From MadMikesAmerica:
The other day, I stopped to light a cigarette. I inadvertently drifted to the left, noticing in my peripheral vision that I had stepped in front of somebody.
I turned and said “Sorry sweetheart”.
The lady in question was of Somalian origin. She was a Muslim wearing traditional Muslim attire.
“That’s all right darlin’” she replied, smiled, and walked on.
I stood there with my mouth open, looking not unlike I had been newly lobotomized.
A Muslim woman, of Somalian origin (you can often tell by the facial appearance), wearing traditional Muslim attire – although, thankfully, not one of those awful ‘peek-a-boo’ veil things – actually smiled at me and said, “That’s all right darlin’”
That is all it took you know.
All it took to make me think differently.
After months, nay, years, of being regularly chastised by some as being somewhat Islamophobic. After years of thinking ‘I can’t handle all these alien creatures around here’. After years of genuinely believing that Islam is a very real threat to us.
I haven’t changed much I readily admit. But I have changed a bit. Just because of that one small insignificant sentence. “That’s all right darlin’”.