Eye of the Beholder (42 page)

“Each of us must vow to treat all people the way we ourselves wish to be treated, and then live out that commitment in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our schools, churches, synagogues, and mosques.

“What I am asking is that here in
this
city we purposefully link arms and defend for each other the basic human right that, ‘all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ That’s what our Creator intended. That’s what our forefathers designed. And that’s what so many brave souls, living and dead, have fought to protect. How dare we not endeavor to preserve what has cost so many so much!”

Guy realized he and Ellen and everyone in the audience were on their feet, the applause resounding for perhaps half a minute. Finally everyone sat, and Ali continued.

“And now I would like the others who invited you here to come stand with me.”

Each person sitting on the stage rose to his feet and went and stood on either side of Ali.

“Please hold your applause until I have introduced each person.”

Ali first acknowledged Mayor Dickson, and then introduced Mrs. Tehrani, Will Seevers, the Fassihs, the Kohlers, Professor Hardy, the Pearsons, the rabbi, the pastor, and the imam. He then reached for the hand of the person on either side of him, and the others followed his lead.

Guy put his lips to Ellen’s ear. “I don’t know that I could hold hands with the parents of the kid that killed my son.”

Ali’s voice suddenly sounded emotional. “We stand before you—Muslims, Jews, and Christians—united in our forgiveness
and our resolve to see that the senseless violence that has stolen the lives of four of our children will never happen again. We believe that understanding and respect for one another will happen only when we abandon our isolationism and become integrated into the community, committed to a common goal.

“And toward that end, the Fassihs, the Kohlers, and the Tehranis have started a foundation, the money designated for the purchase of land and the construction of The People’s Clinic, which will offer free medical and dental care for low-income families and the underprivileged.

“Every nail driven into the walls of this facility will be by the hands of volunteers. The invitation to help in its construction is open to all who are willing to participate. The People’s Clinic will be operated by volunteer medical professionals, and already, over forty physicians and nurses have pledged to donate some of their time.

“On the grounds outside the clinic, a life-size bronze sculpture of Daryoush Fassih and Isaac Kohler will stand as a reminder of why we must work together.

“Furthermore, the front walk of The People’s Clinic will bear the footprints of school children—another reminder of how important it is that we impart to future generations the virtues of cooperation and mutual respect.

“For every adult or child who lends a hand in the construction—whether in the actual building process or by providing materials or even bringing refreshments to the workers—special tiles with the individual’s name will be prominently displayed in the clinic. We want this project to be of the people, by the people, and for the people of Seaport.”

Ali got another standing ovation and the applause went on for some time. He looked over at Guy and winked. Finally, he raised his hands to ask for silence and began speaking again.

“We on this stage have written a pledge and signed it. Now we invite you to ponder the words and to sign it, too. This pledge
and all the signatures will be put into a scrapbook and displayed in the clinic.

“Mr. Fassih and Dr. Kohler have asked that they be allowed to read it to you.” Ali stepped away from the podium and motioned for the two men to approach.

The fathers of the two murdered boys came and stood at the microphone, then began reading in unison:

“We the people of Seaport, having suffered the loss of human life and a frightening attack on our public safety, and having heard the rumblings of civil anarchy, do pledge, from this day forward, to purposefully foster in ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, schools, and places of worship understanding and respect for our fellow citizens.

“We further pledge that we will seek to be bridge builders within the community, and not become aligned with individuals or groups whose hatred or unlawful actions would threaten the safety and happiness of anyone else. This is our promise to ourselves, our children, our neighbors, and our Creator.”

Ali resumed his place at the microphone and stood quietly for a moment with Mr. Fassih and Dr. Kohler, then began speaking again.

“On this Veteran’s Day, America is engaged in still another war on its home front, equally insidious and perhaps even more destructive than terrorism.
Patriotism
lies wounded on the battlefield of political disagreement. And, my friends, the death of allegiance has more power to destroy us than any outside enemy.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish. Please … won’t you pledge with us to strengthen the bonds between individuals and groups in our community? Together, we
can
heal the past, we
can
promote peace in the present, and thereby, we
will
preserve this great heritage for our children and grandchildren—and all generations to come.”

