Friday, December 18, 2015

Putting Yourself in the Other Guy's Shoes.


Same guy, Sheikh Mansour, above and below, in sunglasses.
Same guy, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, above in white, below to Prime Minister Cameron's right.

Manchester City fans:


If I walked the three blocks in my Little Israel neighborhood to my bank (which was robbed a couple months ago) dressed like that, I would scare half to death my Orthodox Jewish neighbors in my condo building who happened to see me; if a police car was patrolling when I was out, bet he would stop me; and I don't think my bank would let me in (even if I took off the sun glasses.). Tremendous public service that Wheaton College prof performed in dressing in a hijab. She was suspended from her job-I have been too! You put yourself in another person's shoes and see how it feels.

I have never felt like this before. I have never felt the unease-fear-that I feel contemplating this. All of my adult life when I have taken unpopular, contentious stands that I felt were right I have done so unflinchingly. Today, I'm flinching.