There is a lot of hatred in our world, and most of it comes from ignorance. A lot of people only know about current events by watching the news, and the media tend to twist things to make them seem one way or another. When it comes to war and religion, things are never black and white.
If anyone has a right to be mad at Muslims, you would think it would be the soldiers who are fighting against Islamic extremists and watching their friends get killed in combat.
One soldier was recently severely wounded when a bomb exploded next to his British Army vehicle in Basra, Iraq. Chris Herbert was only 19 when he lost his leg as a result of the attack.
You might think this traumatic event would leave the young man bitter and angry, especially at the people who were behind the attack.
However, it opened his eyes to what was really going on in the world and helped him realize that just because certain people from a country or religion are bad, it doesn’t mean everyone from the country or religion is.
After an anti-Muslim group tried to recruit Herbert and he noticed hundreds of cruel and racist remarks about Muslims on social media, he felt the need to say something.
What he posted shocked a lot of people and, hopefully, helped open the eyes of many others. He posted:
“Getting frustrated with some people expecting racism from me because I got blown up. Here it is:
“Yes. A Muslim man blew me up and I lost my leg. A Muslim man also lost his arm that day wearing a British uniform. A Muslim medic was in the helicopter that took me from the field. A Muslim surgeon performed the surgery that saved my life. A Muslim nurse was part of the team that helped me when I returned to the UK.
“Islamophobic groups tried to recruit me as a poster boy. Although, a lot of people helped in my recovery! I don’t hate white brits either! hahaha. I know who I dislike, and I know who I don’t. I know who I appreciate, and I know who I don’t. If you want to hate an entire race of men and women for the actions of a few… feel free, but don’t push your views on me, thinking I am an easy target.
“Blaming all Muslims for the actions of groups like Daesh [so-called Islamic State] and the Taliban is like blaming all Christians for the actions of the KKK or Westboro Baptist Church. Get a grip of your lives, hug your family, and get back to work.”
People were shocked by his post, and many were taken back by it.
Some took the time to read it and thought about how true it really was, and others completely disagreed and called him crazy for not being angry.
While Herbert may be angry, he has found a way to focus his anger on the one person who caused him to lose his leg, not an entire culture or religion, because that’s just the truth of what happened. He doesn’t want to go through his life being hateful and angry.
He wants to recover and move on.
Sure, he wishes things could have been different, and he will always be passionate about his country and his fellow soldiers. However, he can do that without hating others. It’s one thing to fight for what is right, but it’s another to hate innocent people just because they believe a certain thing or come from a certain place.
Hopefully, his post will help others realize that they don’t have to hate all Muslims just because a few have done awful things.
There are many Muslims who are fighting on their side. Herbert is a smart young man, and his post may just help change the minds of a lot of people.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
