Approximately 40 students and faculty gathered in the Glass Pavilion Tuesday night to discuss the issues of a post-attack America and share their personal reactions to the impact of last month's tragedy. The forum was mediated by members of SEED (Students Educating and Empowering for Diversity). One of the main topics that was discussed was the increase of discrimination and hate crimes against Muslim-Americans around the country. People talked about "how all this impacted the lives of Arabs and Muslims within the country and within the community here," said Katie Batza, the Chair of SEED.
On Tuesday night, students were given the opportunity to freely discuss their feelings about the attacks.
Before the forum officially began, a slide show of the attacks and their aftermath appeared on a projection screen. Images of destruction, terror, and death were shown alongside vandalized Muslim signs in the U.S. and Muslims praying in mosques around the world. In one slide a woman held up a sign that read "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" and in another, the word "revenge" had been painted onto a tow-truck windshield. The slide-show was followed by thirty seconds of silence in memory of the victims of the attack.
According to Batza, people reacted strongly to these images and words. She noted that she saw "a couple people even cry."
The name of Osama Bin-Laden was brought up and the point was made to separate his beliefs from those of the rest of the members of the Muslim community.
The attendees were "a great mix between faculty, staff, grad students and undergraduates," said Batza.
One girl who had been born in America recounted a story of how her Pakistani parents had been almost forced by their neighbors to put US flags all over their house and business; if they didn't they would be looked upon as traitors by their fellow citizens.
As the image of a man tumbling to his death from the top of the world trade center was projected onto the screen, a small gasp could be heard.
Hate discrimination against Muslims has been on the rise since the attacks. Nearby the Hopkins campus, "Kill All Arabs" was graffitied onto a street sign. There has also been an increase in racial profiling. One Arab man at the meeting was very frustrated that secular Muslim men were being removed from planes without basis at the request of other passengers. Many others have been detained by the US government without formal charges, an illegal action in this country.
Many participants at the meeting completely condemned any such actions of the government of the United States as well as those of other Americans.
"I didn't think it was [out of] anger. I think they were frustrated that it took this tragedy in order for people to want to know about Islam and the Middle East and foreign policy in the Middle East. There wasn't this interest before," said senior Erica Mak.
Soon, almost everyone was jumping in to share their perspective.
People were "voicing their frustrations with America and foreign policy past and present. This added a lot to the discussion," said Batza.
The point was brought up that the attacks have also prompted a call for understanding and cultural exchange by President Bush as well as other politicians and celebrities. However, participants were also frustrated that this issue should have been considered a priority sooner. "People felt that it was 'too little, too late,' that America didn't show any interest in this before," said Mak.
University Chaplain Sharon Kugler, who was also in attendance, does believe things will get better. "I have a great deal of hope when we sit in a place like this, people speak their minds, and then listen to each other."
Batza mentioned that a day after the forum, she was approached by many people who expressed their gratitude on being given an opportunity to share their thoughts. "Everyone gained something, be it a new perspective or a place to voice their opinions. That was what our goal was.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.