Remembering 9-11
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Cara Fisher is a Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center. She is a graduate of the University of Texas, Austin. |
On September 11, 2006, I attended a forum held at the Arab American Institute’s National Leadership Conference. On this day of national remembrance, I was grateful for the opportunity to reflect on how the 9/11 attacks affected the hearts and minds of people across the country. Panels of religious leaders representing a variety of faiths, including Rabbi David Saperstein, each spoke of their experience in helping our nation recover from tragedy.
I was struck by a common theme presented by each speaker; the individuals who were attacked on 9/11 were American, and no difference in race, religion or ethnicity changed the fact that innocent Americans were the unfortunate victims of hatred. It is a regrettable truth that in the days and weeks following 9/11, many in the Arab American community suffered prejudiced attacks based solely on their ethnicity. Reflecting back on my experience yesterday I am comforted by the fact that this group of powerful religious leaders, including those in the Jewish community, continue to preach the values of tolerance, acceptance and peace. I realize that the task of educating others and embracing diversity is one that falls in the hands of all Americans, and as the healing process continues I am hopeful that we can accomplish this task together.