Ibtihaj Muhammad: Going for true gold

Jason and the Golden Fleece  (Public Domain)

Gold is considered precious in this world because people assign great value to it.  Yet how much more precious are the things that go beyond a world of subjective judgments!

Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad is well aware of this vital difference.  While vigorously competing for an Olympic gold medal, she wore the traditional hijab along with her red, white and blue garb.  This combination epitomized an earlier statement that President Obama had made:  You’re not Muslim or American, you’re Muslim and American.

As "the first woman to wear the hijab while competing for the United States in the Olympics,” Muhammad has served as “an image in sports” that Muslim-American females can resonate with.  She has provided the world with an image of integrity and excellence that can help erase negative stereotypes.

Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-obeidallah/ibtihaj-muhammad-olympics_b_11395456.html 

Copyright August 9, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved