Ignorance is bliss...
Juashaunna Kelly's track season is over. And it's just a small sample of how bass ackwards this country's morals and priorities really are. Young Miss Kelly of Theodore Roosevelt high, and one of the top track & field stars in the metro Washington, D.C. area, was disqualified earlier this month because of her uniform, one that adheres to the Muslim faith of only a woman's face and hands being visible. What's mind boggling about it is...she's worn the same outfit (with her school colors in tact, mind you) for three years, and the bright minds at this particular Montgomery County, MD indoor meet saw fit to disqualify her from said meet, where college recruiters and coaches congregate. So this young lady's chance at a college scholarship may be gone. All because of some closed-minded Team America assclowns.
It just boggles the mind and boils the blood that a country allegedly founded on freedom to practice certain religions and lyrics in the Nation Anthem supposedly nod to this place being "the land of the free," can practice such ignorance on a regular basis. While the previous statement is absolutely nothing new, I just felt compelled to speak on it because we have to ask ourselves "where are we really living? Is this the way it's supposed to be? Why do we allow these types of things to happen?"
No one can convince me that none of the geniuses at that meet realized the young lady was Muslim and that her outfit was NOT something she was using to gain an unfair advantage over her competition or something she created for style and flavor; this is her belief, this is her religion, her spiritual and religious uniform and code, and she is wearing it as respect to her creator, nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, after 9-11, the entire Muslim/Islamic religion has come under fire because of a few loony-tune radicals that make a seriously peaceful and intriguing way of worship look like the sparkplug for the final Apocalyptic fire. And the ignorance that the majority in this country thrives off of is on full display whenever the subject is broached. And it's annoying as hell.
I wonder how many Native Americans feel threatened whenever a white person walks into a room. After all, the colonization of America wasn't exactly, "hey, white folk, come use our land, and we'll gladly move onto these small patches of the land and call 'em reservations." I know Jam has touched on how old white men make her nervous. But clearly, white folks reserve the inalienable right to be fearful and afraid of others who threaten their way of life, although they've been threatening the way of the world for a good 2000 years or so.
So while the solution for ignorance is clearly a long way away, I hope Juashaunna Kelly eventually becomes her time's Jackie Joyner Kersee or even a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or whatever she wants to be. However, if she is denied that opportunity because of the shakeout from this situation, then, to take a well-worn and still humorous comedic phrase, "the real terrorists have won."
It just boggles the mind and boils the blood that a country allegedly founded on freedom to practice certain religions and lyrics in the Nation Anthem supposedly nod to this place being "the land of the free," can practice such ignorance on a regular basis. While the previous statement is absolutely nothing new, I just felt compelled to speak on it because we have to ask ourselves "where are we really living? Is this the way it's supposed to be? Why do we allow these types of things to happen?"
No one can convince me that none of the geniuses at that meet realized the young lady was Muslim and that her outfit was NOT something she was using to gain an unfair advantage over her competition or something she created for style and flavor; this is her belief, this is her religion, her spiritual and religious uniform and code, and she is wearing it as respect to her creator, nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, after 9-11, the entire Muslim/Islamic religion has come under fire because of a few loony-tune radicals that make a seriously peaceful and intriguing way of worship look like the sparkplug for the final Apocalyptic fire. And the ignorance that the majority in this country thrives off of is on full display whenever the subject is broached. And it's annoying as hell.
I wonder how many Native Americans feel threatened whenever a white person walks into a room. After all, the colonization of America wasn't exactly, "hey, white folk, come use our land, and we'll gladly move onto these small patches of the land and call 'em reservations." I know Jam has touched on how old white men make her nervous. But clearly, white folks reserve the inalienable right to be fearful and afraid of others who threaten their way of life, although they've been threatening the way of the world for a good 2000 years or so.
So while the solution for ignorance is clearly a long way away, I hope Juashaunna Kelly eventually becomes her time's Jackie Joyner Kersee or even a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or whatever she wants to be. However, if she is denied that opportunity because of the shakeout from this situation, then, to take a well-worn and still humorous comedic phrase, "the real terrorists have won."
posted by Chris @ 9:10 PM
3 Comments:
At 9:15 AM,
Jameil said…
i thought she got fitted for a track suit that adhered to her religion and was also suitable for wherever she competes.
At 3:50 PM,
La said…
I hadn't followed up on this story in a min. But I get tired of even the most basic thing being villafied all for the agenda of the government and their "war on terror". Bah.
At 7:47 PM,
CNEL said…
I think it's absurd too. They should have to make accomodations for folks, not force them to conform.
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