WP: The spell of Islamaphobia

[SkinsHokieFan]

To be clear, I ask the same question the writer asks, all the time

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/03/the_spell_of_islamophobia.html

The Spell of Islamophobia

A few weeks ago, I was on Radio Times, the mid-morning talk show on Philadelphia Public Radio. My colleague at work, Stephanie, used to live in Philadelphia and raved about the high level of conversation on the show.

Marty Moss-Coane was a fantastic interviewer – informed, funny, and genuinely curious. I enjoyed our conversation immensely.

I spoke about how Muslim history and theology support religious pluralism. I talked about many of my Muslim heroes, scholars and activists like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir who have articulated visions of a world where people from different backgrounds come together in positive ways. I described my book, Acts of Faith, which tells my story of how the discovery of my Muslim identity inspired me to start the Interfaith Youth Core.

(Listen to the podcast)

The phones started ringing off the hooks.

The callers basically had two questions: “Why don’t Muslims condemn terrorism?” And, “Where are the moderate Muslim voices?"

One caller said, “I was raised a Catholic and we were taught love and acceptance. You were raised a Muslim … and you were taught hatred which leads to violence.”

The producer said there were several other callers from different religious backgrounds with basically the same format question.

I answered each question pretty directly. I effectively said there are many moderate Muslim voices. You just heard one of them – mine – speak for about thirty minutes. Instead of continuing to ask that question, please tell your friends about me. I cited several other such voices.

I expanded on many of the points that I had made in the initial conversation with Marty Moss-Coane – that the dominant ethos of Islam tends towards compassion and pluralism, values that Islam shares with other traditions.

But I admit, there was a little voice inside my head that wanted to say to some of these callers, “Don’t you feel a little embarrassed revealing that level of ignorance and bigotry on Public Radio? Do you know nothing more about the religion of one-fifth of humankind for over 1000 years but the violent bits? Isn’t that a little like knowing nothing more about the United States Constitution than the clause which states black people only count as three-fifths of a human being”.

Whenever I’m on the radio or on television or giving a public talk about Islam and peace, I always get a bunch of questions from people who only associate two things with Islam – violence, and the absence of Muslims protesting violence.

It's like they were intentionally tuning out everything I said, even though they came to hear me speak.

I am convinced that if I got up on stage and did nothing but list the names of Muslim leaders I know who have very publicly condemned terrorism (check out the Not in the Name of Islam campaign, signed by 700,000 people and only one small example of Muslims condemning terrorism), people would still ask me “Why don’t Muslim leaders condemn terrorism?”

So here’s my new theory on this. There has been a spell cast on certain portions of America. Whenever they see a Muslim speaking – it doesn’t matter whether the talk is about gardens or finance or peace – they fall into a hypnotic state and can only ask two questions: “Where are the moderate Muslims?” and “Why don’t Muslims condemn terrorism?”

Anybody know who cast the spell?

And how do we neutralize it so that these good folks can be the reasonable, intelligent and compassionate people with Muslims that they are in the other parts of their lives?

[Henry]

Anybody know who cast the spell?

Sarge?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I agree with the article that there is an Islamaphobia.

SHF, are the questions you ask the same as the callers or the writer? I guess I just don't know your stance on this, so it was a little ambiguous to me as to which quesitons you ask, and who you agree with.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I agree with the article that there is an Islamaphobia.

SHF, are the questions you ask the same as the callers or the writer? I guess I just don't know your stance on this, so it was a little ambiguous to me as to which quesitons you ask, and who you agree with.

I am Muslim. So that should tell which questions I ask

[The Sisko]

Sarge?

...in close consultation with Air Farce Cane.

[Bang]

the phobia has been created by decades of rhetoric from Muslim extremists telling us we're the great Satan and they'd love nothing better than to kill us all.

They punctuate the daily barrage on the TV with swarming violent angry protests screaming at America about this and that.

As far as the rest of the Islamic world that doesn't follow these zealots.. it is a silent majority that is never heard.

This is beyond media poisoning, this goes back to the days when we had a media that was interested in reporting truth, before cable news, before the current state of our media. This anger and hate directed towards us is nothing new. I'm in my mid-40s, and it has been a daily event since i can remember.

Think about it. Practically every single day of most of our lives, those images, that rhetoric, the violence that springs forth has been shown to us.

