It is truly a test of humility to watch the unfolding US reaction to dozens of Christian expulsions from Morocco over allegations of proselyting.
Is the eviction process an expression of anti-Christian sentiment or is there a succinct political message being conveyed?
In the past nine years, beginning the day after the September 11th terrorist attacks, the US has made drastic policy changes that have resulted in creating a negative focus on millions of Muslims, Arabs and western Islamic converts.
The Patriot Act, passed by congress without significant debate of its consequences, radically reduced the rights and legal process of immigrants as well as citizens.
Overt and covert policies, including the Special Registration requirement, the No-Fly list, mass deportations, surveillance of mosques and homes, the threat of rendition and so forth, represent a replay of the paranoid, intimidation policies of the cold war era. Not the civilized American society governed by a higher conscience of democratic responsibility.
Tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands)of families have lost their providers and livelihoods through an aggressive US policy of deportation of Muslim men in the past nine years.
To many patriots, our government has simply rewritten the Constitution to meet its desire for supreme authority over individual rights.
Six months after 911 a personal friend (an Iraqi immigrant) disappeared after he criticized US support of Israeli human rights abuses against Palestinians while at Star Bucks. Three weeks later a letter from him in Italy said that he had been arrested at his job, detained and then placed aboard a plane after previously filing a petition for a hearing on his case.
In 2006 the US signed an open-trade-agreement with Morocco, opening the nations’ entrepreneurs to the richest trade market in the world. In 2007 the US also committed $700 million (dollars) of MCA Funds to help Morocco expand its economy. This international development assistance program was developed to reward good governance and the promotion of economic freedom.
After what amounts to a little over 150 Christian deportations this year, some congressmen are calling for a withdrawal of economic commitment, pulling the rug out from under one of its best allies in North Africa regarding the war on terror.
Unfortunately, this already looks like another program in which the carrot of opportunity is dangled, while foreign emissaries are expected to sit cross legged, taking dictation from western policy bosses.
As an American, I must confess that this sanctimonious political hypocrisy comes from that same group of elected officials who dealt hastily and unwisely with their own internal dilemma, permanently altering the precarious balance between liberty and security.
What about Morocco? Does the American view of the free world allow nations to craft internal policy and enforce public law? Do freedom loving people have the right to determine their own future?
I happen to know many wonderful Moroccans and without hesitation must say that they are among the finest people our human society has to offer. Their nation is diverse in both cultural content and geographic beauty.
I hope that Americans and their government will finally awaken from the inhospitable stupor of incessant post-terror fear and dogma, only to find the reality that citizens of the world grow weary of America’s arrogant assumption that ‘all’ Muslims, Arabs and those in opposition to US policy – must be indicted for American misfortune.
