[Steve Mangan]

I'm a gay man living in Turkey -- a secular state but predominantly Muslim, and never felt happier or safer. At home in England I was thrown out of home at 16 for being gay, homeless for several years, I suffered regular beatings, was stabbed and hung and left to die, my dog killed and mutilated (parts of his body still stuffed in my coat pockets by our attackers when I left the hospital), when I got a home was victimized and my property vandalized. Me and my partner of 25 years have never suffered as much as a bad word since we moved here, 11 years ago -- and the (muslim) community and (muslim) friends are the most genuine and supportive of people I have ever known.

[Andrew Mandelbaum]

Originally Posted by Steve Mangan

I'm a gay man living in Turkey -- a secular state but predominantly Muslim, and never felt happier or safer. At home in England I was thrown out of home at 16 for being gay, homeless for several years, I suffered regular beatings, was stabbed and hung and left to die, my dog killed and mutilated (parts of his body still stuffed in my coat pockets by our attackers when I left the hospital), when I got a home was victimized and my property vandalized. Me and my partner of 25 years have never suffered as much as a bad word since we moved here, 11 years ago -- and the (muslim) community and (muslim) friends are the most genuine and supportive of people I have ever known.

Thanks for sharing that Steve. I am sorry about your dog-person. That sort of hatred must destroy the soul of the perpetrator.. It is cheering to hear you have found a place on the earth among muslims that is free from that sickness. Salut.

[Ed Shacklee]

Originally Posted by Steve Mangan

I'm a gay man living in Turkey -- a secular state but predominantly Muslim, and never felt happier or safer. At home in England I was thrown out of home at 16 for being gay, homeless for several years, I suffered regular beatings, was stabbed and hung and left to die, my dog killed and mutilated (parts of his body still stuffed in my coat pockets by our attackers when I left the hospital), when I got a home was victimized and my property vandalized. Me and my partner of 25 years have never suffered as much as a bad word since we moved here, 11 years ago -- and the (muslim) community and (muslim) friends are the most genuine and supportive of people I have ever known.

It keeps coming back to how kindness given and kindness returned are such devastating answers to cruelty and fear. It's the story's end we've longed for, ever since we were kids: that we lived happily ever after, or at least tried our best, and so did our friends, and our friends' friends, and so on and so on, which of necessity includes everyone in the world. "We must love one another or die," Auden wrote.

Ed

[Janice D. Soderling]

Thanks, Steve, for sharing that. I am glad to hear that you have found a safe haven and good life. There are good and bad people everywhere. More of the former, I believe, than of the latter.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Do you know if your country has ratified all or parts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? And if it has not, how does that affect your safety?

Added in. The "you" here is a general "you", i.e. anyone reading. Not pointing a finger at any one country. My point is that many think their government has backed human rights but it might well have refused to ratify the article that allows girls to go to school, that prohibits torture, that ensures its citizens the right to criticize their leaders.


https://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/resear...n-index.html#S

[Martin Rocek]

A statement by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum:

WASHINGTON, DC—Acutely aware of the consequences to Jews who were unable to flee Nazism, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum looks with concern upon the current refugee crisis. While recognizing that security concerns must be fully addressed, we should not turn our backs on the thousands of legitimate refugees.

The Museum calls on public figures and citizens to avoid condemning today’s refugees as a group. It is important to remember that many are fleeing because they have been targeted by the Assad regime and ISIS for persecution and in some cases elimination on the basis of their identity.

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.

http://www.ushmm.org/information/pre...yrian-refugees

[Michael F]

Yes, Martin.

And the calls to refuse all immigration into the US strike me as sadly ironic, or worse, given what I suspect is the preponderant role the US has played in causing the crisis.

[Ed Shacklee]

The American-flavored paradox of muscular Christianity flexes its large, ugly biceps once again -- much to the chagrin of many, many Christians, I would guess.