Yuram Almanfi's Blog | M3I: Music, Mormons, Military and Iraq

Comments and thoughts of an American Muslim on US Foreign policy in the Middle East and the so-called War on Terror,examining the contradictions from a perspective of justice, fairness and human rights.

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M3I: Music, Mormons, Military and Iraq

30 November, 2005

On a recent Saturday evening, I shared an experience with an Iraqi friend of mine. I met him over two years ago at a seminar where he gave a lecture on the situation in Iraq. At that time, I couldn’t help but marvel at how he spoke out against the US occupation of Iraq despite having been imprisoned by Saddam Hussein at Abu Ghraib. Since then, we have become close friends. He had been given two tickets for a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Denver, Colorado USA, by a colleague from an interfaith program. Ibrahim invited me to go with him and I accepted, as being with him is always a learning experience as well as providing needed reinforcement for my world outlook. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the evening turned out to be an opportunity to clarify my identity as a Muslim and as an American.

Out of respect for the volunteer artists in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I want to point out that their performance was professional and flawless. While the program mainly consisted of classical and church music which is not my preference, I could still appreciate the technical proficiencies of the performers and the superb musical interplay between the conductor, choir and orchestra. An exception to the musical format was a number midway in the first half of the program which was lively, complex and syncopated, which both of us enjoyed. The second half of the performance was Christmas music which is often offensive to me with its overt Christian content.

Briefly, here's what happened. The event began with a VIP reception before the concert, complete with food, drink and socializing with the elite of Denver. As Muslims, we both avoided the food and drink, as a precaution. Ibrahim confided to me that he feels uncomfortable in these situations; so do I. These are definitely NOT my people. Among the speakers were Senators Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar, and we heard the usual rhetoric about peace and good will towards men that is to be expected this time of year. When the applause for the last self-congratulatory speech had ended, we were invited to go downstairs to the concert hall.

I was caught off guard when the program started with the American national anthem (or is that the national anathema?) I stood up knee-jerk style while Ibrahim sat. I immediately understood why he was sitting, but I asked myself why am I standing? I don't support the actions of the United States of Aggression, in Iraq, Palestine, or here in America, for that matter, with its government “of the rich, by the rich and for the rich,

Posted by yuram 20:30 | Iraq | Comment(0) | Permalink