What thoughts went in your mind when you read this title? This is the title of the book that I read in less than 10 hours over the last 3 days and this is one of the best books I have read in the last 2 years. The Author of the book, Souad Mekhennet is a staff writer at The Washington Post focusing on security and terrorism. We have watched thriller movies but no movie could ever give the shrills that this book gave to me. This book has some deep insights on the importance of identity and the shocking consequences when human dignity is shattered through identity. It is a courageos, curious and compassionate book.
There are very few books these days that ask ‘why’ questions because we all want quick solutions and the book market is flooded with books that explore the ‘How’. Souad Mekhenett asks some fundamental questions on the roots of the Jihad movement and takes us to places that nobody dares to go in search of the answers. She shines light on the dark and scary sections of the society and helps everyone to understand how young people get radicalized in the name of religion. She showcases two conflicting paths — the one that she explores through her work and the one that she pursues through her life. She claims that she could have become radicalized had she not been given the foundation by her grandmother, parents and elements of the society.
The chapter where she traces the identity of Jihadi John and the chapter that talks about how the mother goes to rescue her son from Syria will give any thriller movie a run for its money. Every chapter was so lively. I could travel with her and visualize those moments. Souad had constantly encountered situations where she had to trust and not trust. Every journey was a matter of life and death. The email exchange using ‘drafts’ and her intuition to change rooms in the hotel, after sensing some discomfort, that helps her to avoid getting kidnapped shows her sharpness and judgement.
With families getting atomized and people living a nuclear life, it is more important than ever to think about how kids are being raised. It is especially difficult for kids who are from immigrant families. Even if they are born in a particular country, they are not accepted as their own because they look different. Souad uses the phrase ‘German Germans’ showcasing the sharp divisions between locals and immigrants. She also shares a beautiful example of Belgians with Moroccon roots. The Belgians say they are Moroccons and Moroccons say they are Belgians. The last resort is family and if the parents divorce or fight all the time, the kids are left all alone to explore their identities. These are the kids who fall for ideologies and any identity that gives them a meaning for their life is going to attract them. She raises sharp questions — How are we going to create societies that are inclusive, tolerant and pluralistic? How do we ensure that these kids follow the path of love instead of hatred?
Souad also exposes the hypocrisies of the various governments that talk about human rights on one side and do the contrary in regions that are far from their country. She also exposes the hypocrisies of the common person who wants a better life in a different country but doesn’t want to do the basic jobs. I wrote an article ‘The hypocrisies of a righteous mind’ and this book validates that with so many examples.
The final message is this — ‘Don’t generalize people around a certain identity, be it religion or country or anything’. She tells the Jihadis that it is not right to say all Americans are bad. She tells the world that it is not right to paint all people who belong to a particular faith as bad. She gives the examples of Muslim women who helped to nab the killers in two different attacks in France and Germany. Everyone spoke about the Muslim attackers but nobody spoke about the Muslim people who helped to nab the attackers.
The last paragraph and the last line gave me goose bumps. I will not share them as I want you to read this book. It is a must read for every parent who care about their children. It is a must read for every educator, for every citizen, for every community leader and for every Head of State. It should be a textbook in design schools. It should be a text book in schools and universities.
I salute Souad for her courage, curiosity and compassion.
