The American Muslim: The 21st Century House Slave
17-08-2008
It is
hard to imagine, during the slavery era in America, in the shade of the most
violent and cruel slave trade in the history of the world, there were some
slaves who refused to revolt. Understandably, some refused because of fear.
Others, on the other hand, had become so content under the whip of the slave
master that they desired no other position. Harriet Tubman, famous for her
underground railroad that guided many slaves to freedom, said, “I freed 300
slaves, I could have freed 10,000 only if they knew they were slaves.” Because
of total submissiveness to the slave master’s command, some of the slaves worked
in the house and received better treatment than the more defiant slaves that
worked in the field. The meek and eager slaves had no desires for rebellion;
they had grown too comfortable in their master’s house. They could not grasp the
injustice of oppression and felt no need to change their existing condition.
Malcolm X (Hajj Malik Shabazz) referred to this phenomenon as the house
slave/field slave paradigm.
It has become obvious that America has raised its sword to defeat, conquer and
subjugate the Middle East, the heart of Islam on Earth. The holiest land in
Islam, the Arabian Peninsula, has already been reduced to a monarchy of American
agents whose domestic and foreign policy ignores public opinion and instead
aligns itself with American interest whatever the cost to their own citizens.
With America’s invasion of Afghanistan, its “shock and awe” (read: blitzkrieg)
in Iraq and its disclosure of Iran and Syria as the next probable targets, it is
clear that if Bush & Co gets what it wants America will control the wealth and
policies of the entire Muslim world.
Although the American Muslims are witnessing the American military wage the
bloodiest, grandest empire building campaign in the Muslim world since the
British of the 19th century trampled through the region, the Muslims in America
have not shown any defiance in defense of their Muslim brothers or Muslim lands.
They idly stand by and watch, with no unified protest to speak of. Since this
open imperialism is apparent, why is there no substantial public opposition from
the American Muslim community? Frankly, the American Muslims, the modern day
house slaves, have grown too comfortable in Master’s house.
In America, the slave master’s of southern plantations had a different way of
handling the problems within his house than the problem he had in the field.
Similarly, America’s domestic policy towards Muslims and its foreign policy in
the Muslim world are stark in their differences. Within America, Muslims are
free to visit the Masjid, pray and fast. The President of the United States,
Master himself, will even give a public greeting to the Muslims to begin and end
the holy month of Ramadan. It is quite a sight to see the house Muslims bask in
the light of Master’s acknowledgments. Never mind the irony of last year’s
Ramadan greetings coinciding with Bush’s commanding his troops in the Afghan
conflict which claimed more than twice the civilian lives of the World Trade
Center bombings.
Not to mention, America left Afghanistan in such a state of utter poverty,
lawlessness, and uncertainty that many Afghans have become nostalgic of Taliban
rule. The scene is surreal; the President of the United States sitting amongst
smiling, shining American Muslim children speaking so eloquently about their
blessed month, glowing like a reincarnation of Mr. Rogers. While earlier that
morning, he was surrounded by his advisors to drop hundreds of thousands of
high-powered explosives upon the freezing, starving Muslim children of
Afghanistan. The President’s actions were no secret, his hypocrisy apparent;
nonetheless, the American Muslims bought in. They zipped their lips, averted
their eyes and pasted American flags on their SUVs. Why can’t all Muslims be as
moderate? It would make imperialism so much easier.
The American Muslims lamented and apologized constantly for the WTC bombings
(although proofs against Bin Laden and others were held back from public
scrutiny). The house Muslims were on TV and holding local public forums all over
the plantation apologizing and separating themselves from their brother Muslims
in the field. But when the beloved President of the United States crushed
Afghanistan under tons of the most deadly explosives in human history and the
civilian death toll towered over the death toll of the atrocity in New York,
most house Muslims were silent; not many local public forums, no big marches, no
press conferences. The house Muslims went along doing their daily chores with
his fingers in his ears so he could forget the crack of the whip on the backs of
his brothers in the field.
Common Muslims in places like Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan cannot forget the
whip because they and their families bleed beneath its crack everyday. The
Palestinians feel Master’s whip of daily invasions, demolition, murders and
curfews all done with the money, weapons and silent approval of America. In the
field of Iraq, the Muslims there have endured 11 years of Allied bombing. Even
during “peace time” (Dec. 1998-Sept. 1999), 20 million pounds of explosives were
dropped on Iraq. They have been under the weight of insane sanctions for 12
years. These US-led, UN sanctions have already claimed the lives of millions of
Iraq children due to starvation and lack of medical supplies that the UN
sanction prevent from entering the country.
The American Muslim in Master’s house has only the courage to occasionally gaze
out of the window of Master’s basement to see his brothers beaten and his
sisters raped. But when the field slaves like Nat Turner or Osama bin Laden call
for the destruction of Masters authority, the American Muslim will remain silent
or even fight against his brother in bonds to defend the property, honor and
authority of his Master. The house Muslim cannot straighten his back because he
has spent years bowing to the will of his oppressor. The house Muslim cannot
allow any revolt against Master because he has attached his body, mind, heart,
and soul to the Master in such a way that any attack against the Master is an
attack against himself.
The Muslims everywhere, especially in America, must re-evaluate their decision
to side with Master, and meet Master’s fate, or align themselves with their
brothers and sister in faith to fight against the tyranny of their common foe,
Master.
By: Amir Sulaiman
Submitted by a Mujahid
Theunjustmedia.com