In the Name of God: The Extremely and Everlastingly Loving and Caring

Oh my God, people. A teenager in Texas was arrested after he showed a homemade clock to his teacher. The teen, Ahmed Mohamed, told reporters:

I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her, she thought it was a threat to her. It was really sad that she took the wrong impression of it.

Mohamed wants to be an engineer, and he loves to tinker with things. He is also very good at robotics. Instead of praise, however, he was led out of the school in handcuffs and investigated by the police.

This is the photo of @IStandWithAhmed‘s clock passed out by the @IrvingPD at this morning’s press conference pic.twitter.com/9bs2LEvi9P

— Robert Wilonsky (@RobertWilonsky) September 16, 2015

Now, after doing an investigation, the police came to the (obvious) conclusion that Mohamed did not make a bomb and did not charge the teen. He was still suspended from school, and he is serving this suspension. The teen has said that he plans on transferring to a different school.

As a parent, I understand and greatly appreciate that schools have to be extra cautious when it comes to the safety of our children entrusted to their supervision. But, come on, let us think for a moment and not let fear get the best of us. If this kid was making a bomb, would he go and show it to a teacher? Does that make any sense? Did any kid who came to school with the intent of harming others go to a teacher and show them his/her weapon?

Of course not! But, sadly, in this day and age, it seems that a Muslim is guilty of terrorism until proven innocent. So very sad.

What is most heartening about this case, and what makes me proud to be an American, is the overwhelming amount of support the teen received. The hashtag #IstandwithAhmed was the #1 trend on Twitter today. In fact, President Obama invited the teen to the White House:

Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.

— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015

Yes, there are savages who are Muslim that want to do us harm. We have to be vigilant against them at all times, and they must be fought with everything we got. But, Ahmed Mohamed is not one of these savages. The vast, vast majority of Muslims in America and around the world are also not these savages. We cannot let fear get the best of us. Come on, America. We are better than this.