Are There Muslim Services At West Point
Ranks Of West Point Muslims Abound
Since Thomas Jefferson signed legislation creating West Indicate Academy more than than 200 years ago, it has often had to move with the times – admitting the beginning African American cadet and letting in women, reports CBS News correspondent Russ Mitchell. Now it's coping with another new claiming.
The serene Hudson Valley campus, with its history, traditions and ceremonies, has given nascence to some of America's greatest wartime leaders. But now, even as the U.S. Army is fighting wars in Iraq and Transitional islamic state of afghanistan, Due west Point finds itself training a new generation of leaders – some with a surprising background. They are American Muslims.
"Muslims of W Point are unique in themselves because they are going to be the leaders of tomorrow…of platoons, companies, battalions and maybe even of the whole Regular army itself," Imam Asadullah Burgos tells Mitchell.
Asadullah Burgos is the Imam at West Point, where he has seen the number of Muslim cadets grow from just 1 10 years ago to more than 30 now. This autumn West Point dedicated a prayer room solely for utilise by Muslims.
2 of the Muslim cadets are Faraz Bala and Shuja Kazmi. Bala, a junior from Seattle, hopes to work in military machine intelligence. Kazmi is a former combat medic who has already served in Iraq.
When asked what is difficult about being a Muslim at West Point, Kazmi responds: "I think the toughest part may be trying to brainwash people about the religion and break whatever stereotypes that might exist."
In the past there have been reports of hazing of women and minorities at West Point but Muslims don't seem to take faced annihilation like that, reports Mitchell.
Both Bala and Kazmi know also well that if they are sent to Transitional islamic state of afghanistan or Republic of iraq at that place's a very good take a chance they will be fighting confronting Muslims.
"Just like in out previous wars it's been Christian on Christian in Earth War I and Earth War II," says Bala. "This was isn't about religion – our mission there is just providing security."
"It's wrong for information technology to happen," says Kazmi when asked what he thinks of Muslims in Transitional islamic state of afghanistan and Republic of iraq conveying out auto bombs and beheadings. "That is something equally a soldier you endeavour to stop."
But not anybody finds it easy. Imam Burgos says some Muslim cadets take sought guidance over their personal disharmonize well-nigh going to war.
"We are taught to save humanity not destroy humanity," says Imam Burgos. "And so that is a conflict. A conflict within our souls, within our ain selves. A conflict we accept to deal with regardless of what organized religion we're from."
Due west Point does not actively recruit Muslims. In fact, it never asks the religion of anyone applying to the academy.
"That's the big thing with guild today," says Faraz when asked if he feels like an American Muslim soldier – American offset, Muslim 2d. "We would like to split up things into categories but sometimes it's only more complex than that."
Are There Muslim Services At West Point,
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ranks-of-west-point-muslims-grow/#:~:text=West%20Point%20does%20not%20actively,anyone%20applying%20to%20the%20academy.
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