Stepping in Another’s Shoes Sometimes Means Not Wearing Shoes at All

Adam Grachek

One of the first experiences I had in DC this summer was the EU embassy open house on embassy row. The food was great and the people were extremely friendly, a truly cultural experience. One of the places open on embassy row for visitors was the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., which was extremely exciting for me because I couldn’t even tell you of an Islamic center or mosque anywhere in Columbus. The people working the open house dressed the girls in veils and asked that everyone take off their shoes before stepping inside the mosque. Turkish carpets covered the floor and on the back wall people prayed to Allah in Arabic for peace and guidance. It was eye opening to be able to experience a place of worship, revered to by many to be a place of comfort and safety. Opening such a precious place to the general public is a vulnerable thing to do, and just shows you how open the Islamic community in the United States wants to be with their fellow Americans.

This election season has seen so much unnecessary bigotry, racism, and sexism compared to any other in my memory. Our diversity as a country is something that shouldn’t be looked down upon, but rather embraced, it’s a pillar of what it means to be a democracy. I just wonder if people like Donald Trump or Ted Cruz sat down with a Mexican immigrant, or a Muslim American, or a transgender American, how truly different their perspective would be on their explicit and implicit biases. Every person has the same desire for love, acceptance, and respect as yourself. Being able to experience that human connection in an environment not of your own was truly immeasurable.