Growing up I was in all the church groups like choir and my mother was a Sunday school teacher. My family was very well respected in my community because we were so involved in our church. We were the basic Smith family in the town and we lived in a town that was mostly all Christian people. Everyone in town would go to the 12 o’clock mass on Sunday and had their best church clothes on. Going up me and my sister could not wait to go to church on Sundays and get all dressed up. I would to a private all girl Christian high school my father had a good job in the factory.

They said I have to be careful because they would want to change my faith. Than my father would tell me that the men would just use the women and never really love them. I started to feel the hate, my friends started to go has well because if their parents. We would have so much hate, I wanted them to believe in what I believed in. We would say that they are stupid and where not educated and very dirty people. I felt so bad for the women in their culture to be covered from head to toe because of men. My mother told me that those women were unhappy and forced to be cover from head to toe because of their religion.

They never said anything to me and when they dropped me off back at school after break was over willing to meet Sireen. We all went out to get lunch at a Local Restaurant nearby. Sireen started to tell them she goes to marches and meeting about we can all come together has one and not fight each other. I felt that this was a great eye opener for my parents. After college was over me and Sireen still keep in touch all the time and she became a part of my family. Has time went on my parents stop going to the hate groups and after college I moved to the city. After college was over me and Sireen still keep in touch all the time and she became a part of my family. One summer break I went to go meet her family and try new things and see where she really lived. I learned that it is better to love than to hate.

“why don’t you like me?” I was stunned by the question and just told her I was quiet. Then she went on to saying that it was not that, she said she can feel the tension in the room and went on and on. Then I finally explode and told her it is because she is Muslim and wears the surf around her head. Sireen looked at me and said “that’s why? This is why you hate me because of my religion?” I told her that they were wrong and that yes this is why I did not like her. Sireen than told me I never hated you or did not want to talk to you because of your religion id your religion is so peaceful and welcoming. Why are you so mean to me? In my religion we do not believe in hating other people because of what they believe.

came back to my dorm and bam there was my roommate, Muslim girl with the scarf. Her name was Sireen and her father was there to help het unpack. She asked for my name and I told her I was Kim Smith. She was very nice to me and greeted me with a hug. Her father shook my hand and started to make small talk and asked me about myself. They both seemed very nice and friendly but I knew how those people are.