An Afghan Salesman Shows What It Means to be an American.

                                                         Holy Wares

Jasmine Eurekistan, a refugee from Afghanistan, assembles his stand on the
Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, within a few meters of the entrance
to the # 4 and 5 subway, early enough to attract the first wave of
commuters walking across the Bridge to Wall Street.

Later on young men from Cameroon will set up shop beside him, selling Rolex
watches and Calvin Klein sunglasses. These men, however, sell out of
suitcases, ready to run when an inquisitive policeman shows up.  Eurekistan
has no such anxiety. His stand is made of 4X4s and has the look of
permanence, from the hand-lettered sign proclaiming “America is God” to his
new product introduction schedule which indicates he will be at this
location at least through February 2002.

Dressed in traditional Afghan turban and long flowing robes and sporting a
beard down to his chest, Eurekistan  has been the subject of much curiosity
and press attention. At times he has been threatened. Since his stand is
very close to City Hall, the police have interrogated him and even searched
his stand and delivery truck. 

He counters these threats and intrusions by saying “God Bless America”
endlessly, especially after someone has purchased a relatively expensive
item. He also wears dozens of “America First” pins in his turban and
occasionally wraps himself in the American flag. He has also received
support from NYU professors and students who argue that Eurekistan’s right
to sell icons is what America is all about even though the idea of mixing
religion and patriotism might be offensive to many.

Eurekistan has become something of a curiosity and tourists now pay him to
pose with them with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop. While he oversees
the photo shoot, his ten Muslim daughters in veils, black robes and
carrying Fendi bags take care of the business. More frequently, Eurekistan
is requested for a fee to give an impromptu speech on weather conditions in
Afghanistan and occasionally draws a map of the country on the sidewalk.
Tourists take photographs of each other photographing the maps.  The
sidewalk around City Hall looks a little like Asia Minor before an
earthquake.

The photography and consulting are sidelines for Eurekistan whose main
business is selling religious items representing the world’s major faiths.
His stand is particularly rich in Catholic items as, in his words, “the
faith is rich in iconography.” He offers a windup, talking Pope who can say
“peace” in 87 languages, even Afghan, though Eurekistan acknowledges that
the Afghan word for peace is the same as the word for war because his
countrymen can’t tell the difference. 

He has every official saint--and even some on the hot list, such as Mother
Teresa. He says St. Christopher, the patron saint of safety, is especially
popular now. He gives a 10% discount of bulk purchases over ten. 

For Protestant denominations who are not big on the veneration of saints,
Eurekistan offers empty alcoves where the statues used to be before being
destroyed during the Protestant Reformation. A small sack of broken statue
pieces can be had for an additional charge as evidence that this is the
real thing.

Interested Hindus have a full-range of cows to choose from, largely
leftover icons from the Cow Parade in New York last year. Eurekistan is not
troubled by this apparent conflict in cross-merchandising. “Everything is
holy, even a cow that looks like a taxi or a Broadway show.  I do
acknowledge some people might be bothered by the high-stepping, nude cows
from Chorus Line.”

He sells a lot of magnetic ornaments for the refrigerator with important
proverbs such as, “the meek will inherit the earth, we must be born again
as little children, and might is right.”  He has other religious sayings in
various Afghan dialects and in Persian and these are hot items though
people are not sure what they mean. Eurekistan explains, using an Afghan
proverbs that says: “Any man who is a guest in my house and draws water
from my well, should not spit on my carpet.”

Though he offers many statues and images of Christ, Eurekistan does little
trade in Islamic items, explaining it is not permissible to show the face
of the Prophet. He does offer empty Prophet Slates, for the refrigerator
door, on which people can write important Islamic sayings. When pressed he
will sell a medieval map of the Islamic Empire when it came close to the
gates of Paris. He has little to say about these historical events except
there “would have been fewer McDonalds in France if that map were fact
rather than mere history.” 

Everything he sells has an American flag sticker attached , even holy water
from Lourdes.  For the adventurers he offers melted ice from the top of
Mount Everest and sea water taken from the port side of the sunken Titanic.
 Everything he sells is blessed by a multi-cultural group of religious from
various denominations.

Eurekistan also offers icons for the non-religious because, he states, “in
America we have freedom of religion.” So statues of Hermes, Athena, Zeus,
and Hecuba are displayed alongside statues of Pope John Paul the Second.
People who can show a Greek passport get a 10% discount which is his way of
showing respect for the Cradle of Civilization.

The Afghan salesman is proud that he doesn’t sell any mementos from Ground
Zero. “That would be very offensive,” he says--and quotes another Afghan
proverb:

“Even if you are an unwelcome guest in my house, you should leave with a
full belly and my innocence intact.”