I could hardly believe what I was hearing on the radio this morning - a debate over whether people should let their kids go up to a suspected Muslim’s house and trick-or-treat.
What was most distressing was the number of callers saying they would deliberately avoid the homes of anyone who “looked like a Ay-rab.”
“Look, these towel-heads brought it on themselves. I’se gots to keep my kids safe!” Sure, Billy-Bob, ya got to have someone around to fetch ya 'nother beer outta the fridge, right?
I laughed when I saw that The Daily Show had started referring to “our nationsl crisis” as "America Freaks Out!". I thought it a great example of exaggerating for humorous effect. But when I heard these people on the radio this morning I realized that ol’ Jon Stewart wasn’t exaggerating.
So whadda y’all think of this? Going too far, or a sensible precaution?
Muslims aren’t likely to participate in this activity in the first place.
If they ARE terrorists (I’m willing to bet my own kids’ lives they are NOT), they’re not likely to make random kids sick if it could be traced back to 'em.
But whether you like it or not, Muslims/Middle Easterners are going to be suspect for a very long time, given the demographics of the killers of September 11. You don’t have to agree with that, but consider that it was EXACTLY that suspicion that led to the capture of those two OTHER guys who didn’t get the chance to pull off their own hijacking that awful day. When they were captured in Texas, they were being sought because they were Arabic, and had been aboard a flight originating from Logan. That’s it…nothing else to cut 'em out of the rest of the people aboard planes from Boston.
I does not matter WHAT you think of racial profiling, it DID keep these men from carrying out some other attack.
So, let’s not be ridiculous about the Middle Easerners among us, but let’s not be naive about the terrorists out there, either.
i dont really like the idea of trick or treating, its a bit weird but hell, do people actually think that a ‘suspected’ (how the hell can you suspect someone of being a muslim anyway) muslim is anymore likely than frank billy-bob from down the road in the house with the weird smell to poison their kids. dammit if i thought they would grow up to be like their parents, id have the old anthrax in there like a shot
isn’t your kid only about a week old anyway? i think this is just an excuse for you justify “trick or treating” yourself to get all sorts of free candy! why, you will claim, “i was just making sure them damn muslims wern’t dollin’ out the amtracks!”
One of my very good friends was up early this morning getting her son’s costume ready to wear to school. She’s also stocked up on loads of candy for the trick-or-treaters. She’s also a card-carrying muslim, as is her son, and many of his friends that are also participating.
I’m not sure where you got the idea that muslims don’t participate in halloween, but I think you’re mistaken. Christmas, I don’t think is real high on the to-do list, but halloween is a go, at least in this neck of the woods.