Re: My Mistake

Assalaamu Alaykum Isa et al!

Geez, this list has been pretty quiet lately . . . are we ALL out in the=20
streets or at hearings in the legislatures to change the status quo? I'd=20
like to believe so but I hope folks are well just the same. Happy spring=20
everyone who's experiencing that now!

Congrats, Isa, on the fundraising! Sorry about the delay but I finally made =

a small symbolic pledge of support ($15). I hope the ride's a success and=20
I'm glad there are people in the Islamic community who are active on this=20
issue.

Have you connected w/AFSC's LGBT program in Honolulu?=20
<http://www.afsc.org/pacificsw/gayliberation.htm> I work in the Michigan=20
office . . . just an idea. Maybe there's some interest, overlap, and room=20
for collaboration.

It was also good to hear about some of the work that other PMN members are=20
doing on the issue of AIDS and how we might approach it with respect to=20
Islamic customs. I hope to hear more in the near future, particularly on=20
the issue of Islamic family arrangement and sexual prescriptions as it=20
pertains to AIDS transmission.

I'd kept an earlier post about AIDS and I just wanted to respond to it=20
since it=92s related to this. Maybe there some fodder here for discussion.

There was an idea expressed that many of our more conservative brothers and =

sisters might object to a Muslim's participation in something like the ride =

that Isa's taking part (or by extension AIDS research I suppose) in under=20
the assumption that most AIDS victims are either homosexuals or IV drug=20
users. I'm kinda scratching my head on that one for two reasons.

First, I don't see how people who are les-bi-gay or who have drug=20
addictions (not that I'm making a comparison, I'm not) are less worthy of=20
attention, treatment, or assistance from us as people who live our faith=20
compassionately, justly, and actively. Am I the one who's making a bad=20
assumption about the way to live as a Muslim?

The second perplexity is that, in many parts of the world (i.e. Africa=20
sadly), the vast majority of people who live with HIV or AIDS are neither=20
homosexual/bisexual (READ AS THOSE TERRIBLE SODOMITE MEN!) nor drug users=20
(READ AS THOSE DISGUSTING LECHOROUS PARASITES!). They're actually=20
heterosexual people and many are women who are disempowered in insisting=20
that their sex partners wear condoms usually in what they believe are=20
monogamous relationships. It's the same for African-American women who are=20
the fastest growing population of the growing epidemic on this continent .=20
. . this in addition to children who are born with the condition. I say=20
this not to further a "Some sufferers are more worthy because they aren't=20
transgressors, they're blameless."  argument but rather to show that it can =

happen to ANYONE and that we are all worthy of our help and compassion.

(How many relatives, friends, and acquaintances do I have who currently=20
live with the virus in silence and shame because of the "you deserved it"=20
mentality? I mean, I even have a sister who may have had the virus. She=20
succumbed to a kidney failure last summer . . . or at least that's what I=20
am told by my siblings who handled the situation toward the end.)

I think it just goes along with that "homosexuals/drug users =3D wrong =
doers"=20
verses other people with the virus being totally innocent decent pitiable=20
people. I think we should be happy when ANYONE benefits from advances in=20
medical know-how and we should work toward it and support others who do as=20
well.

I think it's pretty sad but I'll stop railing and ranting. Again, Isa, you=20
have this Muslim's support in word and deed. I'd be elated to hear others=20
impressions as well.

Mudhillun :)

--On Monday, April 05, 2004 5:37 AM -1000 Isa Abdul-Tawwab=20
<[email protected]> wrote:

> As-salaamu aleykum Mudhillun,
>
> I forgot you said you were going to mail a check.
>
> You could either mail your check to me or directly to the charities
> involved.
>
> You would make the check out to "Paradise Ride". Just fill-out the
> enclosed form - it's in pdf format, so you would need Adobe Acrobat to
> read it - and mail the check directly to them. The address is on the
> form, but I will give it to you here: Paradise Ride
> 2004 677 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 226
> Honolulu, HI 96813-5405
>
> The Riders do not handle donations themselves, they go directly to the
> charities. People have given me cash, on occasion, and I have to
> physically take the money to the office in order to submit it to them.
>
> My legal name is "Duane Browning" so, you would need to write that name
> where it says: "Yes, I would like to help".
>
> If you would prefer to mail the check directly to me, I can give you my
> home address, if you want. The check would still have to be made to
> "Paradise Ride".
>
> Sorry for the mistake.
>
>
>
> As-salaamu aleykum,
>
> `Isa Abdul-Tawwab
> (Duane Browning)
> Paradise Rider #1219