Fighting Against My Own
"The thought of going to war and being ordered to kill my own Muslim brothers feels horrible."
By Abdullah Hussain
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As a Muslim American, Youth Radio's Abdullah Hussain finds it difficult to support the war against Islamic Nations like Iraq and Afghanistan. Abdullah explains how a mandatory registration form from the US Selective Service made him think about his identity like never before.
Most male US citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 have to register with the Selective Service, but it doesn’t mean that the person registering will automatically get sent into the military.
I know that I most likely won’t be drafted. Still the possibility has made me think more seriously about my identity as an 18-year-old Muslim American. The thought of going to war and being ordered to kill my own Muslim brothers feels horrible. My cleric says to kill another Muslim is the most major sin we can commit.
Sometimes, I have to wonder if President Bush even thinks about the problems with sending people to war who have opposing loyalties to this country and the country of conflict. But the selective service registration made me think about who I am. Maybe the American military does have its benefits.
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