Learning My History

As an Egyptian I studied history in school. A brief history even if it covered some 7000 years. A very shallow take on history. I remember them mentioning that one invention the french invaders brought to Egypt was a printing press. No where were we told that the Sultan in Istanbul had banned if decades ago. And obviously we never discussed the implications. We learned Nasser was the first president of the republic only to find out years later that it was Muhammad Naguib. We learned to memorize and regurgitate. Never to truly analyze.

As a muslim I realize that my knowledge is lacking there too. I never truly studied the history of my religion. I feel I need to fix this quite urgently. I need to make up for lost time. I feel can't always passively be a Muslim.

And now as an American I realize how little I know about my country. obviously I missed the school part but I don't know where to really start. I've started reading Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an and hope to read Malcolm X's biography next. I need to start near the beginning and near the end. I want to be able to talk to people and actually have the common background to share.

As a lazy person I have to just do it. Help is welcome.

Beginning of the American Era

I realize that every few years there comes a time when I need to vent my thoughts. For more than 20 years of my life I lived in Egypt as an Egyptian. Now I'm back in the US and trying to be an American first and foremost. That's easier said than done when the Muslim community tends to divide at least by language and you find yourself lumped up with the Arabs or the Egyptians. It's not necessarily bad but I didn't come back to the states to be an Egyptian.

I've never really been socially or politically active even in the breif moment of Egyptian history when you might have thought you had a voice. America's different with whole new set of issues and struggles that need venting about.

That will come soon. Hopefully.