Baber Khan '11 Publishes Op-ed in Sacramento Bee

Baber Khan '11 has published an op-ed, "Believe in the American ideal - Diversity makes us stronger," in the October 11 issue of the Sacramento Bee.  In the article, Khan describes moving to the United States from Pakistan at age four, his reactions to American "Islamophobia" and discrimination against Muslims, and his hope that ideals of diversity and religious freedom will prevail.

"It is far too easy to shun diversity and pluralism in favor of a xenophobic ‘circle your wagons' approach in times of social and economic distress," writes Khan. "This is precisely the strategy used by fundamentally unpopular regimes such as the Taliban in order to muster all the support they can get from the masses in the face of outside threats.  The American ideal is a more daring one - that by embracing diverse peoples and ideas, we are actually strengthened."