Someone I know posted this picture on Facebook recently. It took everything I had not to post a book in the comments, especially after I saw a comment that said "Correct" underneath it.
I just want you to answer me one question. Why?
I don't think you can answer it with a legitimate reason. Here are the ones I've heard.
1) Because they're Muslim.
2) Because they're terrorists.
3) Because they're wearing burkas.
Let's have a history lesson, shall we?
America was created on the basis of religious freedom. The people in England were forced to follow the Queen's religion, and people didn't think that was ok. So they left and formed their own country, AKA the United States of America (eventually). Granted, this fight was mostly between Catholics and Protestants, but it's still what happened.
Now you're telling me that these women don't belong on American soil because they practice a different religion than you? Maybe you need to go back and read my history lesson again.
History lesson #2:
There once was a man who decided that all people of a certain religion were bad people. He thought that this religion and all people associated with it, including women and children, should die. He rose to power. People followed him. People believed he was right and they massacred thousands of innocent humans under his direction. This guy? You have have heard of him. His name was Adolf Hitler.
Still not convinced? Let's have a Bible lesson then!
Christians in Biblical times were persecuted for their beliefs. Yes, this includes Jesus. He was crucified because the government didn't believe that He was the Son of God. They were stoned, imprisoned, flogged, and murdered. All because the government didn't agree with their religious beliefs and declared Christianity a crime.
To those who say "All Muslims are terrorists," your ignorance is baffling.
History lesson #3 (or #4, if you count the Bible):
Timothy McVeigh was a white man of Irish-American descent who was raised in the Roman Catholic religion and later identified as agnostic. He was responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people and injured over 600. Also, he was an American war veteran.
Do you see people persecuting all Roman Catholics and trying to send them out of America? No.
In fact, most of the more recent terrorist attacks on American soil have not been Muslim extremists. They've been carried out by radical Christians, white supremacists, and far-right militia groups.
And yet, we haven't driven all of the white Christians out of America.
Dylan Klebold, one of the Columbine High School shooters, was raised with both Lutheran and Jewish influences.
Tell me again why two Muslim women, whom you know NOTHING about, don't belong on American soil.
Now, let's talk about the burka.
If I took five random women off the street, all of different religions and decent, placed them in identical clothing side-by-side, would you be able to tell which woman belonged to which religion?
The only reason that you can identify these women as Muslim is because they are following their religious belief of maintaining modesty in public by wearing a burka. And you're complaining about that...why?
The other day, Carrie Underwood posted a picture of herself in a swimsuit to her Instagram account. She was praised for her fitness level, for how "attractive" she looks, and how she's gotten back in shape after the birth of her baby. They didn't condemn her for dressing immodestly in public. People repeatedly called her "an inspiration."
Am I the only one seeing the disconnect here?
Let's dress those same five women in burkas, then in bikinis. Can you tell which woman is Muslim? Or Jewish? Protestant? Catholic? Agnostic? Atheist? Can you tell their religion by looking at them? Can you tell ANYTHING about them?
Tell me again why anyone doesn't belong on American soil.
