Go Back Home - A Canadian Muslim's Response
by William C King This poem is in response to a man who stopped his truck on Spring Garden Road in Halifax. Stepping out of it, he approached me coming close to my face he stared in my eyes and told me, "Go back to where you came from!" I was born in Halifax, NS over 40 years ago. My mother was from Newfoundland, while my father was born in Nova Scotia. One of the reasons that we started this website and encourage people to take the 20 questions quiz is because fear and lack of understanding lead to hate and escalation. We wish to educate and DE-escalate. We encourage everyone to take the quiz ( Islam20questions.org ) This is my reply to him: You told me straight into my eyes Go back home to where you came My friend, why don't you realize That this hate is just so lame I was born here I said to you "A traitor" you came back All this in less than minute two How do you know me? To attack Go home? Was it my beard I wore That brought out your angry sneer I have a feeling that your hate galore Stems from ignorance and fear Your grandfather to me you said Fought not so I could speak My voice, about the life I led And the life today I keep I say to you that I represent The epitome of why we must Exercise the freedom spent Of your grandfather in trust Please be careful what you say To you this land to judge? You decide who gets to stay? But for you "First Nations" budge My right as child of Adam; Eve The Earth; My sisters and my brothers Established in my faith, my creed Human family above all others My face I place upon the ground My call to the Creator Allah, One God his name I sound REFLECT: English came a little later Jesus, Moses, Abraham, John Beards upon each face Now is met like something's wrong Their style so out of place Please don't simmer in your hate A heavy burden of the heart There is but only one escape Education is a start! Educate before you hate Fear leads to bad reaction Take our quiz, open the gate Be human - not abstraction |