Untitled
There were some things I wanted to say that I felt didn't belong in the previous post. The death still haunts me and I feel terribly sad that it was in such a violent and senseless way. There are unsubstantiated rumours that the killer was another Somali man who had a beef with the 2 murdered. Some people don't find it shocking but I do.
The thing is...I live in a very, very safe neighbourhood in a relatively safe city. There is a very small Somali community here and I can go months without seeing another Somali or black person (minus the ~15 that are family and friends). In fact...the closest Somali person is 15-20 minutes away by bus. So I've never seen a drunk Somali, a 'bad' Somali, a gangster, a 'wild girl' etc. If they do bad things...it's very well hidden and kept private. There also haven't been a murder by a Somali person here for as long as I've lived here - which is close to 12 years.
I know that some Somalis are messed up bunch of people as evidenced by what is happening back home - they kill, torture, rape, maim, kidnap, drug etc. like any other group of people. I'm not going to say that they are in any way saints...however I really do expect much, much better from the Somalis outside Somalia. I mean, we escaped the war and all it's horrors...why the heck do we have to bring that crap along with the qabiil & hatefulness over here? Shouldn't we be closer considering how homogeneous of a society we are? After all...we share the same religion, culture, language!
I can't help but want the best for my people...yet I keep getting disappointed and hurt whenever I hear news like this. I should stop being so sensitive to the lives of people I don't know from jack...yet...why does it have to happen?
The thing is...I live in a very, very safe neighbourhood in a relatively safe city. There is a very small Somali community here and I can go months without seeing another Somali or black person (minus the ~15 that are family and friends). In fact...the closest Somali person is 15-20 minutes away by bus. So I've never seen a drunk Somali, a 'bad' Somali, a gangster, a 'wild girl' etc. If they do bad things...it's very well hidden and kept private. There also haven't been a murder by a Somali person here for as long as I've lived here - which is close to 12 years.
I know that some Somalis are messed up bunch of people as evidenced by what is happening back home - they kill, torture, rape, maim, kidnap, drug etc. like any other group of people. I'm not going to say that they are in any way saints...however I really do expect much, much better from the Somalis outside Somalia. I mean, we escaped the war and all it's horrors...why the heck do we have to bring that crap along with the qabiil & hatefulness over here? Shouldn't we be closer considering how homogeneous of a society we are? After all...we share the same religion, culture, language!
I can't help but want the best for my people...yet I keep getting disappointed and hurt whenever I hear news like this. I should stop being so sensitive to the lives of people I don't know from jack...yet...why does it have to happen?
posted by Lonesome Dreamer @ 2:07 p.m.
5 Comments:
At September 6, 2007 at 8:07 p.m. ,
SleepDepraved said...
May God grant home janatul firdows and help him family in his absence. I feel the same way about Somalis around me too and sad to say the Mpls its worse. A couple weeks ago a somali lady was rapped by a somali guy (her b/f). They were both drunk and the whole incident was caught on tape since it happened in the corridor of an apartment complex. Every society has its bad apples but the good ones eclipse the bad. Even in the West the somalis seem intent to keep the bad streak going. When we do have our good apples they assimilate so much into the western culture that they forsake and lose their identity with the rest of us. Long ago I decided I was going to make sure I set an example everywhere I go and I think this is the best recourse. If people see there are diff facets to our destructive streak then maybe they will give the next somali they come upon a fair shake.
At September 6, 2007 at 11:51 p.m. ,
Anonymous said...
ders 5 killings i can recall to mind right now, most in da last 2 months. makes u feel worse when u know da guys/or they r famz.
been hearing the rumors too, cuz a bunch of ppl from ur endz who moved der were at da event. sad eh.
At September 7, 2007 at 2:02 a.m. ,
Anonymous said...
I can understand why you are shocked. I live in the UK, and there is a huge Somali community here, growing bigger and bigger by the year and we have problems.
But even so...i have been living here for about 15-16 years, and it is very seldom I hear Somalis killing/raping their own. Not saying it doesnt happens but from where I live, its so so rare.
We have dealt with alot of racism in the UK, and still do to some extent, and i guess we are too busy fighting and hating other races than hate within ourselves.
Also, the Somalis in my area are very deeply into Islam. Its not uncommon to to see young somali girls with nigab in the middle of the high street handing out flyers of talks. They have also recently built and bought a masjid for their own so that they wouldnt have to share with the Asian muslims. See? Too busy hating/or competing for resources against others than to hate on each other.
Somalis are different in different places. And many factors are involved. What you are seeing in your area is totally unbelievable in mine.
At September 7, 2007 at 6:27 a.m. ,
Anonymous said...
Dreamer, like SD I am frustrated with our society's bad apples. While it's true that criminal behaviour is given disproportional attention, it seems that our young people (especially the men) are all too eager to absorb a thuggish lifestyle.
I think we have a fundamental flaw in our ethical code, and an even more serious flaw in the manner that young men are reared. We are exhibiting all the classic signs of many homes where fathers are not a central figure and boys are indulged. If a pair of parents don't have a solid grip on a boy's mind and actions, the streets will adopt him.
At September 8, 2007 at 2:21 p.m. ,
Lonesome Dreamer said...
SD; I read that story...sickening & scary walahi. Good idea with leading an example..sad to say though...but some people are going to label you as 'snotty goody two shoes' because you decide to lead a 'good' life.
Queen; move back, problemo solved.
Rose; I know that the majority of Somalis are good people...yet we all know that the 1 or 2 bad apples are going to be generalized by the media to the rest of the people. It pisses me off that they're not taking advantage of such a good oppoturnity and making something good out of their lives. They honestly could have had it worse and they just don't care.
Aya; Completely agree with you. It reminds of me of a quote that really makes sense 'idle hands makes for devil's work' or something. Somali girls are for the most part good, however they are the ones constantly punished & supervised and given chores etc. while the boys are so bored with doing nothing to contribute to the family that they are doing crap with their friends to fill the time. I can talk all day about this but will make it another post sometime. It's annoying the double standard and differnce in raising girls and boys in our culture.
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