@QasimRashid
A HS student to TX school board:

“I’m not going to sit here and talk about the slippery slope that book banning leads to because I learned from a book, that I checked out from my school’s library, that I don’t need to resort to logical fallacy to make a point. I’m simply going to say that no government – and public school is an extension of government – has ever banned books, and banned information from its public, and been remembered in history as the good guys.”

@QasimRashid I grew up in a Catholic household. In the first couple of grades, we actually said the Our Father/Lord's Prayer in public school in the morning. But we said the—gasp!—Protestant verison. For those of you not in the know, the Catholic version ends with “…deliver us from evil. Amen.” The Protestant version continues with “For thine is the…”. I asked my mom what do to, worried about being "wrong”. She said, “just don't say that part".

Imagine that being ok today.

@QasimRashid

The best way to encourage dissent is attempting control. Humans crave independence and voice.

Time and again great minds have been fueled by adversity. Every book banning or burning adds to the list of must-read literature.

The printing press changed humanity. The Catholic Church immediately created banned lists as soon as printing was mechanized. Now social sites have content filters. We will see what voices rise.

@QasimRashid

It strikes me the that those who would to the banning are fearful of their worldview being shaken and dissent/opposition from their kids.

They are all in on propelling and insulating.

@QasimRashid I grew up in a culturally Muslim household — my parents did not pray at home or visit the mosque — but they encouraged me to read, widely.

Today, my wife is #christian & I am deepening my understanding of #Islam through #reading Sufi #poetry.

#Books have saved my sanity & given me life 🙏🏼✨

Here’s an #introduction to my #writing, that I hope interests:

https://columbian.gwu.edu/alumnus-poet-turns-reluctant-activist

#SilentSunday #Sunday #faith #religion #spirituality #Muslims

Please, #boost 🙏🏼✨

@QasimRashid Some of the most informed, polite, and kind people I've known grew up in households similar to yours.

Muslim, Catholic, Atheist - we all carry our believes in our core. Our belief happens from there - and from there it needs to be cultivated and taught to be accepting and curious and seek out beauty and love. Good philosophies do exactly that.

I'm so glad you are able to see the importance of that messaging for yourself and your children. Live your life in peace, friend.

@QasimRashid same goes with everything.

Let children discover themselves and their place in the world.

I.e. one cannot make a child cis or hetero, but one can make said child welcomed and loved or suffering from being drowned in [self-]hate...

Questioning oneself isn't bad, but discouraging or denying the results is!