We Can All Learn From Ameer Abdullah & Ron Brown

Dirk Chatelain of the Omaha World-Herald brings us an outstanding feature on the relationship between freshman I-back Ameer Abdullah and Ron Brown, his position coach. Brown is a fervent outspoken Christian who frequently quotes scripture in his day-to-day conversation. With Brown, every he does revolves around Jesus Christ. He's been frequently criticized outside of football circles for that.

Freshman Ameer Abdullah is a Muslim.

This week, we were reminded of the horrors that 19 Muslims committed ten years ago. Some people try to push the blame away from the terrorists who murdered so many people on 9/11 and onto the entire faith and Muslims everywhere. That's patently unfair. Christians are also capable of unspeakable acts, and have done so in the past. Even today, some whackjobs take their faith to extremes, all in the name of Christianity.

Brown and Abdulah show us how we should deal with our differences. We should never compromise our beliefs...but we should always respect the beliefs of others. It is OK to disagree and believe different things. Disagreeing is not hate. Having a different opinion is not an attack.

Yet too often in our society, we try to ascribe evil intent to others who have sincere, differing opinions on what is right and what is wrong. Rather than try to find a way to come together and find ways to move forward, people reject the whole of those that don't subscribe perfectly to our ideals. People who don't subscribe to our personal political philosophy.  People with funny names.  People with different lifestyles. That doesn't mean you have to agree with everything.  It's ok to disagree.

It's not ok to dismiss the whole of another person because one aspect of that person conflicts with yourself.

We could all learn a lot from Ameer Abdullah and Ron Brown.