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Local Muslims Discover Courtesy, Understanding Group: Afghan People Impacted Unnecessarily
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
(11:43 PM PT)
By Christian Hill
Government Reporter for The Gazette-Times

Muslim students, from left, Case Bowman, Tarek Siala, Ahmad Alhamar, Lisan Ansari, Mohamed Zabidi and Bahaa Wanly talk about their experiences in Corvallis during the past year. All agreed that people here have been supportive of them.
Image Credit: Ryan Gardner -- Gazette-Times.

As for talk of an U.S. invasion of Iraq, the group said it's important for Americans to note most citizens of Middle East countries led by dictators don't like them anymore than people in the United States do. And they say it's not that Muslims are against America, but that they strongly oppose the foreign policy of this country as interpreted by their leaders.

CORVALLIS, Or. -- GT
Like many of his faith, Mohamed Zabidi feared a backlash against him and other followers of Islam in the days and weeks following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

But Zabidi and his other twenty-something peers who regularly attend the Salman Al-Farisi Islamic Center in Corvallis say they've encountered little but courtesy and understanding.

"I felt stupid for reacting like that because it is Corvallis," he says.

The group spoke in front of the mosque Saturday while waiting to give tours to any resident during an open house. The open house turned out to be sparsely attended. Most of the group waiting to give the tours attend Oregon State University as students.

One difficulty local Muslims did encounter came when U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., during a newspaper interview, said he's seen classified information that showed al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, has raised money in Corvallis and Portland State University. Immediately, the focus intensified on Muslims in the community.
(More: GTConnect.com News Source)
2002 © The Gazette-Times.

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