His Moment of Truth

[LiberalVoice]

Source: Bucks County Courier Times, Inteligencer

"Zak Ebrahim lost his father at age 7. Dad died of a heart attack, he told people. A dead parent is easier to explain than one who is a Muslim extremist and a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in a super-max federal prison.

Ebrahim, 27, recently has gone public with his twisted family ties, speaking out at events, such as today's Sunday celebration at the Pebble Hill Interfaith Church in Doylestown Township. He said his childhood experiences cemented a belief that hate and violence make things only worse.

As a teenager, Ebrahim realized that violence solves nothing. Look what it did to his father.

"I want to show people I came from this and I preach the opposite," he said. "If we're ever going to have peace or solve problems, we have to do it a different way. If I can tell people violence is not the way, maybe that might prevent someone from committing a crime in the name of Islam or Christianity."

Read more: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer/the_intelligencer_news_details/article/27/2010/august/08/his-moment-of-truth.html

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This is the front page article on my life story. I'd love to hear feedback. If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. This is you, LliberalVoice?

If so, congratulations on such a great and very interesting story! :hi:

[LiberalVoice]

14. It sure is me. lol

Thank you for the well wishes. :)

[jaxx]

2. Thank you for telling your story.

We forget that a family goes on and also becomes the victim of the person's crime. The courage of a 7 year old boy....and today there is you with the courage to come forward with this story. Never should we visit the sins of the father upon the children. :hug:

[BeFree]

3. Love thine enemy

If one can turn hate into love, peace will follow.

[LiberalVoice]

26. So true!

I hope my lectures will show that hatred only produces more hate but non violence heals.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. That was a fascinating read.

Thank you for sharing your story.

[LiberalVoice]

29. Thank you for the support n/t

:hi:

[orbitalman]

5. Impressive....

So it took 20 years to come out and share your wisdom just as its taken me almost a lifetime to get my head screwed on straight being raised a God-fearing republican. It would be interesting to hear about your agony, torment and fears in your metamorphosis through the years.

[LiberalVoice]

15. Right there with ya on the God fearing Republican bit.

But hey, at least we found our way through the darkness :}

I have a documentary in production. If you're interested you can fan me on Facebook. I update there pretty often.

[kas125]

6. What an interesting life's journey you've had. Thank you for

posting it here. It is an amazing story and is one that should be told. I look forward to seeing the documentary!

[LiberalVoice]

19. DU is a big part of what lead me on this journey.

If it wasn't for the community here I doubt I would have ever spoken up.

Zak

[cosmicone]

7. Kudos to you and may you be successful ... n/t

[LiberalVoice]

18. Thanks! n/t

[Little Star]

8. Your story gives me hope for this world. Thanks for telling it. K&R

Maybe someday the rest of us can live up to your example.

[MicaelS]

9. A very powerful story, thank you for posting it.

I'm not sure I could find the ability to do as you have done. I would say that makes you a better man than me.

[LiberalVoice]

16. Nah...

We are all determined by our experiences. I wouldn't be who I am today without those experiences and neither would you.

Your support makes it easier for me to share my story. And I thank you for that :)

Zak

[canetoad]

10. Isn't it funny, LiberalVoice

That we see the names of posters here on a daily basis but have no idea of the backstory, the history, the life events that led them here.

You have my utmost admiration for coming forward to share your story in the name of peace. Best wishes to you and your loved ones.

[GreenEyedLefty]

11. What a powerful story! Thank you for sharing it.

[LiberalVoice]

17. Thanks for the support! n/t

[madmom]

12. Kick to read later when I have more time :)

[Frisbee]

13. What a wonderful story...

and congratulations on your engagement!

[blaze]

20. What a compelling read!

I'm curious to know if there's any one thing that you believe helped you rise above it all... I mean, how do you walk through all that and come out the other side with love and compassion still in your heart?

Thanks for sharing your story.

[LiberalVoice]

21. I was lucky...

I know it may sound weird to say that considering my story but I had the amazing fortune to have been surrounded by just the right people at just the right times in my life.

Besides that, as bad as it got sometimes I kind of just blindly believed that someday it would get better. I didn't really have any reason from experience to think that it would. But luckily I turned out to be right :)

My hope is that someday I can be one of those people in the right place at the right time passing a glimmer of hope to someone in a crowd who may hear my story and think "I don't have to be a victim of my environment either."

Zak

[Odin2005]

22. Wow! That's YOU!?!

:wow:

[LiberalVoice]

25. lol Yeah

Funny who you meet on DU huh? :hi:

[northofdenali]

23. This brought me to tears.

:hug::hug:

I've forwarded a copy of this article to my entire email list - and it's quite extensive. I am so impressed by you and your attitude of loving vs. hatred. I am in awe, sir.

Thank you.

[LiberalVoice]

24. Thank you so much.

Your kind words of support are a invaluable :)

[Control-Z]

27. Thank you for including

Christianity.

"If I can tell people violence is not the way, maybe that might prevent someone from committing a crime in the name of Islam or Christianity."

[LiberalVoice]

28. Well...I was just making the point that....

...most major religions are no more or less violent than any other.

Zak

[AspenRose]

30. Thank you.

Wow :-) There are no words!

[LiberalVoice]

31. The support here at DU...

...is part of what made this possible :)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

32. Fantastic! What an inspiring story.

I am so incredibly proud of you and the work you are doing on behalf of peace, and I thank you for speaking out.

So many in the media (and even here on DU) squawk on about an alleged lack of moderate/liberal/nonviolent Muslim voices speaking out against the violence -- sadly, many of those voices have been drowned out by the media bullshit or flat out (willfully) ignored. I am happy to see you are successflly breaking through and getting the message of peace out.

Keep up the good fight! :hug: :applause:

Kirsten

[LiberalVoice]

35. Thank you so much for the kinds words.

Your support means more than you know. :hi:

Zak

[JonLP24]

33. Very interesting story

I just got back to it and I enjoyed. I like how you highlight your struggles growing up with a father in prison. Too often after the trial is over, everyone involved is forgotten, especially the families. However this case I imagine was much more high profile than a run-of-the-mill criminal case so I imagine it was much tougher for you than it would normally be. I'm glad to see you have made it and become the person you have become today. And also thanks for showing a light in an area that doesn't get shined too often which is the stories immediate family members as well as victim family members and how the cope post conviction.

On edit-I would like to see your documentary when it comes out!

[LiberalVoice]

34. Thank you!

And I will definitely keep everyone at DU updated with the progress of the film :)

[Scurrilous]

36. Thanks.

:thumbsup: