I have a question, it seems that people make references to their identity in passing, but when it comes to direct questions posed by me, they never answer them. Instead they remain silent, never even quenching my curiousity.
When it comes to people of color reverts and Jews, they always seem to delve in their identities and the various labels they self-describe themselves.
But for Euro-American reverts, there is this hesitancy to discuss issues of race and ethnicity.
OmarG seems to be the exception, with his insistence on an indigenous American Muslim identity predicated upon intermarriage and ethnic miscegenation.
Ginan has repeated that she is a married woman and immigrant from the Arab watan, now residing comfortably in the West and even she acknowledges the current of racism prevalent in the Muslim Ummah.
But far too often, white reverts want to negate discussions of racism and nationalism. Why is does this seem to be a prevalent issue for them?
Is the anonymity on the internet somehow predicated on the fear of people finding out you engage in heterodox views of Islam that may not be welcomed in your mosque?
Are you afraid of real life conservative-traditional Muslim mosque goers who will give you the ackward eye?ÂÂ
"When it comes to people of color reverts and Jews, they always seem to delve in their identities and the various labels they self-describe themselves."
"But far too often, white reverts want to negate discussions of racism and nationalism."
These are all interesting observations. I'm not sure I agree as I can name you any number of Jews who do not refer to themselves as you describe as well as African-Americans who don't use lables to describe themselves.
It's not intrusive to ask people abou ttheir identities, it's simply a question of why and in what context. Not impossible, but questionable.
For some people, their identities are so much in flux (thankfully) that checking boxes just seems silly. Probably not being cryptic, but rather very very honest.
Calling yourself something is always a tricky game. Especially in a world where the word "apostate" and "convert" actually have traction. Pshaw.
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