Aftermath “Why did your cousins blow up the World Trade Center?”

On 9/11 I walked in the store, a couple of the employees were telling me, “Hey Muhammed, why’d your cousins blow up the World Trade Center?” And then they tell me that my boss was like, “Hey, if Muhammed comes in check him for bombs.” At first I didn’t believe it because they didn’t like him so they could have made it up. So, I go in on Saturday and my boss took me into his office privately, it was just me and him. He was like, “Hey Muhammed, I have to check you for bombs.” I believe he was joking around, but four days after a tragedy you’re really not supposed to be joking around after something like that. And I took it seriously, I mean that was not funny. And he still didn’t recognize the fact that I was getting offended. He just kept on going, and laughing.

Being American “I’m here to prove them wrong”

The way I’m proving my loyalty is by joining the Army. A lot of people are proving their loyalty by giving up their civil rights. There may be people that still believe that I’m a terrorist. That I’m a camel-jockey. And I’m just here to prove them wrong.

Identity “I used to go by Mike”

Between third and eighth grade I used to go by Mike, ’cause I was so ashamed of my first name which is Muhammed. But in ninth grade I had another Mike in one of my classes and was like, you know what, I’ll just go back to Muhammed. I thought it was time. I think a part of me was waiting for me to actually finally let my true name come out. I was happy, I was more proud of myself that day.

Never Again “I am an Arab American”

Don’t judge a person by their looks, judge ’em by how they are. We’re not all terrorists, we don’t all blow up buildings, planes, ships, ourselves. We don’t kill innocent people. I am not a terrorist, I am an Arab American.