Student Dialogue with Eboo Patel (IUC)

I really enjoyed the student dialogue with Eboo Patel today in the Shults Center gym. I was surprised at the number of people that were there, I expected there to be 20 or 30, not a couple hundred. Anyways, I loved hearing the students' stories in particular. It was really great to hear where other people come from, their religious or non-religious backgrounds, and the things that have changed their lives. I can really relate to Jigme's story of how he once hated all Muslims because he thought they were bad people. I too struggle with that stereotype because the bad Muslims are the ones we always hear about. September 11th, the genocide in Darfur, suicide bombers...the list goes on and on. Furthermore, one of my favorite shows on television is NCIS, and although it's an awesome show, it too gives Muslims a bad representation. When all these lies and misrepresentations are surrounding us on a daily basis, it's so easy to generate bad feelings about people. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go so far to say that I hate Muslims, or people from any other religions, but in all honesty, they scare me. This brings me to my next point. I believe that one of the major factors in religious intolerance is the fear of the unknown. We don't understand each other and we have all these stereotypes and false beliefs about one another. We don't know anything about each other except for the bad things we hear, because we all know humans tend to talk about the bad rather than the good, and it makes us scared of each other. I think this is a huge problem, and something the whole world needs to work through, including myself. Although I only attended one interfaith conference event, I think I chose the right one. The entire panel had great points and ideas, and I walked away with an open mind and a greater will to bridge a gap between me and the unknown.

Giving Thanks

LST 217 has really opened up my eyes to a lot of things and for that I am truly thankful. I really value the group and class discussions we so often have, and even moreso, I really appreciate and value the guest speakers we have had the privledge to listen to. I have really enjoyed listening to other people talk- it's nice to hear other people's opinions and ideas because they make me see things in a different light than my own. I am honored to have been able to be present at the presentations by first and second generation genocide survivors. It's a sad thing that only few people in this world will ever have the opportunity to do the same. The course content and the students and faculty involved have really made the class a fabulous experience and a real eye-opener. I am thankful for having been able to be a part of this class, and I appreciate all the hard work that has gone into it. As we fly through these last few weeks, I hope to take in even more from our readings, discussions, and presentations. It will be sad to see the class end, but at the same time, our learning and our activism will always continue.