I know it's chic to blame ourselves and say we're nothing but big xenophobic racist meanies, but the rhetoric these extremists spout is VERY loud, VERY insistent, and VERY real every single day. And as I said, it is driven home by the violence that accompanies it. Bombs ripping people apart, lunatics trampling each other to death in their hate filled protests.. yelling "Death to America" as easily as "happy Birthday"

What else are people supposed to think when every day the Islamic world tells us we're infidels who must die, while the majority of muslims who don't want this say nothing?

~Bang

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I am Muslim. So that should tell which questions I ask

Ah....

I will say that my honest opinion is that those questions that you ask do not get answered because it is not part of the politics of the war on terror...

That is, for some politicians, it seems they believe its better to have this country worried and scared about whats out there, then to let them believe that not every muslim person in the world wants to kill Americans.

:2cents:

[SkinsHokieFan]

the phobia has been created by decades of rhetoric from Muslim extremists telling us we're the great Satan and they'd love nothing better than to kill us all.

They punctuate the daily barrage on the TV with swarming violent angry protests screaming at America about this and that.

As far as the rest of the Islamic world that doesn't follow these zealots.. it is a silent majority that is never heard.

This is beyond media poisoning, this goes back to the days when we had a media that was interested in reporting truth, before cable news, before the current state of our media. This anger and hate directed towards us is nothing new.

Think about it. Practically every single day of most of our lives, those images, that rhetoric, the violence that springs forth has been shown to us.

I know it's chic to blame ourselves and say we're nothing but big xenophobic racist meanies, but the rhetoric these extremists spout is VERY loud, VERY insistent, and VERY real every single day. And as I said, it is driven home by the violence that accompanies it. Bombs ripping people apart, lunatics trampling each other to death in their hate filled protests.. yelling "Death to America" as easily as "happy Birthday"

What else are people supposed to think when every day the Islamic world tells us we're infidels who must die, while the majority of muslims who don't want this say nothing?

~Bang

Thats the thing Bang, the majority DO say something, and DO do something

A thread like this http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241136 is an example, yet it only gets 5 responses

I should add, I don't blame you at all because of the images you see on TV everyday. I recognize there are a lot of very bad people over there

The problem is, the very good people, the overwhelming supermajority, are never featured

[Mad Mike]

I agree with the article. I've posted this link here at least a dozen times and it's always ignored:

http://www.freemuslims.org/

These guys are active. If you want to do something to fight terrism in a peaceful way, support them.

Report Instances of Extremism or Support for Terrorism

Tell us about individuals, organizations, student associations, religious leaders, mosques or any other group or individual of influence that advocates Muslim extremist ideology, engage in apologetic support for terrorist organizations or advocates "Jihad."

Submit an anonymous report of Extremism or Support for Terrorism

:applause:

[Duckus]

What else are people supposed to think when every day the Islamic world tells we're infidels who must die, while the majority of muslims who don't want this say nothing?

I effectively said there are many moderate Muslim voices. You just heard one of them – mine – speak for about thirty minutes. Instead of continuing to ask that question, please tell your friends about me. I cited several other such voices.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I agree with the article. I've posted this link here at least a dozen times and it's always ignored:

http://www.freemuslims.org/

These guys are active. If you want to do something to fight terrism in a peaceful way, support them.

:applause:

I applaud that site as well, but I'll also say that its not incumbent upon muslims to do something active to "prove" they are not terrorists.

[wskin44]

We don't have anyone to blame but ourselves for our ignorance . . .

but since it's always theraputic to blame someone else I will take a shot at the media. If a public figure gave the greatest speach ever about peace on earth they wouldn't merit 5 seconds on television news. If the same person made a threat or harshly criticised a group it will be talked about for days.

It really comes down to our own personal responsibility to find multiple balanced sources of information before forming opinions.

[Dictator]

Thats the thing Bang, the majority DO say something, and DO do something

A thread like this http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241136 is an example, yet it only gets 5 responses

I'd say your thread didn't get a lot of attention because of when it was started not necessarily the content of it.

When I did open the link above, I was not at all surprised that there was no post from sarge or afc in it.

[Bang]

Thats the thing Bang, the majority DO say something, and DO do something

A thread like this http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241136 is an example, yet it only gets 5 responses

I remember that thread.. could be not many responses because most everyone agrees with it.

I'm not saying there's not a silent majority, I'm well aware there is. I also know why many stay silent, it's not hard too figure out. The extremists and their followers kill infidels and their families, which you could easily be branded.

