Positive change
Every little helps, believe me, people are listening and change is coming, regardless of the hurdles they put in its path. I listened with pleasure to the Crown Prince talk about this very issue tonight in which he stressed - several times - that we should not let sectarianism win!
I responded to his talk by pinning one of the “No Shi’i No Sunni.. Just Bahraini” buttons on his bisht and briefed him about what we are trying to do. On the way out I had a few seconds to emphasise the message and he agreed. He even suggested that we should also do “No Shi’i, No Sunni… Just Muslim”! and maybe send a couple of million to Iraq and other places to get rid of the sectarianism that is eating us up.
I wasn’t shot for saying it. I wasn’t thrown out when I pinned the button on his robe. I wasn’t looked at weird… but I tell you what happened after the dinner though, I was surrounded for more than half an hour in the car park with everyone asking how can THEY help! All of them not only pledged money to the campaign, but also offered the services of their shops and companies to distribute the buttons and whatever other paraphernalia we produce.
This is positive change. And I am glad that more and more people are sitting up and taking notice now. If this campaign gets people asking the questions about sectarianism and a few change their dogmatic views to tolerant ones, then this campaign could be deemed a winner, and this will be the start of the long path to peaceful coexistence.
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Mahmood,
May I suggest allocating a free space here for Bahraini families who are mixed Sunni-Shi’e? They can write briefly about themselves and post a picture or two. These families are usually the ones that suffer the most from sectarian disturbances and I’m sure they would like to speak loudly against what’s been happening in Bahrain recently.
YES, YES and double YES. If you are and would like to contribute in any way, please do contact me or email me your copy and I’ll publish it.
As there is no division between Bahrainis but the officials are creating it for thier own benefits, I think the second version of the campaign should have a stronger message, something like:
No Corruptor
No Cheater
Only Honest Officials!
Being a foreigner married to a bahraini I have always answered to the question what sect my husband is from that he is a bahraini.
My children have friends that are just that friends not the shi’i/sunni friends.
And they have never been allowed to speak bad about a person just because they belong to a different race or sect.
Unfortunalty most parents encourage the discrimination/segragation actively by example through behaviour and using ethnic slures
Maybe it’s easier to distance myself from it as I have not been brought up here and do not see a problem being one or the other.