The fact that news articles like this exist even though we
live in the 21st century is ridiculous. The fact that such obvious
discrimination is government enforced is mind boggling. However, and quite
unfortunately, such bias is not uncommon throughout different areas of the
world, including Indonesia.
For me,
the fact that Muslims can do this to their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters
is the most concerning. I am definitely not trying to say that other religions
should discriminate against Muslims, either, however; prejudice against Muslims
in countries like the United States, and by extension everyone who even “looks
like a terrorist” is an extremely important topic to me, both because in
general I am so strongly against any sort of racism, and also because I have
been subjected to such stereotyping thanks to my skin color.
What is even more shocking about
the damages inflicted on this Sufi Muslim school than other stories about
racism I’ve heard is that the building injuries are by other Muslims, in a
country with a very large Muslim population. I am definitely one of those
people that believe in solidarity among members of a certain group, especially
if that group is being profiled, so it breaks my heart to see that, rather than
joining forces and trying to combat the international stereotypes against their
shared religion, they are choosing to create dissension amongst themselves and
also further adding fuel to the proverbial fire.
I think that every person should
have the freedom to practice his or her own religion, and the fact that a
school, which should at the very least be one of the places where religion does
not come in to play and a safe haven for education, is literally being
demolished by the misguidedness of some people is definitely not fair to the
Sufi Muslims. Through peaceful protesting, the Sufis should try to get back
some of their lost, yet critical, rights.
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