Teens, Lock-Ins, and Park 51

By Julie Maxwell, a close friend and fellow True Blood enthusiast...

I'm not a writer, I’m an observer. I watch interactions unfold between people. I enjoy sitting back and noticing the small things no one seems to take the time to notice these days. I listen, I react, and I give advice. Rarely do I decide to speak up but it seems the events unfolding in the world around us have awakened a voice I try to keep quiet.

I’m a Christian youth minister. I work with 7th to 12th graders. I talk to them about their problems, I laugh with them and I walk with them on their faith journey. I don’t talk about myself or my views and frankly I like it that way. The youth I work with are bombarded with so many opinions and voices that I am shocked to find they still can speak with their own voice and think with their own minds. The depth of our young people’s understanding of the world around us is astonishing.

Recently we held a lock-in at our church, where the youth get to run around until they are exhausted and make new friends and eat way too many sugar laden snacks. As we were playing a large group game, one of the older youth looked at me and said “I just don’t understand why people are having such a hard time with this New York thing”. I asked if she was speaking of Park51 also known as the Cordoba House and she just nodded and looked sad. I told her I didn’t understand either and she asked what we could do. What she could do. What we should do. I didn’t have an answer.

I went home and I realized I needed an answer. I needed to let the people in my life know what is happening is not right. What is happening could be bigger than any of us imagine if we don’t put a stop to the vitriol hate and ignorance spreading before us. With that thought I realized I knew what could help. Education. Constant, consistent education about what the Cordoba House is, who Imam Feisal is but more importantly, who the Muslims that I consider friends are. The similarities we share, the differences we hold but more importantly the humanness we posses. For to me, that is what may really be going on - that people can’t grasp the humanness of the other and instead of debunking their own ignorance, they decide to label the unknown as evil and call it a day.

I do not think we have an easy battle ahead of us but we what we do need to do is listen. We need to stop hearing what we have in our hearts and listen to those who don’t understand why hating Muslims or blaming Muslims is wrong. We need to talk to each other and not over each other. We need to have conversations that are hard and frustrating and hope that at the end of the time we spend arguing and understanding, we come out together with love in our hearts for our friends and neighbors who realize their ignorance. By listening and respecting, we can break down barriers that cause people to listen and respect in return.

I have faith in the goodness of humanity and I will not back down or let that faith grow quiet. I’m ready to ask the tough questions and am prepared to give my answers. It’s time to speak out and speak proudly and speak humbly. We have a lot of work to do.