Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Change what is in our Hearts and Minds

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

While this phrase sounds very noble and nice, the manner in which it has been construed is as follows:

Enhancing the worldly life of some at the expense of many, liberty from duties and responsibility, and finally no change is needed to the text, but the pursuit of happiness is all that is promised not actual happiness, The nature of happiness is such that its attainment is independent of the Constitution.

The Constitution is promising things which it can not promise and for which it is not needed. The Constitution has relatively little importance or impact on the daily lives of the United States Citizens. That is perhaps why most of them are not even aware of most of its language and have not even read it.

Many people in the United states have confused material prosperity with "freedom" and the politicians who purport to represent them, engage in all manner of trickery, corruption, and even order the use of violence to satiate the need of its citizens to maintain their precious standard of living.

I question and challenge the reader to ask of himself or herself, whether they would be willing endure hardship and to give up the good life in the U.S. if that were truly necessary. How many of us admire an individual such as Malik El Shabazz, and yet persist in our own fear of our peers and the United States government and most importantly of losing our pleasant and comfortable life?

How many of us criticize Israel?, which is so easy to do for Muslims, but do not criticize the fact that our own tax dollars(assuming we pay them) go to the very same state? How many of us criticize "Regimes" such as the Bush Regime and his war for oil and profits (hmm, wasn't Obama supposed to be change?) , but neglect to criticize our own reception of the benefits of continued cheap fuel and other tangible and intangible benefits the U.S. receives by being a "superpower"(which you must understand is only accomplished by war and violence to ensure that status is well deserved).

Are we not abolitionists who decry the peculiar institution and then go and buy clothes made from cotton picked by slaves because it is cheaper and the "only" alternative.

Actually there are other alternatives, but they conflict too much with the privileges guaranteed by our constitution and form of government. It is too difficult for Muslim men to raise crops, trade and take charge of their own families and communities security(jihad), it is better for them to work as lawyers, bankers and to allow the U.S. military and police to handle security for them, amoral corporations to provide food for their families

That is efficiency after all.

It is too "backward" and "undignified" for Muslim women to raise their own children, to cook for their families, and to clean and make clothes. No far better to believe that all women(of course all women do not actually end up there) should join men in the easy office space work, and allow the needs of the family to be taken care of by the same amoral corporations who use and exploit people, who are mostly women and chidlren, as it turns out, who are employed in these sweat shops, to satisfy these needs. I am not suggesting women should be locked at home and certainly many women are enterprising, but the word all is used because in fact it is compulsory for all females to join public schools and then they begin on the path towards career life. I am saying that there is a tradeoff for this good life, and as Muslims we should not accept such a good life unless it is free from exploitation and injustice.

Because we will have to pay this back whether in this life or the next. whether the United States collapses and we experience it, or whether we die before that happens and will face justice on The Day.

I would resist the urge to start pontificating and coming up with scatological arguments that attempt to justify what the United States does, and that somehow it is the best alternative out there. That is self-deception. We believe it is the best, because it is the best for us, but we might not agree if we were on the receiving end of a drone attack. Our sense of indignation should be present no matter who is being oppressed and out resolve to avoid contributing is a duty of our religion. But sadly, even when the victims are Muslims themselves, whom we owe additional duties as part of our , we continue to contribute morally, financially and in some cases militarily to the clear and open crimes of the United States. Yes, some of us may call ourselves "activists" and pretend that we are going to "change the system" by joining it, but that is so weak an excuse it is not even worth dismantling.

Who will prosecute for these cases of material support for terrorism? Certainly not the United States, the puny superpower. But don't worry, The Most High Power will prosecute.

The goals of the Constitution are manifestly material in nature, and one only has to observe what the effect of the continued application of its laws has been:

The accelerating conversion of precious and valuable resources on planet earth into trash and waste which has only benefited a few to the expense of the many, including those of future generations. The land and seas have been, are being and will continue to be corrupted.

Whatever problems the Ummah has, we need to address them and to start thinking of ourselves as a community again.

I am openly asking all of you to shed your support for the Constitution, and these laws which enable material worship and to save yourselves from a Torment that is Certain.
Share

No comments:

Post a Comment