A CONVERSATION WITH KHALIL

At the counter of Seymour's Diner I ordered my coffee black and as I turned away I was pleased to see my old friend Steve waving from the back table.  I hadn't seen him in over two years.  I walked over, he rose from his chair and we man-hugged.  Good friends should be forever.  He introduced me to his friend Khalil who also respectfully got up out of his chair to shake my hand.

I took an empty chair and Steve and I spent several minutes catching up on old times after which Steve explained that he and Khalil were working on the same project at DuPont.  Khalil, an engineer, was educated and trained at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and had immigrated to the U.S. five years ago.

Khalil wore a vintage flannel shirt, khakis, and hiking boots.  He could have passed as a lumberjack except for his small frame.  It only took a few minutes to realize he had been Americanized.

I asked Khalil a little about his experience in the U.S.  He had been raised as a Muslim and still practiced his Muslim faith.  Khalil was explaining a little about the five pillars of Islam when two men, holding hands, entered the diner.

Nodding towards the two men I asked Khalil his opinion on homosexuality.

"Well," he said, "in my country we don't look favorably on them.  Unlike here, the big question for gay men in Muslim countries is not whether they will be allowed to marry, but rather whether they will be allowed to live."  Steve, a Baptist, raised his brows.

I said, "Yes, I understand this is true."  I sipped my coffee and said, "But let me ask you a question, Khalil.  Why don't we see and hear American Muslim leaders publicly joining in the efforts to reverse the legalization of same-sex "marriage"?  Especially if this is so much against the Muslim faith?"

"Oh, I can assure you Muslims are indeed very disappointed in this," he said.  "And this scene we have just witnessed with those two is unthinkable in Abu Dhabi, or any Arab country for that matter."

"I see, so why is the Muslim leadership here so silent on such an important aspect of your faith?"

"Probably," he said, "because Muslims are only a small minority in this country and it would not be to the benefit of the leadership or to Muslims in general to make an issue of the matter.  Besides, in the long run, the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex "marriage" will eventually work to the advantage of Islam."

Steve piped in.  "How so, Khalil?"

"Well, in two ways actually.  The legalization of same-sex "marriage" will eventually lead without any doubt to the legalization of polygamy.  It's only a matter now of a test case reaching the Supreme Court.  The same legal arguments used to justify same-sex "marriage" can just as easily be used to justify multiple-partner marriages."  As he spoke the word 'marriage' he held up both hands, batted two fingers, indicating quotes.  He continued.  "Because the basis of this ruling is simply adult consent without restriction to a pair, or couple.  This Supreme Court decision has eliminated altogether the legal case against polygamy."  He took another bite of buttered biscuit.

I said, "So it looks like it will be the Muslim men who will primarily be the biggest beneficiaries of the court ruling?"

"Not only Muslim men, but in the long run Islam in general.  The legalization of polygamy, which by the way is already beginning to happen in many areas of the country, will in turn help to accelerate Muslim population growth, and that in turn will eventually lead over time to elected Muslim officials more and more who will become sympathetic to the fringe faction in order to keep their votes."

Steve turned to Khalil, "Hmmm.  A larger population of Muslims will mean more influence in government.  Do you think this will ever increase the likelihood that a parallel sharia legal system will emerge in America?  I can't imagine it would!"

"Well, it already has in the UK," Khalil said.  "And the second reason that Muslim activists are unlikely to mount any opposition to same-sex "marriage" is that the people who are enabling the redefinition of marriage are enabling the Muslim cause as well, whether they're aware of it or not.  Muslim leaders are counting on the same people who silenced the "hateful" and "homophobic" critics of same-sex "marriage" to also silence the "hateful" and "Islamophobic" critics of Islam.  And if the truth be known, and this is just my opinion, I think a large part of the quiet Muslims are counting on this too.  Because what marginalized part of any society wouldn't want their beliefs and values to be accepted as normal or conventional by all?"

Steve said, "These enablers, are you referring to the media?"

"Not only the media," said Khalil, "but the educational, entertainment industries and the government too.  Have neither of you been paying attention?  Your president, the same one who illuminated the White House in rainbow colors --"  I interrupted, "You say 'your president' -- you didn't vote for him?"

"I immigrated here after the 2008 election.  I didn't get to vote period."  Khalil continued, "But the same president who lit up the White House in rainbow colors is the same president who has been just as open to the Muslim Brotherhood's agenda.  And I can tell you personally what that agenda is because I used to belong to the Muslim Brotherhood during my college years and got out because I saw the limits to my future as a professional in both the UAE and in Saudi Arabia where I have family and where it is considered a terrorist organization."

I took my last sip of coffee.  Nature called.  "Hey, I gotta go to the restroom.  Be right back.  Khalil, don't lose your train of thought.  Besides I have a couple of questions about jihad I want to ask you about."

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