DISHING IN THE D WITH DINA

Metro Detroit will always be considered home to me.  I was born in Motown and I went to school and college here.  I live north of Eight Mile now but I have come to understand no matter where I go- Toronto, New Orleans, L.A. or D.C., Detroit is in my heart.  It resides in my molecular structure like DNA and it conditions my outlook that is rooted in hard work, cultural heritage and of course, the divine art of hustling my talents.

Though I am sometimes introspective, I am always open-minded and curious to the world around me.  Being raised in the D has afforded me a certain perspective to life that is unique and so very valuable.

Being a Detroit Girl is a gift from the Almighty’s benevolence.  I am pleased and excited to share my experiences with you.  Let me be your tour guide using words as my compass and life experience as my map… Welcome to Detroit!

I was chatting with a friend of mine on Facebook way past my bedtime last night and we were talking about President Barack Obama’s trip to the Middle East.  Now, I usually don’t pay an extreme amount of attention to politics but at least in my recent memory, this seems to be one of the most publicized efforts by a U.S. President to bring about diplomatic relations between Palestine and Israel.

So, does that mean that saying “Peace in the Middle East” will be cool as it was in 1991 when all the rap artists were saying it?  Maybe not.  It probably ranks up there with other horribly outdated vernacular like “Cold Chillin’” and “Funky Fresh”.  But needless to say, this seems to be one of the most pivotal moments in history when people of all creeds can come together in brotherhood.

Or so we are told.

I know that I am a member of the Press but some of the stuff I am reading about in newspapers on President Obama’s trip to Cairo leaves me with the impression that this whole ordeal is quite sugarcoated.  People are expressing pride for our President as he ventures off to what many Americans deem as hostile territory to initiate conversations that will hopefully one day finally bring out (dare I say it) peace in the middle East.

I am sure Obama is taking some aspirin for the headaches to come.  People are really expecting a lot out of his administration including being a strong influence to cease a war between two factions that has existed since Biblical times. 

Does change happen with the politicians?  Can the course of this bloody fight that claims the lives of millions end with a well-publicized speech in front of cameras and dignitaries and journalists? 

I understand that a lot can be accomplished with the support of elected officials but I think that change starts at home, or as Senator Debbie Stabenow told me recently, “A speech is good, but it doesn’t get the job done.”

Last winter, I wrote a short article about Obama being elected and I spoke about how maybe he was influenced by some of the titans of the Civil Rights period.  I had mentioned the influence of Islam in the struggle for equality for voting, housing and education rights for Blacks.

My article was greeted with praise from readers who took the time out to write me except for one reader who was disturbed on how in the world Muslim people had anything to do with Civil Rights in this country. 

This reader mentioned his understanding of Islam as a religion spread by the sword and something to stay away from..

“This being the case,” the email continued, “I cannot fathom how such a violent (at its core teachings) religion helped anyone…”

I am not Muslim (or religious for that matter) but growing up in Detroit, I became well acquainted with the Islamic culture that resides in Motown.  As I informed the reader above, Malcolm X, one of the most influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement was also a powerful Muslim through Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam who had influenced millions worldwide of all faiths and races who were oppressed by larger political and cultural infrastructures.

As I grew to become a young adult, I gravitated in circles where people desired a connection to their African roots.  The brothas wore dashikis and participated in slam poetry contests.  The sistas wore natural hair, stacked silver jewelry and long flowing clothing. 

Hanging around friends like that informed me of where to get good quality uncut fragrance oils (“Hey gurl, you need to go to that Muslim brother’s shop for some good Oud oil”), a decent bean pie (“My sista, that Muslim bakery is the best in town for bean pies) or even when I just need a quick snack on a hot day (“Dina, why did you go to the Coney Island?  You should’ve drove down Wyoming near Fenkell.  The dudes from the Mosque was out there with their bags of fresh fruit!”).

I have so many friends and mentors that are or were Muslims and I don’t see them any different than my friends who are of the Christian faith.  If you are my friend, I have already deemed you as a decent person.  I walked past an Islamic center that was vandalized near Wayne State awhile back and realized that maybe the vandals didn’t know any Muslim people that were good and decent like I do. 

Michigan is home to the largest concentration of Arabic people outside of the Middle East and the city of Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, has enough mosques in it to make you think that you were in Mecca.  I went inside of a gas station that was run by some Arab-Americans.  The cashier was ringing up my purchase when I heard melodic chanting from a nearby stereo.  I immediately recognized it as the Muslim call to prayer. 

“Does that offend you?” the cashier asked me.  I said it didn’t and as a matter of fact, it sounded quite nice.

Why would someone expressing his or her faith be offensive, I asked myself.  The naiveté soon wore off and I had to remember that people fear what they don’t understand and they dislike anything that is considered a threat.   I don’t know all of the reasons why some people dislike Arabs and Muslims and I won’t pretend that everyone will get along just because they are in the same city, country or world.  Human nature is not that diplomatic all the time. 

I admit that I haven’t had been acquainted as much with Detroit Jewish community but because we are all people, I think that we can all get along but it starts in our own hearts, homes and family.  Peace in the Middle East and in the world begins with what we tell ourselves.  It begins with what we tell our children.  Only then can change really begin because like most things, it is an inside job.