Re: A Muslims Joins the Fight Against AIDS in Hawai'i

As-salaamu aleykum,

I never meant to imply that anyone deserves AIDS/HIV.

I think the issue of this plague is one that no Muslim, of any school of thought, can ignore.

My problem of fundraising among Muslims is that most see it as purely a "Gay Disease", so they refuse to give anything. Even the most liberal Muslim seems to be unable to put-aside his/her dislike of homosexuals long enough to see that all kinds of people get AIDS.

I often make the point that certain "lifestyle choices" contribute to individuals contracting cancer (e.g. tobacco use, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, dietary choices, etc), but it doesnt stop Muslims from wanting to find a cure for that disease.

One Muslim made a donation and, after a few days of thought, decided that he didnt really want to help people with AIDS, no matter who they were. He advised me to pull-out of the event and raise money for Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.

My counter-argument to him - and we went through all this when he initially made the donation - was that no Muslim could honestly ignore all the people with AIDS who were not homosexual or IV drug users. People who were completely innocent of any sort of activity that a Muslim would have a problem with.

His simple reply was "Yes, we can."

So, my debate with him went back and forth, until I offered to return his money to him out of my own pocket. The actual donation was already delivered to the charity I am helping. When I told him it would come out of my own pocket, he declined.

Later this year, I will be participating in two seperate fundraisers. One for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which helps people with cancer, and the other for the Hawaii Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. 

I'm curious to see how many Muslims will refuse to help those charities as well.

Oh, dont get me wrong. I've been refused donations from people of other religions and backgrounds as well. 

Homosexuals have refused to give. Jews, Chrisitans, etc. have declined also. I have asked people who worked as exotic dancers, escorts, health care workers, police officers, firefighters, etc and been refused. Ihave sent so many emails and posted letters to the editors of three local papers and gotten few donations to show for it.

I am most grateful for those donations I have gotten. From as little as $10 to as much as $250, all the donations are appreciated and have been delivered to the charities I am fundraising for to help people - ALL PEOPLE - with AIDS/HIV in Hawaii. I have raised almost $1,600, so far. Alhamdulillah.

It is the refusals that have hurt me so much, though, almost to the point where I cannot remember the goodhearted people who did make a donation of their hard-earned money.

One gay man, who is a neighbor of mine told me that since he didnt have the disease and neither did his companion, AIDS isnt an issue he is all that concerned about. Others didnt want to donate the money because the fund raiser - myself - was not a homosexual, as if that made a difference. Somehow, they felt that I was just some "goody-goody", who wasnt serious about helping people with AIDS, I just wanted to do the event and move on to something else.

This will be my first Paradise Ride, I grant, but I doubt it will be my last. I have honestly thought about not going next year, due to the lack of response, apathy and downright hostility I have received from Muslims due to my participation in this event. But I will try not to let that dissuade me next year.

Lately, I will admit, when I hear Muslims talk about how "Islam teaches us to give charity", that I just want to stand-up and say "Yes, but only to the people they like.".

We'll see how my fundraising for cancer and diabetes victims goes this year. If I get the same apathy from local Muslims when I ask them to donate to those charities, if going to the masjid I want to spend any more of my time doing.

As-salaamu aleykum.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Jul 10, 2004 11:27 AM
To: Isa Abdul-Tawwab <[email protected]>, 
	Muslim community debate and discussion <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] A Muslims Joins the Fight Against	AIDS in Hawai'i

Salaams Isa,

I'm really happy that you're raising visibility on this issue and I think that
the message would be even more powerful if it didn't include an implicit
blaming of people who are homosexual or who are drug users. I definitely don't
support iv drug us but I can also see that it's easy for many people to dismiss
these members of our comunity as deserving of HIV . . . NO ONE DESERVES
HIV/AIDS, NO ONE!

In addition many children, faithful wives/partners, doctors and health workers,
police, etc. are homosexual (or bisexual). I think its a stretch of logic to
imply that we are guilty or deserving of this condition because of whom we love
(in consideration of appropriate age and mutual concent). (I'd just like to
reiterate that it in the bedroom - the only realy distinction - ALL
gay/lesbian/bisexual people contract HIV the same way that our hetersexual
counterparts contract . . . unprotected sex habits, NOT selection of sex
partner!)

I hope the ride goes well and that people realize that, like you lift up, this
issues goes so far beyond sexuality or drug use. It's one that really is
already at epidemic proportions.

Thanks
Mudhillun


As-Salaamu Aleykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

`Isa Abdul-Tawwab Al-Hawai'i
(Duane Browning)
Paradise Rider #1219
http://paradiseride.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=34543&u=34543-17168705&e=76075943