Happy Labor Day, US! (And Happy Monday, everyone else!)*
I’ve been sitting on this post for awhile, now, and on this day, set aside to honor of the contributions of workers in the United States, it seems like a good time to go ahead and throw it out there.
About a month ago, my darling, adorable wife and I drove up to Arkansas to visit Mom. The original plan was for Hana to go alone, but then we learned that Uncle Chuck would be visiting too, and since I hadn’t seen him since 2001, we both went, and we had a great time, mostly.
I say ‘mostly’ because, due to the unfavorable climate for Muslims these days, especially in the country, and especially among people who don’t travel much and are used to only seeing people that look, act, and talk pretty much like them, my darling adorable wife spent a good deal of our very limited vacation time questioning her decision to wear the hijab. Would it make it easier if she took it off? Would people continue to stare in fear and disgust, or would they merely glare at the immigrant and go about their day?
Apologies, in advance, but this whole situation got me really angry. It’s nearly a month later, and I’m still bothered, but it’s more of a general feeling of malaise about this country and its people, more of an I-once-was-blind-but-now-I-see-and-I-wish-I-was-still-blind type of affair.
So head’s up: I’m likely to get a bit preachy and political and maybe a bit weepy, so if that’s not your thing or if you’re uninterested in what I have to say, leave now. Maybe come back tomorrow for some unboxings, pictures, and/or fluffy stuff.
Read on at your own risk.
Continue reading “Land of the Free?”
