Student and member of Auburn University’s Muslim Student Association offers blind affection, lives by the campus creed.
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Auburn’s legendary football coach, Pat Dye once said, “Alabama fans love Alabama Football. Auburn fans love Auburn.” There is an air to the campus, which stands as an oasis in the darkest traditions of the deep south.
Auburn has led the SEC on the path of diversity. In 1970, James Owens became Auburn’s first black football player. He was also the first player to break the color barrier of all Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina schools.
Inspired by the Auburn creed, Basim Ismail, a student and member of Auburn University’s Muslim Student Assocation stood for nearly two hours, blindfolded, with arms stretched out and a sign that read,
“I am Muslim and I trust you. Do you trust me enough for a hug?”
Part of Auburn’s creed states: “I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.”
The lack of gentle platonic touch in men’s lives is a killer. Our current social environment and state of the union amplifies xenophobia, distrust, fear, and Islamophobia.
Ismail’s social experiment in #BlindTrust cultivated sympathy and drew hugs from so many people passing by, that at one point during the filming there was a line. Parents lifted their children to his level to exchange an embrace. During difficult times, the move fostered mutual helpfulness by taking the high road, setting an example of a direction that leads to better understanding.
Following the line regarding human touch, the Auburn creed continues, “I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by “doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God.” Ismail leads by example, serving his country by doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with his God.
In this short film, the introduction begins by explaining that, “The current national conversation is one of hatred and exclusion. We wanted to know: Is the Auburn Family was any different?” See for yourself why it’s great to be an Auburn Tiger…
Auburn MSA/Youtube