Yasmine was walking home from school when a couple of boys started following her. They were calling her names because she's Muslim and trying to scare her, and one of them even picked up a dirt clod and threw it at her.
I just started thinking about Yasmine and how people can be so cruel, and how horrible I was to you which didn't make me much better than those boys... and how everyone in the world has the same capacity to be so mean and intolerant. It just makes me feel so sad.
I was happy, until one day, our entire world turned upside down. I go out on my usual errands and suddenly people are staring at my hijab. I've worn it all my adult life, and now I get looks and whispers as I pass by. Why? I'm still the same person, I haven't changed. I try to believe that some people are just curious, but why wasn't I asked about it years ago? Why now? See, it's not curiousity, it's suspicion.
Fear can bring out the worst in people, and fear is evidence of a lack of fatih. I mean, for some people, that's a lack of faith in God. For others it's a lack of faith in themselves, but for others its a lack of faith in their fellow man. I hope what's happened with Yasmine doesn't make you lose your faith in people's kindness.
NNasreen
Oh, how can I? I have proof sitting right here in front of me. I'm sorry to have burdened you with my problems. I'm a very pro-avtive person and I hope I'm not sounding like a victim because that's not my intent.
[addressing the school board] My name is Ruthie Camden, and first, I want to say how much I like going to the Eleanor Roosevelt School. My classes are really cool, and I get to do so much more than I did at my old school. I love horses, and I even get to take Equestrian classes. It's like a dream come true for me. I've learned so much at this school. Last week, during science period, Miss Riddle talked to us about the spine. Se taught us how important the spine is to the entire body. The spine allows you to hold your head up high. Well, I don't think I'll be able to hold my head up high in this class anymore, if this school doesn't let my friend Yasmine attend. And from what I've read about her, Eleanor Roosevelt has a really strong spine. This school is named after her, and if you want to know more about her, you should read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It's all about freedom, justice, and peace.
Hello. That was the end of my speech. I said I was going to quit! [Eric, Annie, Mrs. McCool, and Miss Riddle get up and clap, everyone else is silent] Tough crowd.
What you did was really amazing, so don't think that it's not. You stood up for someone who was being discriminated against because of her religion, and that's a big deal. A very big deal. The biggest!
I don't want to, but I think it's something I have to do. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself". I think I have to bite the bullet.
