Dear Members of the United States Congress:
My name is Deedra Abboud. I was born in Arkansas and live in Arizona. I am a Muslim, attorney, and wife of a Naturalized citizen originally from Iraq.
I am writing to you not only to express my support for increased national security efforts against Muslims, but also to urge you to move more quickly.
The current rhetoric of Muslim ID badges and internment in case there might be enemies among the 3 million Muslims living in the U.S., followed by piece-meal legislation, such as the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R. 158), is exhausting.
I am tired of Facebook trolls accusing me, personally, of killing people. I am tired of constantly hearing from average people that all Muslims, even U.S. citizens, should be excluding from entering the U.S. until “we figure things out.” I am tired of Muslims contacting me to find out if the latest legislation affects them as Permanent Residents or U.S. Citizens.
I am tired of getting phone calls from people scared to leave their homes. I am tired of getting calls from people about whether their children can attend a birthday party held at a laser tag facility. I am tired of getting phone calls from people asking if going to a shooting range is legal.
I am tired of getting phone calls from people contacted by the FBI for voluntary interviews that are simply fishing expeditions or confidential informant recruitment efforts. I am tired of arguing with the FBI over whether a person has a right to an attorney for the voluntary interviews.
Your inaction is causing nerves to dangerously frazzle and putting our very lives in danger. If the government does not act soon, there will be more attacks against Muslims and anyone mistaken for one.
More concerning, the militia movements and vigilante-minded individuals may decide to take matters into their own hands.
Rounding us all up will be difficult. I do understand that. Once Muslims start disappearing from society, the realization of who Muslims really are will be a shock.
But this is what everyone wants. That is obvious.
Other than some organizations, primarily Jewish organizations, the majority are so silent you can literally hear a pin drop.
No one wants to “get involved.” No one wants to “rock the boat.” No one wants their “friends” to get mad at them for speaking up.
No one believes it will happen here. Half the people do not even know what is happening.
Even people who know and love Muslims are not saying a word when they see or hear others attacking Muslims. Family members of converts are calling for the mass detention of Muslims, somehow forgetting their own family members, whom they love, would be picked up too.
Muslims are starting to hoard cash in their homes, and actually considering what they would put in just one suitcase, in anticipation of mass detentions.
Everyone is waiting for the mass roundup of Muslims. Do it already. The fear and anticipation are beyond painful.
Daesh/ISIS/ISIL will become irrelevant due to the resulting civil unrest and self-radicalization – not because of Islam but because of the injustice.
But at least it will be dramatic.
I firmly believe the murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi was the only reason Muslims were not attacked in mass after the September, 2001 acts of terrorism. The death of someone who was not Muslims, by someone intending to kills Muslims in retaliation, shocked the nation out of the haze of extreme collective punishment against all Muslims in America.
Attacks on American people mistaken for Muslims is not longer a shock but acceptable collateral damage.
Dramatic action is the only solution to change the current course, and, hopefully, will shock the nation into considering rational actions that actually could address the radicalization of Muslims instead of blatantly contributing to it.
Don’t make us wait and suffer through the long build-up like Hitler did to the Jews. We live in the age of fast food and instant gratification. The waiting is really too much.
Warm Regards,
Deedra Abboud
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