Over 10 years ago in post 9-11 Florida, as the only Muslim-American at my college I was branded a terrorist sympathizer by some at my undergraduate institution for speaking out and advocating on behalf of my friend and then Political Prisoner of the United States Dr. Sami Al-Arain. After getting involved in Politics myself, I would personally refrain from speaking out as much. However, I am reminded of the Biblical verse: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed (Proverbs 31:8) and the Quranic verse: Speak words of appropriate Justice (33:70). That is why today, at the start of Ramadan, I feel compelled to share this sad story with you. This weekend, after over 10 years of unjustly being a Political Prisoner of the United States including time where he was subject to the worst forms of abuse that this prison system knows including torture and solitary confinement, he was finally exonerated and fully released by the US Government. Though this is a moment for us all to celebrate justice, I am reminded of what inspired me to attend Georgetown Law--the number of innocent people here and across the world who are persecuted because of their race, religion, gender, or any other reason. As I personally transition in my career path, I can only pray for all those who are wrongly suffering at the hands of their unjust oppressors. I know that the least I and perhaps you who are reading this can do is not to be afraid to tell the story of those who are suffering and kindly speak words of justice. Remember the wise words of Martin Luther King Jr. that Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And as I further reflect on the state of our nation where legislators are improperly bartering away our freedoms and liberties in the name of security from terror (by improperly detaining men and women like Sami), I remember Dr. King once also said Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. Let us speak out to ensure that justice prevails and that tyranny of any sort is never acceptable. Finally, I will leave you with one last quote to reflect on as you consider the state of our nation and this is from a great statesman from a previous century, Fredrick Douglass, Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe. Please feel free to share this story of some justice finally being served.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 09:16:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015