16 January 2009

If you go to the mosque that I went for Friday prayers today, you will know that the public sermon for today is about the Palestine issue, specifically the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. The khatib (sermon reader) was really passionate today. I know because I sat right below the speakers and he was literally shouting to the public today. I think all my earwax is cleared after he's finished. Basically he was asking us to do more about the situation in Gaza. Donating funds and effort for the cause and openly calling for the boycott of American products. He even casually mentioned McDonald's which is situated just a hundred meters away.

I must admit I was initially cool about this boycott thing. I thought like what's the point? It's not like the American or Israelis gonna give a hoot about our boycott. Not like it's going to change anything. Plus I thought this boycott is just going to be short-lived just like all our previous boycotts. Besides, if you look around you, 7 out of 10 things you see would be made in America. That HP PC you're using and the Windows OS that's running it. That TV show you're watching. That American artist you're singing along to. In addition to that, we are U.S 10th largest trading partner. It's practically impossible to boycott everything American.

Then I thought there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world. If half of them thinks the way I do, the Palestinian will continue to be massacred and there will never be no peace in the middle east because nobody cares enough. It's no secret that the U.S contribute at least 3 billion dollars annually to Israel and where do that 3 billion came from? From their economic might. And who contribute to the American economy? American companies and firms of course. And that includes all American brand you see here and everywhere around the world. You can argue that they do employ local staffs and their franchise here is owned and operated by locals but the fact remains that a portion of the profit will go back to their homeland (America) and eventually to the hand of Israelis. For everything American we bought (McDonald's, Starbucks, etc) we are indirectly contributing to the Zionist. We are in fact supplying them ammunition and weapon to kill innocent Palestinian kids, woman, everyone.

Yes we might not hurt the mighty American economy even if every Muslim Malaysia boycott all American products but if all 1.5 billion Muslim band together to do this, it might just work. The problem with Muslims nowadays is they're simple divided. Heck even the Palestinians themselves are divided between Hamas and Fatah. United we stand, divided we fall. Yes I know it's impossible to boycott everything American. Just do the best you can. I know you probably can't live without this American Operating System or work without that American brand computer, that's okay. Just boycott everything else you can live without like their fast food outlets or their clothes chain. Like my friend Hasniza Zairin said, do we just sit and wait and do nothing? Let's do this boycott thing. 1.5 billion Muslims can make a difference. Let's make this happen.

Related article:

Do we just sit and wait?

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