USD Magazine, Winter 2002

~ - IN THEIR OWN WORDS

America's Patriotism Inspires Arab Student Yazaid AL-Salloom, 18, is afreshman business major from Saudi Arabia. He hopes to some day start an advertisingfirm in his country. 0 n Sept. 11, 2001, all of our lives were changed by a catastrophic tragedy. More than 5,000 innocent people were killed - hus– bands, wives, mothers, fathers, firefighters, Christians, Muslims, Jews and many ochers. Perhaps the most frustrating part of this tragic event is the questions that go unanswered: Why did chis have to happen? And why are people blaming chose with a certain religious belief, or chose from a different ethnic background, for Sept. 11 ? I have long believed the most amazing thing about the United States, the trait that makes it unique from any other country, is the fact that it is made up of so many different ethnic groups: African American, Latino, Asian American, Arab American and many more. Despite al1 of our different cultures and backgrounds, we've learned to get along so well. Yet now, after Sept. 11, the acceptance of our differences is deterio– rating. We are beginning to move backward from the goal ofMartin Luther King Jr. , a goal of racial equality and mutual respect, that so many people fought so hard for. We are once again judging people by the color of their skin, the language they speak, the turban on their head or the religion they believe in. Let me cell you a little about mysel£ I was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1983, and raised Muslim. The definition of "Islam" is peace, and murder and suicide are definitely forbidden . I come from a very educated family. My mother holds a master's degree in education and is

A large part of my academic success to date is due to the fact that I refuse to quit, much like America. Determination is a trait I learned while living here, because this country never gives up, as was proven after Sept. 11 . Like most Americans in the days following the tragedy, I was depressed. I would imagine how the innocent families felt and I just wanted to cry. I kept thinking of the hatred this would cause between my two homes - the United States and Saudi Arabia. I also thought about some of my innocent fellow citizens who would be blamed for this. My parents cold me everything would be OK as long as I was careful. Still, many of my friends from Arab countries interrupted their education and returned home, where they tl10ught it was safe. But I was soon inspired by the incredible patriotism in the hearts of Americans and the se!Ress giving to the families of the innocent victims. And at USD, I felt like I was home, because everyone around me knew who I rea!Jy was, knew the difference between a terrorist and an Arab. The USD community was supportive in so many ways. Alice B. Hayes, the president of USD, sent an e-mail about her concerns for the safety of students like myself from the Middle East. So many professors and friends talked to me and showed support. I have been fortunate to not have experienced harassment like some Arab students in tl1e United Scates, but I know discrimination and hatred exist. We must not let old issues such as race and nationality get in our way of achieving Martin Luther King's dream, because that is exactly what the evil manipulators behind all of this want. We are al1 one race, tl1e human race, and though we may all be unique in our own ways, most of us want the same thing - to live in peace and be happy. As an individual, I know I don't have much impact on the world, but I chink making the slightest difference is better than doing noth– ing at all. I want to make people appreciate each other because our lives are short, and we shouldn't waste them by being miserable to each other. If I were to make one change in the world, it would be that when people look at each other, they won't judge the other. And if they should, I hope they look at the positive things, because those are what really matter.

a school principal, and my father holds a Ph.D. in education and has played a big part in the edu– cational services in my country. When I was 2, my family moved to Washington, D.C., because my father was named cultural attache of the Saudi Arabian embassy. I grew up in this country, studying in a private school through sixth grade. In 1995, we moved back to Riyadh. I entered King Faisal Schools, one of the most com- petitive schools in the Kingdom.

"I have been fortunate to not have experienced harassment like some Arab students in the United States, but I know discrimination and hatred exist. "

It was very hard for me to get used to school in Saudi Arabia because of my American upbringing and the fact most subjects were in Arabic. In a sense, I was an outcast in my own country - not because of who I was, bur where I was from. Oddly, that feeling is similar to now, as I try to avoid questions of where I am from for fear that people will think differently of me when I answer. With tl1e help of my family, loyal friends who accepted me and bril– liant teachers who never gave up on me, I was able to graduate from high school witl1 an A grade-point average. My academic success helped me get into USD, a school I chose because I had heard so many great things about its academics and campus. But the thing that attracted me most was the positive relationships an1ong students here.

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