RE: Rwanda

salam, aisha,

do i believe i could ever commit acts like that? of course, i do. i 
definitely believe there is nothing i wouldn't be able to do. that doesn't 
mean i would do it because i do believe the step of taking the action is a 
choice... and most of the time there is another choice. i say 'most' because 
there are certain times (like in somalia) where people would arm their 
little children against their enemies... which is a time when it comes to 
saving your own life or that of the other (child.) i don't expect the adult 
to get all cute and let the child kill them.

in 1994, i went to bosnia while there was a war going on. at the time, in my 
own country (somalia, which i left about two years earlier) had its own war 
going on. i found it quite interesting that i was faced with the same fears, 
same horrible happenings, etc, though i was thousands of miles away from my 
home country. i realized, even at a young age... that all hearts are the 
same. that when we choose, folks can do all sorts of unthinkable things.

the thing is, i tend to think if something was done by someone else ... that 
i would be able to do it as well IF i wanted to. after all, we all have the 
same blood running in our veins.


Afdhere Jama
Editorial Director
HURIYAH Publications
PO BOX 423343
San Francisco, CA 94142
tel: [1] 415.517.0055
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.huriyahmag.com




>From: "Kate Ahmad" <[email protected]>
>Reply-To: Muslim community debate and 
>discussion<[email protected]>
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: RE: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] Rwanda
>Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 14:32:38 +1000
>
>Salaam,
>I know what you are saying Afdhere - but I know, as much as I can know 
>anything that I would never be capable of the brutality shown in Rwanda (or 
>Nazi Germany...etc).  I just know.  I cry when I read stories of other 
>people losing their children.  I love my own child more than anything.  
>Deliberately hurting a child, is something I could never do, no matter what 
>the situation.  I would much rather die.
>And I believe that most people feel the same way as me.  So what I am 
>saying, is how can a large group of people all act in this same, terrible 
>way and commit acts that are largely against our basic human nature?  Do 
>you believe you could ever commit acts like that?
>
>Wa'salaam
>Aisha

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