Waving the flag with my Muslim friends - Celebrating America's 250th!

When you hear the word, “Muslim”, my friends, what images do your emotions evoke?

Do images of terrorists cross your mind?

Perhaps endless wars in the Middle East?

Or maybe someone who is in so many ways just like you?

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Edis Hadziahmetovic invited me to dinner one evening in downtown Bristol. Edis is one of the brightest and wittiest students I ever taught (and I taught a heckuva lot of bright and witty students in my life). He graduated Bristol Virginia High School at the very top of his class. Edis is not only very smart, but extremely kind and thoughtful.

Indeed, Edis is an honorable American citizen who loves and appreciates our country every bit as much as anyone who may read these words.

Yet Edis is sometimes mistrusted - and sometimes even hated - by too many people. Simply because of his religion. He is a Muslim.

The writers of the United States Constitution were adamant that the religious choice of American citizens would always remain a highly cherished and adamantly protected individual freedom. The purpose of this particular piece of writing is to remind us all (yes, including myself, as all writing is ultimately autobiographical) of that wondrous fact.

I would like to share with you a few quotes taken directly from some of Edis’ Facebooks posts:

“I’m blessed to be surrounded by great friends and family who continue to push and support me in all that I do. I enjoy learning new things from all of you and I aspire to repay the faith that you all have shown me ten times over.”

“One of my main goals in life is to prove to people that through hard work and dedication, anything is possible.”

“Thank you to all who served … we are forever grateful for the service of America’s veterans. #respect”

How about those quotes from a true American? Neither our ethnicity, political beliefs, race, sexual persuasion, economic position, nor our religion ever define us as Americans. It is our love of freedom and respect for individual human rights that does.

In fact, freedom of religion was so important to our nation’s founders that it is the very first freedom mentioned in the Constitution.

I have another Muslim friend who has now retired from serving America in the armed forces. He is a veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where most of the people he fought against were Muslims.

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Beginning with our original Revolutionary War, it has always been a big part of our American DNA to rebel against unjust laws.

There was once a law in America that Black people could be owned as slaves.

There was once a law in America that women could not vote.

There was once a law In America that one must marry a person of their own “race”.

There was once a law … and so on, and so on.

We Americans have a wonderful history of defying and protesting unjust laws, until they are the law no more. It’s what we’re good at … and we have the freedom to do it; to defy, to disagree, to protest, to march, to write, to speak out against any unjust laws and ways.

There is a big difference between nationalism and patriotism.

It is important to the lifeblood of our American republic that our common citizens understand the difference.

Nationalism is the belief that your country is always right, no matter what (a view that too many in America are prone to hold). Throughout history, extreme nationalism has always led those nations who followed its path to arrogance, isolation, and ultimately - fewer individual freedoms.

Patriotism, however, is something quite different. Real patriotism leads to pride in your country when she is at her best … and honest self-reflection (with a willingness to improve her) when she is not.