American Muslims must embrace their American-ness, writes Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballah, at his blog, "God, Faith and A Pen." Hassballah, a pulmonary and critical care physician in the Chicago area, says though he grew up in the U.S., he used to be an Islamic fundamentalist, and identified as an Egyptian, not an American. That all changed on 9/11.

Embracing my American-ness was one of the best things that happened to me, and it is something every American Muslim must do. American Muslims must live and breathe their American-ness and see this country as their country, their home. Frequently, the sons and daughters of immigrants have strong ties to the "mother country." And I don't advocate a total severing of ties to the "mother country." Our ethnic diversity is part of what makes America beautiful. Yet, American Muslims must be just that: American. That way, they can fully engage in their society and fully contribute.

In my view, that would entail a move away from one-dimensional victim status, toward voicing support for domestic anti-terrorism efforts, and expressing more clearly and publicly some appreciation for what America offers. Let other Americans know what has drawn you here; we assume it is something positive, but it is hard to tell, at times. Connect with the larger community, and trust can conceivably grow. Let us hear of some shared values, as well as of what is wrong.

Muqtedar Khan and John L. Esposito of the the Institute For Social Policy And Understanding, write in their paper "Islam In The West: The Threat Of Internal Extremism," that Muslims here must differentiate between legitimate differences with the U.S. on foreign policy; and corrosive, harmful anti-Westernism.

In a a recent column at the UAE-based online journal "Muslim Wake-Up," on Irshad Manji's "The Trouble With Islam," Dr. Hassaballah urges North American Muslims to engage in critical dialogue about their faith and communities, without resorting to censoriousness and outrage when challenged.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 18, 2005 02:48 PM

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