Ali gave a slight nod to the other two men, then the trio
began singing a cappella, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free …”

Guy was aware of rising to his feet, and a tear running down Ellen’s cheek, and the November sun filtering through a massive live oak that had withstood the car bombing. But the only voices he heard were those of the three brave men at the podium. Men he’d grown to respect, whose backgrounds and beliefs were vastly different from his, but whose voices now harmonized in an unprecedented show of unity.

Guy slipped one arm around Ellen and the other around Hailey, his hand resting on Owen’s shoulder. He sang out with all his heart, deeply grateful for a renewed sense of freedom, for seeing his neighbors with different eyes, and for joining with them to make Seaport a safer place for the grandchild he fully intended to spoil rotten.

 A
FTERWORD
 

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

L
UKE 10:27

D
ear friends,

I had always understood prejudice to be overt disdain for other races and cultures, but I’ve come to realize that prejudice begins by deeming
any
group of people to be of lesser value than ourselves. When we look down on someone of a different social class, occupation, educational background, religion, denomination, or even those who are uncomely, disabled, disadvantaged, we fall painfully short of Jesus’ command in Luke 10:27. For believers, these attitudes are often repressed because we’re ashamed of having feelings we seem powerless to change.

I began this story with the idea of exposing Guy Jones’s attitude about Ellen’s friends but never planned for it to evolve into the volatile conflict between the Joneses over the Tehranis. But I’m glad it did. As the story progressed, I was surprised to find myself relating to Guy’s attitude toward Muslims as much as
Ellen’s and realized I had been nursing a quiet prejudice against Muslims—an attitude born
entirely
out of what I had seen and heard in the media. How unfair! Though I would never have behaved rudely toward a Muslim person, the fear and misunderstanding that “they’re
all
out to destroy us” had definitely begun to color my thinking and anesthetized me to the need to pray for their redemption.

Confessing my attitude to God, I began to pray for these people I find hard to understand and who are so culturally and spiritually different—and my heart began to soften. I no longer lump them all together as evil and violent radicals. Most are victims of gross religious manipulation and need to be freed through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They are lost human beings who desperately need a Savior. And that’s something I
can
relate to—something that’s sufficient to keep me on my knees on their behalf and enough to make them worth reaching out to.

No matter what religious, racial, or social differences may cause us to feel superior to someone else, the best way to conquer that wrong thinking is to develop a servant’s attitude. A servant is never greater than the one he serves, and I’m convinced that when we act differently, we will begin to feel differently.

In this century when the media exposes us to the best and the worst of humankind, we would do well to pray that we’re able to see our neighbor with our Father’s eyes. For each is made in His image and plays a role in His plan. It’s never His desire that any should perish—not even one.

I hope you’ll join me for the third Seaport Suspense Novel,
All Things Hidden
, where we will find out whether Hailey and Owen have a boy or a girl, and meet up with some interesting new characters who will take us through a maze of twists and turns. As always, it promises to be a page-turner!

I love hearing from my readers. You can write to me through
my publisher at
www.letstalkfiction.com
or directly through my website at
www.kathyherman.com
. I read and respond to every e-mail and greatly value your input.

In His love,

P.S. If you would like information on how to sponsor a Compassion child, please go online to
www.compassion.com
and explore the options. The process is easy and so rewarding. My husband and I currently sponsor three children (Guatemala, Uganda, and Rwanda) and have sponsored two others who are now grown. Compassion publishes its operating costs and is proud that a huge percentage of each dollar goes directly to the children, not to administrative costs. Sponsoring a Compassion child is a proven and affordable way to insure that a child’s physical and educational needs will be met, and that he or she will hear the message of God’s saving grace and will be nurtured in the Word of God.

 D
ISCUSSION
G
UIDE