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June 23, 2005
They Don't Let Just Anybody On the NY Times Op-Ed Page
Or do they? Check out this chortle-worthy column from this morning.
I CONSIDER my appearance quite unremarkable. I'm 5 feet 8 inches, 150 pounds, fresh-faced and comfortably trendy - hardly, in my view, a look that should draw stares. Still, the Muslim headscarf, or hijab, that I wear makes me feel as if I am under a microscope.
I try to go to the gym just about every morning. Because I work out with my scarf on, people stare - just as they do on the streets of Cambridge.
It's called paranoia, dear. I don't see women with scarves on very often, but if I did, it would be "Oh, there's a woman with a scarf, kinda ordinary-looking but trendy."
She suffers a crisis of confidence in America. Why? Because people treat her mean? Because her father's being tortured at Gitmo? Because a dog snarled at her?
Nope. Because she dropped her car keys. But then, miraculously, her faith is restored:
Suddenly a man, out of breath, but still smiling and friendly, tapped me on my shoulder and said, "Ma'am, here are your keys." It was Al Gore, former vice president of the United States. Mr. Gore had gotten off his machine behind me, picked up my keys, handed them to me and then resumed his workout.
It was nothing more than a kind gesture, but at that moment Mr. Gore's act represented all that I yearned for - acceptance and acknowledgment.
Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin
Posted by pat at June 23, 2005 08:05 PM
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Comments
You know, I feel like people stare at me too, because I'm not as sophisticated-looking as I'd like to be...I can't afford it. I need a little acceptance too. Do you think if I drop my keys, someone as wonderful as Al Gore will pick them up and make me feel worthy as a human?
Cripes, give me a break...there are plenty of women in New York and other big cities who wear a hijab and no one gives them a second look. If she feels like a second class citizen, it's her own hangup.
Posted by: Pam M. at June 23, 2005 10:09 PM
Oh how sugary sweet old Al is! It's too bad Bill wasn't there too, then not only could she have finally felt acceptance, but she could have had her pain felt as well.
Rik
Posted by: Rik at June 24, 2005 02:43 AM
**THIS IS TRULY PATHETIC**
If the NY Times,as their editor stated is trying to attract people other than their "Liberal Base", they may want to revist the editorial board and its decision to print such anecdotal garbage.
See:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000968615
Posted by: Laurence Wagman at June 28, 2005 11:20 AM
I would like to say, as a Muslim woman who also wears the headscarf, I have experienced the same feelings that this young woman suffers from today. I get stared at all the time, but people gawked at me before I wore the scarf. Maybe it was my sense of style or my unique physical appearance. Whatever it was, I did not allow it to baffle me and let these feelings of angst lead to my loss of faith in God or myself.
If a woman feels as hopeless as she claims she has, I suggest she consider either moving to another country where she would be shunned by society, or deal with it. But to actually write a disconcerting journal entry such as this, and to have it printed by a highly esteemed publication such as the NY Times just baffles me. Perhaps I should write a letter about how difficult it is for me to match my hijabs with my outfits and see if they will publish it as well.
Posted by: Nina at June 29, 2005 01:05 AM
Everyone calm down. Stop hating cause she got published in the nytimes. And to that post from some piece of feaces named Rik a few posts up. Kindly take your mother to Bill Clinton if you fancy him that much.
Nina, what the hell is effing wrong with you. Just shut the hell up .. just shut up. You are obviously 15 years old (or a really old aunty) and think your opinion counts just cause you wear a hijab. Well you have an IQ of 11 which disqualifies you. I bet you're overweight and haven't seen the inside of a gym, ever !
So stop hating or I'll send Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr. to all your bedrooms at night.
Thank you and stop hating.
Farhan
Posted by: FRafi at September 7, 2005 06:37 PM
You konw what ingorance is upon us. The sister hamdiallah was able to get published and speak out on what she see in her life and INGORANT people here can't respect it. Just give the sister a little respect and find something else to do then bash people. Good going sister Fatina
Posted by: MAgdi at February 22, 2006 12:26 PM