I'm actually disappointed in myself for taking the picture above this posting, and not just because it's blurry after I snapped it on my Black Berry like a sneak thief.
In fact, I can't believe how unnerved I felt sitting right across from 4 young Muslim men wearing their long white gowns, at a Nyerere Airport departure gate on Saturday. Even though realistically, these days people strapped with bombs are more likely to blend into crowds, instead of sticking out like sore thumbs.
Come to think of it, my unease was probably heightened because one of these men was wearing an army fatigue cap. On a dude rocking blue jeans and a leather jacket, I'd have dismissed that cap with a cynical "Rebel Without a Fashion Clue" thought. But on this young man's head, my mind started racing, and I wondered, "Should I get on this plane, or wait for the next one?Why is everybody else NOT noticing these guys??"
Obviously, they weren't terrorists bent on mass carnage or I wouldn't be typing this "confession of sorts. And I'm doing it as a reminder to be vigilant about rejecting the dark, soulless path of fear and stereotyping that creates demons where none exist.
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