"Maybe they wear one colour for each day of the week?" half questioningly, half joking quipped my co-worker today.

She's an all to innocent an naive woman - not very worldy or terribly cultured. So I let that one go. I did feel the colour in my cheeks flair up a bright red with anger and such a silly remark. But breathed out a sigh and went right back to drinking my Coke Zero.

The remark was made about Muslim women who wear the burqa - a conversation following the latest commotion involving 17 Ontario Muslim men suspected to be plotting an attack on Southern Ontario landmarks. When I came back to the lunch room today, a few other co-workers were already gathered chit-chatting, when the topic of today's Brampton courtroom hearning came up.

Apparently there was a big commotion down at the courtroom, where about 500 people - reporters, photographers, spectators included- showed up. Mind you, the courtroom actually seats about 20 people, so why these numbers arrived in droves is beyond me.

Many Muslim women also came, many of whom wear the burqa. The cloth covering that shows nothing but the eyes. As I came into work this afternoon, I was listening to the radio where a spectator that was at the courtroom recounted his tale of watching in surprise as many "obvious Muslims" were harrassed by reporters and photographers. Having microphones and cameras shoved in their faces, questions shouted, cameras flashed, and threats that they couldn't leave until their questions were answered. The man who was reporting this scene mentioned how he was not an "obvious Muslim" - he arrived in a business suit but was not questioned at all. But the women and men in more conservative, non-traditional clothing were flocked the moment they arrived, under the presumption that they were all relatives of the accused bunch.

I am frustrated and heartbroken. I can't swallow the fact that this is happening again; so close to home (right around the corner from me - the courtroom that is). I'm not getting into the politics of the situation itself. That's a whole other debacle that I wish I could shut my eyes to and make it go away.

I'm upset because of the backlash that inevitably follows such things. Even as I sat in the lunchroom today while some of my coworkers discussed this afternoons events, I felt a few pairs of eyes watching me intently - to see my reaction to what was being said. I didn't comply by looking upset, angry, or anything. I kept silent and read the paper in front of me (which contained further remarks about the last few days.

I don't know if I'm right to ignore it, or if I should be raising my voice, trying to aimlessly thrash my arms about so people will pay attention when I say that any such acts of violence are not a part of Islam. No one wants to hear that though. That doesn't make for good news.

But by ignoring it, the elephant in the room does not sulk away. People will still talk, rumours will still spread, assumptions will be made, and Irshad Manji will still be interviewed on TV as a good representative of the religion.

There are many who are taking the right approach though; making sure their voices are heard postively and trying find a patch of blue sky in the thick haze this media spectacle this case has become. I on the other hand am not that strong. I can't think of what action to take, if anything at all because I'm so frustrated.

Maybe I should stick to duking it out in a word-battle in the lunch room at work?