Posted: Sep 7, 08
3:17pm
This story was on NPR today and here is a relatively shortened version. Sam is interviewed along with the others in the story and Sam's doctor. It is such an inspiring story; one we can all benefit from!
This American Life, a radio station in Chicago, aired a show titled "The Devil in Me." One compassionate story came from a young man named Sam Slaven from Indiana who was sent to Iraq in 2003. After his traumatic experiences abroad, he festered deep feelings of hatred and fear towards Muslims even after re-entering society in the United States. Slaven's story describes the beginnings of his post-traumatic stress disorder and his resolve to fight against his prejudice of Muslims and Islam.
Slaven was stationed in SadarCity and he describes how relations between the community and the soldiers were amicable. He states "they were happy to see us" and the soldiers and Muslim men would "sit and socialize." However, imams in the community began advocating the killing of the "infidels" and tensions arose. Then, one specific experience rattled Slaven and completely altered his feelings towards Muslims.
On October 9, 2003, a platoon close to where Slaven was stationed was tricked into an ambush by a woman and child pretending to need help. Slaven says, "I've never seen anything like it even in a horror movie." Two men from Slaven's unit were killed that night. He describes the overwhelming fear and intense anger he felt whenever he saw Muslims. One year later he left Iraq and was stationed in Miami. However, he was constantly reminded of his past-the hot weather and palm trees resonated with the image of Iraq. In Miami, Slaven worked at a recruiting station.
Incidentally, there was a mosque between Slaven's apartment and his station. He says, "I could physically see myself tense up. My heart would start pounding, it would make me angry" when he would see the mosque and Muslims. When he would see Muslims entering the mosque, he considered writing down their license plate numbers so that he could track them.
Soon after, Slaven began having nightmares and experienced other signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One day, a presentation was being made to the young men who had been recruited, informing them that Iraq was not a bad place to be. Slaven sat in the back of the room, listening and thought, "We're training people to lie to these kids." He left the room and began crying. He describes that incident as the moment he hit his lowest point. As he sat in the room crying, he knew he could not longer continue in the army. He left and began treatment for PTSD.
In May 2006 at the age of 28, Slaven began taking classes at ParklandCommunity College in Champagne, Illinois. One day, he came across a bearded man in a hallway who looked Middle-Eastern and Slaven found himself wanting to physically hurt the student. He describes how his mind raced as he battled his physical desire to be violent while his mind was reminding him that he was no longer on the battlefield. Slaven was astonished at his reaction and thought, "What have I become?" As he sat in a classroom, he looked up and saw a poster declaring "Learn about Islam. Join the Muslim Students Association." He decided to attend their next meeting and thought "Maybe that would be good for me." He says he "wanted to get back to the way he was-a better person."
Slaven describes how he was sweating and trembling when he attended the meeting and he felt he was going to have a major anxiety attack. He saw that the male and females were sitting on opposite ends of the room. From his training in Iraq, he knew he should not sit with the females-but the door was closest to them. This was the first time he was outnumbered by Muslims since his time in Iraq. There, he saw the same student whom he had wanted to hurt in the hallway-Yusuf Radiv-founder and president of the MSA. He is also an Iraqi.
Muslims were also ambivalent about Slaven's presence at the meeting. Some believed he was a spy for the government because Slaven asked many questions, including the origin of the students and how to spell their names. One student asked why he was there. He confessed that he was an Iraq war veteran and this was part of his self-prescribed therapy.
Approximately six weeks later, Slaven moved from sitting by the door. He asked questions to better understand Islam and dispel the incorrect information he had received. Soon, he became one of the most active members of the organization. Moreover, Yusuf and Slaven became very good friends, even spending time outside of MSA. Slaven describes the amazement he felt when he realized that a Muslim man had become a friend-a genuine friend.
Yusuf Radiv is currently studying biochemistry at the University of Illinois. Sam Slaven is studying at EasternIllinoisUniversity to become a math and science teacher.
