My young son went too far when he suddenly asked: “Dad, are you a terrorist”? Unprepared for the question, I asked why he thought so and why he was asking such a question in the first place. He said he had seen newspaper cartoons with a bearded man in a short thobe being called a terrorist.
The man in the picture, he explained, looked just like me. In another newspaper, he added, he had once read an article cautioning parents against allowing bearded young men in the house for fear they might be terrorists.
I asked my son exactly what he understood about the meaning of “terrorist.” He answered that a terrorist was someone who bombed, injured and killed innocent people. I asked if he thought I looked like one based only on my outward appearance. He said that I didn’t. Then I asked if he thought any of the bearded men with short thobes he knew would do those kinds of things and he answered in the negative.
I asked him to tell me what he knew about the appearance of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said the Prophet had a beard and never wore long gown. I asked if anyone would ever entertain the idea that because of his appearance, the Messenger of God was a terrorist? He said no sane person would ever dare think or believe such a thing. I explained to my son that what was often written did not always reflect reality, nor was it always free of personal prejudice.
I don’t think I am the only father who has had to deal with this situation. Many other parents have probably been involved in similar discussions with their children. The experience with my son raised a number of questions.
Why do certain people seek to instill such perceptions and ideas into the minds of our children?
Who will benefit from this deliberate distortion of reality? What advantage, if any, is to be gained from exposing children’s minds to what is an adult conflict? At a time when we need to preach moderation and tolerance, some writers insist on doing exactly the opposite.
If such trends continue, they will only lead to the spread of more extremist and excessive ideas. This in turn will generate more bad feelings and could even lead to some people hating and judging others simply because of outward appearances.
Arab News From the Local Press 3 June 2003
