Apology

Today the news continues to comment not only on the egregious acts of the U.S. soldiers who burned Holy Qurans in Afghanistan, but also on President Obama's decision to apologize. Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House and a current Republican presidential runner, called the U.S. apology an "outrage". Juan Cole, a professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan, tweeted in response, "Gingrich Endangers US troops by Slamming Obama for Apology over Qur'an Burning".

Protesters in Pakistan, angry over the burning of Korans in Afghanistan, from the article "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word",  International Herald Tribune, Mark McDonald, February 26, 2012

As hard as I try, I cannot fathom how people miss the connection between acts of aggression and acts of retaliation and how it feeds an endless cycle of violence. It makes me wonder if they are actually missing it or if they just do not care. This incident reminds me of an email that Rasheed sent on January 19th:

Dear Friends,

Hope you all are fine and will be doing well to serve the humanity. Here in Pakistan we are passing from a very difficult time because every day here a close friend or a colleague is brutally killed by unknown killers. Yesterday a very close friend of mine Mr. Mukarram Khan Atif who was a reporter of the Dewa(Candle) Radio Washington was killed by the militants. His sole crime was that he was working in a professional manner and was not favoring any group. Our lives are also in great threat. I do not know that which one of my email will be the last one of my life. But be sure that I have understood and many of my friends have been persuaded to believe that you people are peace loving people totally different from the policy makers, politicians, and armed forces. We are also hate the wars but here we can do nothing because here we are killed but you people can do a lot because your state is the custodian of your rights and owns the responsibility to safeguard your lives and propoerties. Convey my best wishes to all of your friends and relatives and request them on my behalf to work for peace and pressurize your policy makers, politicians, and the armed forces to bring an end to these unjustified wars and brutal acts (Example is US/NATO Army urinating on the dead bodies in Afghanistan). 

Best wishes,

Rasheed Mohmand, Executive Director of Tribal Reforms and Development Organization, Peshawar

To our friends abroad, 

I can speak for Brian and many other Americans when I say that we stand 100% against the destruction of human life and all forms of violence including the act of disrespecting another person's religion, race, or culture. We are teachers, restaurant owners, musicians, farmers, auto workers, scientists, carpenters, businesswomen, journalists, mothers, and fathers. We have wanted this war to end the day it started. Please send our apologies and condolences to all of the families who have been affected by this violence. Let them know that we will try our best to make our voices audible.

Respectfully,

Heather 


I'll end this entry with the fact that, at the end of 2011, there were an estimated 2.6 million Muslim Americans living in the United States. At least 370,000 were of Pakistani descent.