My Story of anti-Muslim Bigotry in the United States

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Note: After reading the story, apply the key provided at the bottom to correctly read some names and places mentioned in the story. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Kashif Chaudhary
By Kashif Chaudhry | January 27, 2014

It was the year 2001. I was fortunate to get admission to one of America's top medical school, the Harvard Medical School. I stayed in the dorm. Every morning, when I went to take a shower, I saw a sticker on one of the bathroom mirrors that said, "whoever is a friend of the Muslims is a traitor of Christianity and of America." In the evenings, sometimes, I would go to the reading room to study. Right on the entrance door, I would find the same sticker. I saw similar messages on buses and walls across Boston. I felt intimidated and unaccepted.

Then when I found out that a group of Christian students had forced the administration of Mt Sinai Medical School in New York to expel all 23 Muslim students from that medical school and were threatening widespread violence, I forgot my own situation. At least I was still not stopped from pursuing my studies. These other students had lost their careers just for being Muslims.

I often thought to myself why there was not a single Christian student (out of the thousands at Harvard) that had the moral integrity to tear down the hate stickers that openly attacked me for being Muslim? Would Christ not preach universal love and peace? I waited and waited for my 5 years at medical school but these stickers never came down. The intimidation never stopped. Even most of the Christians who were friends with me, were friends as long as I did not express my religious views openly. There were few exceptions to this rule.

After a series of other attacks on fellow Muslims, especially doctors, I decided to leave the United States in 2008. I will return one day when the Christian clergy stops condemning me as "worthy of death" and when the United States stops jailing me for calling myself a Muslim openly and for professing my faith. Till them, I am pursuing Cardiology in Pakistan.

I miss the United States a lot. But I also love my new homeland. There are a few bigots here and there, but I never have to worry about them in Pakistan. My friends come to my rescue before I know it. I am different, but they love me. They accept me. Until my motherland is reformed, I shall stay in Pakistan God willing. This is my story.


Use the following key to replace the corresponding names and places in this article.
______________________________
Pakistan = United States
United States = Pakistan
Harvard Medical School = King Edward Medical University
Mt Sinai Medical School = Punjab Medical College
Christian = Other Muslims
Christianity = Islam
Muslims = Ahmadi Muslims
Boston = Lahore


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