I'm not blaming Muslims for this war, I blame the extremists. Typically, when i jump in one of these threads i make sure to make the distinction between the two. We're not at war with Islam, we're at war with some zealots who have twisted things to their own ends.

But in terms of where does the paranoia come from,, well, what I wrote above is true,, it's a daily event to be told we're evil and should die. It's a daily event to watch people filled with hate burning our flag, shaking their fists and gnashing their teeth at us.

One could blame the media for creating a bias. But, the things these extremists do is news, so it makes the 6 OClock. And thse images and words are there practically every day. Is the media simply making it all up? If it was a new thing, like since the war began, I'd say probably a good chance of it. But since it's been on the news pratically every day for almost all of my life.. it's hard to say it's all sensationalism.

The question as I read it is who created this phobia?

Many will blame the media. I already see some folks blaming ourselves. But I wonder how many will blame the extremists who perpetuate this violence, who organize these protests, who whip otherwise decent people up into frenzies of anger and hate? If that sort of thing didn't happen SO often, it wouldn't be news so often, But it does, and so it is.

And like I said,, decades of seeing and hearing this, punctuated by horrible bombings and other acts of destruction that over the years has cost the lives of thousands and thousands of otherwise innocent people... it's hard not to be nervous.

~Bang

[Tulane Skins Fan]

The question as I read it is who created this phobia?

Many will blame the media. I already see some folks blaming ourselves. But I wonder how many will blame the extremists who perpetuate this violence, who organize these protests, who whip otherwise decent people up into frenzies of anger and hate? If that sort of thing didn't happen SO often, it wouldn't be news so often, But it does, and so it is.

And like I said,, decades of seeing and hearing this, punctuated by horrible bombings and other acts of destruction that over the years has cost the lives of thousands and thousands of otherwise innocent people... it's hard not to be nervous.

~Bang

I think we as Americans share in the blame in blurring the lines between muslims and terrorists. Do terrorists give muslims a bad image. Absolutely. Should we be smart enough to realize and know there is a distinction between Islam and extremism. Absolutely, as well. And we Americans don't always see that distinction... or at least some of us choose not to see it ever.

[Bang]

I think we as Americans share in the blame in blurring the lines between muslims and terrorists. Do terrorists give muslims a bad image. Absolutely. Should we be smart enough to realize and know there is a distinction between Islam and extremism. Absolutely, as well. And we Americans don't always see that distinction... or at least some of us choose not to see it ever.

I agree, there's extremists in each culture. It's up to us as individuals to see the differences and act upon it.

Quick question, be honest everyone.

Does it make you even a little nervous to board a plane with a muslim?

I don't fly often enough to say, and in the few times that I have since 9/11, I can say that even though I try my utter best to make the distinction TSF is talking about, it is hard to not notice them at the boarding gate. I can't say it makes me fearful to board the plane, but as I said,, I do notice them.

~Bang

[Kilmer17]

The sheep always need an enemy.

And while I do think the threat of Muslim extemism is actually UNDERreported. And while I think many go to great lenghts to dismiss the actions of the extremists. We dont have another "faceless" enemy to rally around. For years it was "commies". Now it's muslim extremists. It's fueled by facts as well as fiction. WHile it's true that all muslims are not terrorists, right now, damn near all terrorists are muslim. Add to that the fact that the attacks by the extremeists are almost always targetted at innocent civilians, and it fuels the fear.

On top of that, the fiction and rumor and urban legends take it over the top and drown out the voices of "moderates" (I hate that term btw).

I commend guys like this, who despite knowing most of his message falls on deaf ears, continues to take calls and answer the same ridiculous questions.

[Dictator]

Quick question, be honest everyone.

Does it make you even a little nervous to board a plane with a muslim?

Only once. But I was only nervous once the flight was in the air and they were getting up often and switching seats.

Edit: I'm only assuming they were musilm based upon physical characteristics. It's not like they were wearing t-shirts that say "I'm Islamic".

[Tulane Skins Fan]

IQuick question, be honest everyone.

Does it make you even a little nervous to board a plane with a muslim?

I don't fly often enough to say, and in the few times that I have since 9/11, I can say that even though I try my utter best to make the distinction TSF is talking about, it is hard to not notice them at the boarding gate. I can't say it makes me fearful to board the plane, but as I said,, I do notice them.

~Bang

I definitely notice... but usually I get my senses about me very quickly and realize that there is nothing to worry about.

Besides, I'm afraid of heights and I have more pressing concerns on my mind anytime I'm up in the air. :laugh: