue is that most people aren’t accepting of individuals whom are different than they are. I personally think it scares them when someone is so different. They don’t know what to expect, so they just ignore them and refuse to interact with them. Our worlds society has become so judgemental of those with a past. The original purpose of the Islamic Awareness Club was to showcase individuals who escaped Islam under it’s cruel control. These people are strong, and absolutely tough. They went against all odds and showed their country and religion who was boss. They took control of their life and left. Their stories are amazingly powerful and will blow you away. The things these people have seen and experienced, are incredible and astonishing.
They deserve to have their stories heard and their points understood. This is their time to shine and our job to listen, and at least try to understand. They are just like you and me, so why has the stereotype of muslims=terrorists become such a big issue that affects not just them, but people associated with them. Just because they have different beliefs than you, does not give you the right to decide who or what they are. We all need to let them show us who they are, not just assume. Do not judge the book by it’s cover.
Camas High School has an Islamic Awareness Club. There are many members, and they all come from all over the country. They welcome everyone to listen to their story. I am going to their meeting on Wednesday, November 28th during maker time. I am excited to widen my picture I have of them inside my head and really get to know who they are. This relates to not just Camas students, or the Camas community, but the world. I think people need to know more about this club and what they are about. With each new member, we grow closer and closer to getting muslims their voice that they deserve. So I write to the newspaper, to ask you to cover this story. It needs to be heard.
-Emma Hahn, Senior at Camas High School
