Dangerous clock

Ahmed Mohamed was a victim of growing xenophobia directed against Muslims in the West, particularly in the US

Ahmed Mohamed, 14, a ninth grader at a Texas school, was proud of the clock he had made all by himself and taken to school. The boy, noted for his skills in technology and robotics, was certain his work would please his teachers. Instead, the impact it had was entirely unexpected. When the item was discovered in Ahmed’s possession, he was hauled from the school by policemen in handcuffs and shifted to a juvenile detention centre. He was then accused of attempting to build a bomb. The Irving police eventually released him into the custody of his parents while withdrawing charges against him. The school has sent out a circular warning parents to prevent their children from bringing illicit items to schools, including weapons, drugs, knives and other objects — but not clocks.

It is obvious that Ahmed was a victim of the growing xenophobia directed against Muslims in the West, and particularly in the US. It is unlikely that another child, not belonging to a Muslim family, would have been treated the same way. The pleasing aspect in an otherwise unfortunate incident is the support that has poured in for Ahmed. President Obama has invited him to the White House and the founder of Facebook has said that the future lies with persons like Ahmed. It is sad, however, that such a future can so easily be jeopardised by the paranoia that exists on the basis of a person’s faith. The way he was treated, apart from signifying the obvious bigotry that was at display, also indicates the vitriol that American Muslims, including children, have to deal with from time to time. Yes, the apologies have come. Gestures to show that the action taken was wrong have also been made. What is now needed is a more in-depth conversation about how Muslims in the West are viewed and treated by various institutions and what can be done to rectify this state of affairs. The US will need to consider these questions as a country that prides itself as a land of equal opportunities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th,  2015.

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