People sometimes forget who else suffered on 9/11/2001.

[Aristus]

I just visited with a regular patient of mine who is Muslim. She was born in Yemen and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, and now lives in the Northwest. Every year around this time, she begins to get very anxious, and to display symptoms characteristic of PTSD. She admitted to me that she underwent a traumatic event in the wake of the 9/11/2001 attacks, but wouldn't specify what it was.

She has never undergone trauma counseling, but seeing her anxious, crying, and terrified of the memories the yearly remembrances provoke nearly broke my heart. She's the sweetest, nicest woman in the world, and some thundering, toxic clods no doubt took 9/11 out on her because she wears the niqab. I swear I hate the human race sometimes.

Anyway, please spare a thought for our Muslim brothers and sisters this September. It's important to remember that nearly every other Muslim in the world rose up and denounced the attack and the attackers as un-Islamic.

[hlthe2b]

1. I worked with several Muslims in Denver prior to 911 and was heartened at my colleagues

coming together to volunteer to escort them and their families to the Mosque, back and forth to work, or wherever they needed to go. We kept that up for many months until things seemed to calm down a bit and Denver Police started stepping up a bit more. They weren't immune to abuse and the Mosque was defiled several times, but they stayed safe. These cowards really didn't want to explain themselves to those who "looked" like them, it seemed. I'm not sure that would phase them today and many of them have seemingly turned to anti-semitism and racial bias, ironically enough.

[4lbs]

2. I remember during the Dumpster Fire years, it was really tough on them as they

were made to blame for pretty much everything, regardless of the real culprit.

Even Muslims that were doctors and nurses, helping people in hospitals on 9/11, were blamed in some fashion.

I recall reading all those stories about people attacking Sikhs, especially in September, confusing them as being Muslim. Then all the Mosques that were attacked and/or vandalized.

It has gotten better under Biden, but still a lot of work needs to be done.

[peppertree]

5. +1

"Sometimes I feel this bad about what we did." "That much, huh?"

[mahina]

3. Sikhs too, and anyone who looked potentially 'other', suffered terribly

Shame on those of us who lived that terrible hate.

[AllaN01Bear]

4. black, brown, yellow , strong female ,anyone on the forefront of change is on their hit list.

[4lbs]

6. I remember when Dumpster Fire tried to limit any immigration and came up with

a list of the countries whose immigrants that would be allowed to enter first.

Interestingly, all those countries were mostly white, European, and so were the immigrants to the US from those countries. Anyone else that umm.... looked different... were given major side-eye and painted as potential terrerists and 'bad hombres'.

Back then, I think there was the whole Selena Gomez + Justin Bieber thing, and many of his (Dumpster Fire) idiots kept telling Selena to go back to her country, but hey, white boy Justin was what they needed more of in their clan.

I remember the irony when it was pointed out that Selena was born in the US (in Texas), and that Justin was the "foreigner", being born in Canada.

[phylny]

7. I worked in an elementary school right near Dulles Airport.

The Loudoun County school district had many families and staff who suffered the loss of parents and family members. When we returned back to school, our principal (who was Jewish) noticed that many of our Muslim students weren't coming back to school. She called and compassionately assured parents that their children were missed and would be welcomed back to school by our students and staff, and that they would be cared for.

It was a difficult time for all.

[Aristus]

8. For all the blithering and bloviating about 'Christianity' in this country,

Muslims, Sikhs, and people of the Jewish faith all seem to be much quicker to help those in need and those who are suffering, while sleazy televangelists get rich fleecing the rubes with their Christianist heresy.

[phylny]

11. Our principal was really terrific.

Parents knew she was Jewish, and therefore (?) somehow (?) thought she'd have some vendetta against the Muslim and Sikh kids, but nothing could be further from the truth. She was a great principal.

[soldierant]

22. Whenever a particular religion is "in power" (or thinks it is)

it completely loses sight of helping those in need and those suffering. And that may be the most important reasonfor the separation of chiurch and state. When Lord Acton said "Power corrupts" I'm sure he didn't mean that to apply only to individuals It seems to be at its worst when it's a group - of any kind.

Edited to add that trauma is sneaky and trauma related to religion may be one of the toughest to deal with because religion is not supposed to cause trauma so there's a cognitive dissonance. Sojourners addresses this just this month.

https://sojo.net/magazine/septemberoctober-2023/healing-from-religious-trauma

[Upthevibe]

9. Aristus........

Thank you for your post.

I'm so sorry to hear of her horrible suffering.

Love and healing vibes to her

[Aristus]

12. I gave her something for her anxiety, and she's going to follow up

with our counselor, who has training in trauma treatment.

Thank you for your kind words.

[Mr. Ected]

10. My family and I lived in the Netherlands on 9/11/2001

We lived in a small community and in a very real sense, we were immigrants. We lived in subsidized housing and a number of our neighbors were Muslim. My 4-year old son's best friend was Muslim. My wife's and my Dutch skills were rudimentary and many of our Muslim friends couldn't speak English. We communicated though and our connections were strong and real. The day after the tragedy, a group of them came to our door. Many were crying. They hugged me and my wife and we cried too. They were genuinely moved by the horrifying events and showed their disgust and their love in those moments. I remember reading how some Americans had become loudly anti-Islamic post 9/11 and it hurt me deeply, as our friends did not deserve anyone's disdain or hatred.

[Aristus]

13. Thank you for sharing that story.

I have several other patients who are Muslim. An Egyptian, an Iraqi, and a Kurd. They are all wonderful, kind, and loving, and it’s an honor to be their primary care provider.

[duhneece]

14. Thank you

Your reminder to be compassionate is always right on.

[2naSalit]

15. When that happened...

I lived in a very white, very mormon city and since I have an appearance such that many cannot tell what ethnicity I am, I was accosted numerous times, even on campus, by "good mormons" for months following. I would always respond with my heaviest Boston accent when I was told to "go back to where I came from" I would say, "wheah? Boston?" Then I would tell them to kiss my ass and grow the fuck up.

I swear I hate the human race sometimes, too.

[Aristus]

16. Pretty funny comeback. Good for you.

[2naSalit]

18. The look on their faces...

Was usually of the priceless variety.

[Aristus]

19. That was wicked smaat o'ya.

[2naSalit]

20. Was too!

[Lulu KC]

17. Yes, so true.

Thank you for the reminder.

[mamacita75]

21. PTSD

Thank you Aristus for this reminder.