Guest column: Remove 'taboo' subjects from daily conversation

If I had lost a family member at the Twin Towers in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, I’m not sure I could forgive and forget, and the “Imam” who insists on building his mosque near Ground Zero seems rather recalcitrant (as does the Florida pastor who still harbors a desire to have a book burning ceremony). Someone voiced the opinion that a good compromise would be an “interfaith center,” where all religious groups could dedicate themselves to preventing future religious conflicts, but perhaps that’s just wishful thinking.

The little personal contact I have had with Muslims has not been at all unpleasant. In the late 1970s, I worked in Alexandria, Egypt, for a few months. I frequently stopped at a “falafel” shop to have a pita bread sandwich. The young men who ran the shop invited me to visit their mosque, which was one of the few quiet places in a dusty bustling city where one could have a quiet conversation.

We didn’t discuss religion (or politics), so I couldn’t really say what their beliefs were, but I found the Egyptians to be exceptionally hospitable. The bellboys at my hotel would run a half block to greet me and would insist on carrying my satchel. Perhaps they were interested in “baksheesh” (a tip), but they were very ingratiating. While exploring the city, I often asked for directions. Invariably, the Egyptians would offer to escort me to my destination.

I also met a number of Coptic Christians, and these self-proclaimed “true Egyptians” related that their history dates back to the time of the Pharaohs and unfortunately includes periods of persecution at the hands of the conquering Arab majority.

Returning to the subject of sex, Westerners cannot accept the Muslim world’s treatment of women.

For example, a man can have four wives and as many concubines as he can afford, and he can divorce a wife simply by going to the mosque and repeating three times: “I divorce thee.” We also are horrified when we learn that women are sometimes stoned to death when accused of minor peccadilloes, and “honor killings” of daughters have occurred even among Muslim families living in the West.

Perhaps, we might go back to the “good old days,” when we avoided talking about such contentious subjects. One could just avoid discussions about Iraq or the war in Afghanistan or the economy. How about just labeling them all as “taboo” ?

“Say, how’s the weather in your neck of the woods? Sure has been dry in these parts. It must be global warming.” Wait a minute! When did discussing the weather become so controversial?

Dan Norvell retired to Danville three years ago and is still learning what is considered politically incorrect these days.