I think one thing is clear, when I hear the GOP talk on television about Park 51 or about Muslims in general. They don't know any, they dont talk to any, they don't engage any.
Their hate is generalized and a vague ache in their belly masking a cancer that presents initially as vomitus or wordy diarrhea.
I was seeing a patient the other day. She came to the hospital with shortness of breath. WHen I walked into her room, I saw the book she was reading on her bedside table:
http://www.amazon.com/...
I stood their thinking, that I am her doctor, I had met her on two separate other occasions and knew her to be a republican activist. Yet, it still startled me to think that she considered me, her doctor an enemy and someone to hate. Did she know I was muslim? Possibly. Possibly not. But the irony of the situation can not be understated. http://www.amazon.com/...
This is what I find almost daily here. Most of my patients are rabid republicans. I would say over 75% of them are quite friendly nonetheless. 25% are more reserved with me, for reasons I cannot always appreciate but do not necessarily ascribe to bigotry.
What is interesting however, is the dichotomy between the personality of these folks and the blieefs they hold close to the vest.
And it is true that George Bush is also a personable fellow. Yet, to espouse the views that Fox asks them to espouse, unquestioningly is almost universally applicable to them.
The teaching point to me, is that it is easy for them to hate an idea, but it is harder for them to hate me, hate their doctor or manifest bigotry by asking for a different one.
We must humanize the face of islam and muslims.
If Americans all knew a muslim neighbor, I have a hard time believing they would hate us so much.
Only question is, how can one open up this world to so many people in need of it?