September 19, 2014
Zak Ebrahim starts his talk by explaining that his father helped to carry out the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. He speaks about being raised by a man who was eventually convicted for an act of terrorism that claimed 6 lives and injured over a 1,000 more. His fascinating talk is worth listening to fully. Below are a couple excerpts from his amazing talk.
"On a nightly basis Jon Steward forced me to be intellectually honest with myself about my own bigotry and helped me to realize that a person's race, religion or sexual orientation had nothing to do with the quality of one's character. He was in many ways a father figure to me when I was in desperate need of one. Inspiration can often come from an unexpected place, and the fact that a Jewish comedian had done more to positively influence my worldview than my own extremist father is not lost on me...
... So why would I out myself and potentially put myself in danger? Well, that's simple. I do it in the hope that perhaps someone someday who is compelled to use violence may hear my story and realize that there is a better way, that although I had been subjected to this violent, intolerant ideology, that I did not become fanaticized. Instead I choose to use my experience to fight back against terrorism, against the bigotry. I do it for the victims of terrorism and their loved ones, for the terrible pain and loss that terrorism has forced upon their lives.
For the victims of terrorism, I will speak out against these senseless acts and condemn my father's actions. And with that simple fact I stand here as proof that violence isn't inherent in one's religion or race, and the son does not have to follow the ways of his father. I am not my father. Thank you."About Zak Ebrahim's TED Talk
 |
| Transformation Are we simply the sum of our experiences? Or can we choose our own path? In this hour, TED speakers share stories of undergoing remarkable transformations despite extraordinary challenges. |
Zak Ebrahim is the son of terrorist El-Sayyid Nosair, one of the masterminds of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He tells the story of being raised to hate and how he chose a very different path.
About Zak Ebrahim
Zak Ebrahim was 7 years old when his father, El-Sayyid Nosair, killed the leader of the Jewish Defense League. While in prison, Nosair helped plan the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
 |
After his father's incarceration, Ebrahim's family moved over 20 times, haunted by and persecuted for his father's crimes. The older he got, the more he grasped the horror of his father's acts. The more he understood, the more he resolved to dedicate his life to promoting peace.
His recently launched TED Book, The Terrorist's Son: A Story of Choice, traces his remarkable journey to escape his father's legacy, and is a story of a boy inculcated in dogma and hate — a boy presumed to follow in his father's footsteps — and the man who chose a different path.