For M, an old friend

Once, long ago, when the world was young and I was happy, well before 9/11, I had a friend. I'll call him M for this post.

M was a friend of mine since at least third grade, and perhaps earlier. But we were pretty close, at least as close as I was to anyone. We'd play stupid games at recess, and his sense of humor always made me laugh.

I knew M was Egyptian, and, if I thought about it at all, I assumed he was a Muslim. (I learned about Islam -or at least a brief history and a bit about the Five Pillars - in 7th grade history class.) But at some point he told me he was a Coptic Christian. I didn't really know what that meant at the time, and to some extent, I really don't know now.

M had pretty extreme conservative views, and I didn't know why. I assumed it was because he came from a fairly well-off family. His father was a nuclear engineer. But with his humor, there was a bitterness, and an anger.

At some point, he told me why. A number of his relatives, including some uncles, had been killed by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

As a result, he carried a strong hatred of Islam. I still didn't quite know what that meant - I had no similar experiences, and I was too naive or stupid to really probe and asked him how he reconciled an Arab identity that has become tied to Islam.

We didn't really talk after high school; I saw him once at a BBQ just after college, and found out he was studying political science.

I didn't really think of him much in the following years, not even when the Arab Spring came to Egypt. But after the news identified the alleged filmmaker of the recent anti-Islam Youtube movie as a Coptic Christian, I started thinking about M. I remembered his anger, and could imagine that he would sympathize with, or actively promote, such a movie.

But I also hope that he and that his family is safe. I remember an image of Christians linking arms to protect Muslims praying in or near Tahrir Square. But memory of unity is fleeting, and Coptic Christians are now in greater danger.

I loathe the idea that a fool could make a movie, knowing full well the possible consequences. But the whole point of this ongoing tragedy is that a few individuals do not represent a faith, or a culture. Not for Coptic Christians. Not for Muslims. And not for Americans.

M, hope you're well. Politically, we're probably pretty far apart - perhaps to the point that friendship is nearly impossible. But I miss the times we had in grade school, and the jokes we'd exchange in econ class.