Are you Terrorist? Professor!

Hasan Yahya

After September 11, 2001, I was teaching sociology 333 on Race Relations,  at the University for undergraduate students. In my first lecture on the subject, many students looked at me strangely after announcing my name by writing on the green board. My name was different, my skin too, and worse, my language needs too many sessions for students to understand my language which not exactly English, other than it is scholarly talked. Simple language was far from my professional one. I usually talk slowly, and select my words carefully. I repeat sometimes when I feel my students or sense their absence from my lecture. A Muslim, and Arab, O my God! How could that be? One student was sharp in his question: Are you terrorist, Sir? I laughed, and went to the green board, and wrote: Is your professor Terrorist? This is our topic today!

The best way to answer a question is to understand the question, then ignore it. So I ignored the question to make it an opportunity to understand the course of Race Relations for undergraduate students.  Instead I gave this introduction about my self.

I came to theUnited States25 years ago, I said, withfour kidsandOne wife. EnjoyedAmerican lifeunderfreedom, equality, and pursuit of happiness. EarnedMaster degreesand graduated with 2 Ph.D degrees from one the best tenUniversitiesin thenation,Michigan StateUniversity. I am a professional person inadministration,andrace relations. I published too many papers in professional journals, and presented many research papers in professional meetings and conferences. I don't believe inracism, or prejudice, or apartheid.Unfortunately, I am anArab,Muslim,and worse, I am aPalestinianhave no rights in his homeland as compared to nice always right,JewsofIsraelin theAmerican Media. But Hay, don't forget, I am stillhuman being,an American like you! I believe in liberty, justice, and equal opportunitiesaccording to the Americanconstitution.

After this short, but inviting introduction, I opened the floor for discussion. By asking: what concepts I mentioned in my introduction you think related to the course: Race relations in the United States and elsewhere!

The students began to whisper first, then one young female student in the front raw said:

• -Race, racism, other male student said: [Blacks, White, I did not mention these two words in the introduction]. A third said: American, after a while we have a good number of concepts related to the course like, Arab, discrimination, freedom, liberty, education, equality, human being, Religion, ethics, beliefs, Michigan, University, apartheid, Terrorism [I did not mention this concept too in the intro.], Palestinian, marriage, and happiness,

After this I asked the class to divide into two groups, one defend the professor position as non- terrorist and the other group attack the professor as a possible terrorist.

The lecture began to get hot. The more or less you are involved [I made it clear to the class] all will get a bonus grade, it doesn't matter, in what group you are. We will assign two people [A male and female students to mark each person behavior how many times s/he shared her/his opinion in the discussion and describe behaviors in general]

I give the class 20 minutes for the discussion. Each was given equal opportunity to share with his/her opinion. To talk freely, and say his/her opinion. In fact we did not finish the class comments in the assigned 20 minutes time, so the judges talked to me, and I agreed to give five minutes more for the discussion]

The two judges have to give each person raise their hands a chance, if some one did not respond. All class members will have equal bonus, a whole five points on the exam next week.

After the 20 minutes were over, the two judges came with their data, Some students have talked three times, other students talked twice, and many other students talked one time. Some of the students [Only two] did not share their ideas. The two judges. They were asked to give different views on the topic.

The students were very polite in their comments, and when they give an opinion, they bring the news and the media into play, because much of what they know about terrorism is connected to Arab, and Muslims, It was a lively lecture, indeed. We covered almost all concepts which I planned to cover understanding in my course.

For me as an intellectual person, I understand my students very well, and therefore, I used their question to be beneficial in my method of class management. Every one was enthusiastic in the discussion, and I was relieved by their understanding not to generalize or stigmatize a person for his/her kind or race or ethnic group, or her/his color. I wish you were with us. It was a quite great experience, the students will never forget, I guess!.

P.S. Before I left the room, one female student came to me and whispered: So, you are not a terrorist! Right!  I smiled and said: "see you next lecture!"

Dr. Hasan Yahya is a retired professor live in Lansing, Michigan, home of MSU. Wrote 20 books and published over 120 articles in sociology, psychology, politics, and short stories. His recent book: Arab Palestinians and Jews Migration: Sociological approach, was published on amazon.com. .