story8336.xml

story8336.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-10-02

I smiled happily as I counted the days left to my birthday, 19 days, lucky me. September eleventh was the day my aunt's sister was to leave back to Syria from her summer long vacation to the states. I went to Fountain Valley high school early that day, still adjusting to the early schedule with a constant queasiness in my stomach since it had been the first time I had ever been to public school in my whole life. After my first period class, all my friends came rushing to me, asking me the same question over and over. "Did you hear what happened in New York?" I shook my head no, not knowing what anyone was talking about. As I set one step into my second period class, the teacher began to talk. "Class," she said, "We'll be going to go next door to watch the news this period and remember this just happened don't start pointing fingers just yet."
I went next door and sat on the floor, feeling the butterflies in my stomach worse this time, wondering why people were giving me cold looks and proclaiming that "World War 3" is coming. As the teacher turned it to channel nine I saw for the first time what the commotion was about. Someone had struck the World Trade Center with two hijacked airplanes. The anchorwoman announced it was most likely the work of a devious man named Osama bin Laden. Osama bin Laden? I dug deep into the recesses of my memory, when quickly I remembered how a man named Osama bin Laden, and Arab of some sort, helped America in a war. But no, why would anyone want to go against America? The fact that it was a sovereign power should be enough to stop the thought of such an idea. As a gazed at the television my teacher came close to me and whispered," If anyone gives you static about the whole thing, don't be afraid to come and tell me. I know you had nothing to do with this, but some people don't." Hopefully reader, you have noticed by now that I am Muslim. I am a Muslim girl who wears the hijaab. Unfortunately, by wearing the hijaab, I have been labeled on that day as a terrorist, as an oppressed female, and a freak. Dear reader, I am here to tell you that I am not a freak, I am a human being with a different view and way on life. But that day in September ruined the rest of my school year, and just maybe, my life. From then on I was constantly ostracized, be it because I wear long sleeves and hijaab or because my eyes were wider than normal people and suddenly, any ignorant body thought they were better than me and had the right to act like it too. I hated my life that year. Somehow, it reminded me of the way African Americans, the Japanese, and the Germans were all treated at a time in life. I gave a big sigh hoping that somehow all this would end, but somehow knowing this problem had just begun.