Tears for Innumerable Good-Hearted Muslims in the East

On my route today for an Indonesian restaurant in South Austin, I had the privilege of meeting a friendly retired professor in front of his house.

As he saw the Indonesian restaurant's flyer, he commented that he has made numerous trips to Malaysia and other nations in the Southeast Asia region. He pointed out that if Americans made trips to that part of the world more often, they'd see how wonderful the vast majority of that region's people, many of whom are Muslim, really are.

He quickly remembered that a friend's daughter had a wedding scheduled in Malaysia, back in 2001, an event to which he was invited. There was an amazing number of 2000 in attendance. He said everything was wonderful. Tragically though, the spirits of everyone were severely decimated when news came through about the 9/11 attacks.

Of the 2000 attendees, he said that he, his wife and a friend were the only whites/Americans. Also, almost everyone there was Muslim.

I thought I saw a glistening in his eyes begin to develop as he spoke, then I thought I heard his voice started to tremble, then as he clearly started to sob for a moment, he told me this:

After the 9/11 news traveled around the wedding event, he said that many of these thousands gathered began to form columns of humanity, humbly and patiently waiting to express extreme sympathy to he and the other two Americans for this horrible tragedy. They also went through great efforts to make clear that these horrific acts were not representative of their Muslim faith, in spite of al-Qaeda claiming that the act was in the spirit of Islam.

His tears were obviously generated by the appreciation and feeling that he had for these people, who were so warm and supportive to him during that horrible time, even as so many in the West characterize their faith as inherently destructive and violent. And of course, the violent events that these vast multitudes of peaceful Muslims have had to endure both at the hands of the West and al-Qaeda, isn't even nearly comprehensible to most of us.

I told him about my New Orleans/La. friend's work for Tibetan refugees over the past decade in Nepal & Dharamsala, India area (The Louisiana Himalaya Association). I also told him about how a major sport in Malaysia, Sepak Takraw (a kicking volley game, played with badminton-like court/net dimensions), put a very similar American-invented game, footbag net, to shame, in the sense that Takraw players are massively more skilled. Says a lot, as footbag net players are extraordinary in their own right.

I hope he gets to see some video of Takraw players, as it'd just be at least a tiny extra reason for him to find pride in the great people of Southeast Asia.

Steve Godfrey
318-229-3559
progressivepromotions@gmail.com
progpromo.com

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