USA: 'Muslims for Life' blood drives a source of unity | Guest Opinion

The efforts of one particular community — the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA — are reminiscent of the efforts of Joseph Pulitzer. Though some may claim its initiative is not of the same magnitude as that of the Joseph Pulitzer campaign, it will have just as profound an impact.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Herald News | Opinion
By Usama Awan | September 9, 2011

When the Statue of Liberty arrived in 350 pieces to the gateway city of New York, there were no arrangements for its assembly. Congress voted against paying for its reassembly twice and various other fund raising campaigns had also failed. It seemed as if the statue that would later become an icon for America would never get put together.

Along came a publisher even known today, Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World. He launched one of the largest nationwide campaigns to fund the assembly of the Statue of Liberty. He made public a fundraiser to collect $100,000 — approximately $2.3 million in today’s terms. At the end of the campaign, the total donation count came to $102,000 from 120,000 donors (80 percent of the donations were of less than $1). With his campaign, he was able to mobilize the country’s individuals from children to elderly women to assemble a world renowned monument. A group of children even gave the money they saved to go to the circus with, and Pulitzer published their efforts in the New York World.


Approaching the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, we have a similar task ahead of us. This effort does not take the rallying of a whole country in a monetary sense, but in a sense of reflection and remembrance. We are faced with reassembling the twin towers.

The efforts of one particular community — the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA — are reminiscent of the efforts of Joseph Pulitzer. Though some may claim its initiative is not of the same magnitude as that of the Joseph Pulitzer campaign, it will have just as profound an impact.

To honor the victims of 9/11, the Community is planning to collect 10,000 bags of blood nationwide in the month of September. In conjunction with churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, community centers and Congress, the Community has already helped set up more than 200 blood drives, with more still reaching the finalizing phases. The goal, if reached, will help to potentially save 30,000 lives — thereby saving life on a day oft-remembered for the taking thereof.

Many readers have probably written off this initiative because a Muslim community is at its anchor. It is very unfortunate if one is in this category. We as Americans must come together to honor those who died 10 years ago. The Statue of Liberty took 120,000 donors of all ages and backgrounds. Similarly this initiative will take 10,000 donors of all backgrounds — Muslims, Christians, Jews, atheists, deists, etc. — to make it a success.

It may be asked how can there be similarity between the rallying effort behind the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 blood drive when the Statue of Liberty was not produced as a result of terrorism? In both cases, the public was asked to join together to define a term almost impossible to define by any one category — American. People of all age groups, religions and races coming together and acting on a unifying initiative is an appropriate way to define what it means to be "American." In this light may the "Muslims for Life" campaign, along with the myriad of other commemoration initiatives for the victims of 9/11, be a source for unity among Americans.

Like the sacrifice of the kids who gave up a circus ticket to donate, we will hopefully read how a church, after their service, donated blood to an initiative called "Muslims for Life." Maybe the efforts of the Townsend Congregational Church in Townsend, Mass. or the blood drive at the home of the Red Sox at Fenway Park will help mobilize the Massachusetts community.

At the time the Statue of Liberty arrived, Congress was against the initiative to build it. Now, at the time of “Muslims for Life,” Congress members have personally hosted a blood drive and have given their own blood for this cause. As a result, this should be an inspiration for all Americans nationwide and a source of unity.

Usama Awan is a member of the Muslim Writers Guild of America and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA.

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