Book O'Dead
25th July 2012, 15:38
Before I launch into my rant i want to make the following disclaimer: In no way should my words here be construed as an attack or malicious criticism of any ethnic group. If anyone here is offended by what I write I sincerely apologize in advance and will retract the offensive words.
I want to tell you about an experience I has some years ago, in fact this happened some 2 years before the terrorist attack on 11 September 2001. maybe 1998 or 1999.
Around this time I worked at a steel fabrication plant making large structures to support highway traffic signs, you know, those tubular contraptions that often span freeways from side to side and carry signs that say "Bumfuck next two exits, etc."?
The capitalist owner was a Jew. A pretty nice guy as capitalists go and, AFAICT, not a racist in any way. He came to work every day and would often deal with the sub-contractors and buyers personally. He would often come on the factory floor wearing his white hard hat and quietly observe the progress of projects he had an interest in. On the many occasions that I had to dealt with him directly he was congenial and modest, in appearance and demeanor.
Anyway, this company had a young woman in its employ working at the front office. At times she acted as Marty's personal secretary, at others she would sit in on meetings between management and contractors, presumably as Marty's surrogate.
She was efficient, self-motivated and highly intelligent. She was exotically attractive because she was from Surinam of Pakistani descent. She'd been raised as a Muslim. She was what some call a "West Indian Indian", that is, an Asiatic Indian from the West Indies. I liked her. She was always very kind to me.
Not long before I left this job, there came to work with us another interesting person. He was a structural engineer born and raised in Egypt. I took an immediate liking to him and he seemed to like me. One day he invited me and my then wife to join him and his spouse to go to the end of Ramadan celebrations at his church. Curious and flattered, I accepted without hesitation.
I didn't really know anything about Muslims and their customs. The religious service and the feast that followed it were revelations to me. There were Muslims there from all over the world; Hispanic, African, European, Asian and Middle Eastern people. My wife and I were surprised and delighted by the diversity of peoples there. The food was great and we were both treated with extraordinary hospitality and friendliness. In fact, toward the end of the activity the church's Imam took me aside, personally thanked me for coming and gave me as a present a beautiful leather-bound English-language Koran which i still have. The women there engaged my wife in pleasant conversation and I almost had to pull her by the arm to get her into our car.
At the job things got a little strange shortly after this young man came to work with us. Omar (not his real name) began to fight with Marty over every decision that was taken involving him and the projects he managed. Moreover, I soon detected a hostility erupt between Akleema (not her real name) and Omar. At our weekly meetings they would not acknowledge the other and rarely addressed each other directly.
I didn't understand what was happening and the office gossip was no help. I didn't feel like I had a right to ask anyone about it and feared that by doing so I could potentially involve myself in something unpleasant. But I was consumed with curiosity.
One day, while Omar and I were driving back from a field project I casually mentioned Akleema in connection with another pending project. Omar, from the passenger side turned to me and said, "Akleema is a whore!"
I was flabbergasted. I was flummoxed. My mouth went dry and i suddenly had that strange feeling you get when everything seems like it's all a dream but you know you're awake and that this unpleasant moment is happening in reality.
I manage to croak "What?" And Omar continued with a tirade agaisnt "women who have lost their sense of identity and have betrayed their faith"! He went on to say that any Muslim woman who would side with a Jew against an Arab deserved whatever bad things happened to them.
To say that I was speechless is an understatement. My tongue had been ripped out and my heart began to race. I almost became dizzy at the ferocity with which Omar had attacked a woman, in my presence, of whom I had only good things to say. In fact, I remained quiet even as he calmed down and probably began to regret his own frightening outburst.
Except for the woman who was my wife then, I have never mentioned this disturbing incident. To anyone.
Not so very long after this I left the company and Omar and Akleema continued, I presume, to fight their secret personal Jihads. Omar was assigned to projects that kept him away from the factory until one day he turned in his notice, Akleema continued to help Marty manage the company even after Marty retired. She's probably still there.
So this is my story.
I want to tell you about an experience I has some years ago, in fact this happened some 2 years before the terrorist attack on 11 September 2001. maybe 1998 or 1999.
Around this time I worked at a steel fabrication plant making large structures to support highway traffic signs, you know, those tubular contraptions that often span freeways from side to side and carry signs that say "Bumfuck next two exits, etc."?
The capitalist owner was a Jew. A pretty nice guy as capitalists go and, AFAICT, not a racist in any way. He came to work every day and would often deal with the sub-contractors and buyers personally. He would often come on the factory floor wearing his white hard hat and quietly observe the progress of projects he had an interest in. On the many occasions that I had to dealt with him directly he was congenial and modest, in appearance and demeanor.
Anyway, this company had a young woman in its employ working at the front office. At times she acted as Marty's personal secretary, at others she would sit in on meetings between management and contractors, presumably as Marty's surrogate.
She was efficient, self-motivated and highly intelligent. She was exotically attractive because she was from Surinam of Pakistani descent. She'd been raised as a Muslim. She was what some call a "West Indian Indian", that is, an Asiatic Indian from the West Indies. I liked her. She was always very kind to me.
Not long before I left this job, there came to work with us another interesting person. He was a structural engineer born and raised in Egypt. I took an immediate liking to him and he seemed to like me. One day he invited me and my then wife to join him and his spouse to go to the end of Ramadan celebrations at his church. Curious and flattered, I accepted without hesitation.
I didn't really know anything about Muslims and their customs. The religious service and the feast that followed it were revelations to me. There were Muslims there from all over the world; Hispanic, African, European, Asian and Middle Eastern people. My wife and I were surprised and delighted by the diversity of peoples there. The food was great and we were both treated with extraordinary hospitality and friendliness. In fact, toward the end of the activity the church's Imam took me aside, personally thanked me for coming and gave me as a present a beautiful leather-bound English-language Koran which i still have. The women there engaged my wife in pleasant conversation and I almost had to pull her by the arm to get her into our car.
At the job things got a little strange shortly after this young man came to work with us. Omar (not his real name) began to fight with Marty over every decision that was taken involving him and the projects he managed. Moreover, I soon detected a hostility erupt between Akleema (not her real name) and Omar. At our weekly meetings they would not acknowledge the other and rarely addressed each other directly.
I didn't understand what was happening and the office gossip was no help. I didn't feel like I had a right to ask anyone about it and feared that by doing so I could potentially involve myself in something unpleasant. But I was consumed with curiosity.
One day, while Omar and I were driving back from a field project I casually mentioned Akleema in connection with another pending project. Omar, from the passenger side turned to me and said, "Akleema is a whore!"
I was flabbergasted. I was flummoxed. My mouth went dry and i suddenly had that strange feeling you get when everything seems like it's all a dream but you know you're awake and that this unpleasant moment is happening in reality.
I manage to croak "What?" And Omar continued with a tirade agaisnt "women who have lost their sense of identity and have betrayed their faith"! He went on to say that any Muslim woman who would side with a Jew against an Arab deserved whatever bad things happened to them.
To say that I was speechless is an understatement. My tongue had been ripped out and my heart began to race. I almost became dizzy at the ferocity with which Omar had attacked a woman, in my presence, of whom I had only good things to say. In fact, I remained quiet even as he calmed down and probably began to regret his own frightening outburst.
Except for the woman who was my wife then, I have never mentioned this disturbing incident. To anyone.
Not so very long after this I left the company and Omar and Akleema continued, I presume, to fight their secret personal Jihads. Omar was assigned to projects that kept him away from the factory until one day he turned in his notice, Akleema continued to help Marty manage the company even after Marty retired. She's probably still there.
So this is my story.