There has been a recent deluge of debate about “homegrown terror.” The term refers mostly to young Muslims growing up in America who succumb to extremist ideology, thereby becoming domestic enemies of the state. I am a member of the American Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Community. In contrast to the extremists, we train our Muslim-American youth to love their fellow man, to be loyal citizens and to serve as Muslims for peace.
We even placed a pricey advertisement on the Times Square billboard this holiday season with a similar message to all youth. Our mission is not merely to prevent our Muslim kids from becoming a liability to society; it is to make them true servants of God by serving humanity and their nation. In this new year, I believe that all Muslim youth organizations can wage the same jihad against terror by shaping our next generation into ambassadors for peace.
Dr. Sohail Husain
Vice President, Connecticut Chapter
USA Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Youth Organization
Meriden, CT