The subtitle for this article was taken from Dr. Ayaz Virji’s book, Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor’s Struggle for Home in Rural America and it perfectly describes the feeling I had after listening to The Country Doctor episode on Snap Judgement.
When Dr. Ayaz Virji first set foot in Dawson, Minnesota, he didn’t know what to expect. He was a brown Muslim man walking into a predominantly white rural town. But much to his surprise Ayaz and his family fit right in. Dawson quickly became home and his neighbors became like his extended family. Then came the presidential election of 2016.
After hearing his story, I couldn’t help but think of the difficulties that so many have experienced as they attempted to find their ‘home’ in America. The melting pot that is often referred to when describing the nation has a way of segregating and rejecting all who are seen to not adopt the values of those with different religions and lighter skin.
Dr. Ayaz Virji was aware of the positive impact he could have by locating his medical practice in a small rural town and serving as clinic medical director and chief of staff. While the community embraced his family upon their arrival and he enjoyed working with his patients, an abrupt change in the national political climate upset his view of the world, and his place in it. A story of exclusion and open discrimination was about to begin. A story at odds with the open arms initially offered in the opening chapters.
The saga follows Dr. Virji’s journey of self-discovery and reflection, of confrontation and conversation within the town after that 2016 election. As you listen to this story, consider the decisions made along the way, by all parties, but especially by Dr. Virji.
How did each decision alter the plot of the story? How would you have reacted if you were in his shoes? Maybe you can relate, or it may feel foreign to you, hard to fathom. By the very nature of the human experience, our understanding is limited by origin & experience, by culture and social norms. It’s our greatest challenge, to fully embody a life lived by another.
With my white, middle class background, living a life free from discrimination, I am aware of that limitation, so it was not surprising to see how hard it was to empathize with his decisions, or feel the pain and frustration I clearly heard in his voice.
I struggle with recognizing and dealing with the rifts of hate and discrimination that exist in societies throughout the world. But as impactful stories do, this story altered my frame of reference and I now view my own story through a new lens. Hopefully it will also make me a better storylistener.
But all is not lost. Hearts can soften and open with grace whenever people resist the tendency to stereotype and instead rely on the power of human connection to speak truth to hate. Whenever we remove the barrier of judgement long enough to forge a meaningful relationship, a space for the miraculous appears. A space where healing and justice coexist alongside internal struggle. A way for the narrative arc to bend.
Nancy López is a senior producer at Snap Judgment. She started in radio in 2006 when she joined Soul Rebel Radio, a collective of novice storytellers in Los Angeles. She has worked as a producer for Radio Ambulante & Making Contact. Her stories have been featured on PRI’s The World, KALW in San Francisco, and Radio Bilingue.
The Country Doctor – Season 11 – Episode 18 – Produced by Nancy López, Original score by Renzo Gorrio, with Artwork by Teo Ducot – and Snap Judgement’s founder Glynn Washington. Hint: if storytelling is your passion, this is a podcast not to miss.
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