Posted on 12/02/2004 5:34:18 AM PST by cweese
Every time the federal government raises the terror alert level or there is a terrorist attack anywhere in the world, Austin Muslims hold their breath hoping it's not one of their own.
"Our initial reaction is usually, not again,” Austin Muslim Zafar Sadiq said.
"I'm always at the edge. I hope it's not a Muslim because it just gives a wrong image and it's the image, the image is getting tarnished,” Austin Muslim Nahid Khataw said.
Organizations like the Islamic Society of North America are protecting the image...they are the first to publically denounce any and every act of terrorism.
"This has to be done through our sermons, through our writings, through our speech, through our conduct. So, it's quite a big job, in that sense,” Islamic Society of North America Secretary General Sayyid Syeed said.
Austin Muslims have taken it upon themselves to complete the take on an individual basis as well.
"If any Muslim, in his right mind, knows of an impending attack, we are the first to step up to it and the first to condemn it. We try to prevent it. We try to alert the authorities so such events do not happen,” Sadiq said.
But every time it does happen, Muslims say they are back at square one, spiraling in a tornado of accusations and insults.
"It's a daily issue in that sense because it's a new environment where we are transplanting the message of Islam, where we are engaged in passing on our legacy, our Islamic legacy, to new generations,” Syeed said.
The new generation is confident their future in this country is secure because of the hard work of their predecessors.
"Five to 10 years down the road, we see Islam as becoming a mainstream religion. Just as today, we see America being called a Judeo-Christian nation, you'll see that being redefined as a Judeo-Christian-Islamic nation. You'll see more people becoming receptive of Muslims. You'll see more intermarriages between Muslims and other faiths,” Sadiq said.
This integration of Islamic values into mainstream America is going forward on many levels.
Allah Made me Funny is a Muslim comedy troupe that tours the country making jokes about the plight of Muslims in America. The comedians see themselves as modern-day jesters.
"The comedian, or the jester, back in the medieval times, is the only one who can really, truthfully, speak and make comments about the king where everyone else is resigned to another role for fear of losing their life. The jester was the one that could speak the conscience of the people and be creative in how they did it,” Muslim comedian Preacher Moss said.
The idea behind the show was to create a vehicle for the Muslim and non-Muslim communities to speak freely about what's on their minds.
"Muslims need to get out and validate themselves in the mainstream as opposed to the mainstream validating them. We see that hasn't worked,” Moss said.
What has worked is Muslims educating non-Muslims about their practices. They believe only through acceptance will Muslim children and grandchildren flourish in the future.
"If Muslims want to see their situation bettered, then they have to become more active in the stance they wish to see pursued, and if non-Muslims want to see all this hate and all this fear go away, then they have to be more willing to learn about the Muslim community,” Muslim student Annia Raja said.
I particularly enjoyed this little gem :
Organizations like the Islamic Society of North America are protecting the image...they are the first to publically denounce any and every act of terrorism.
Never heard of 'em. Has anyone else here?
Notice how it never goes the other way...
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/intro/islam-alawi.htm
The major divisions are much more serious than those between Protestants and Catholics, and certainly far more disruptive than those between the different kinds of Catholics.
BTW, I read through all of this material last evening and noticed that the writers did not follow the usual Moslem practice of both describing and denouncing those in the other groups. I would suspect the writers are Christians, Jews or Buddhists.
Yup. And I guess the muzzies aren't aware that the founders of the United States weren't thinking of integrating Islamic values into our nation's culture.
Perhaps because if they DO condemn these acts in public, they know what their fate is - fatwa, and eventual death to them and their families.
Good point. I'd suspect Buddhist as the author's name is Jiting Hingorani.
The Turks, in fact, were among the very first nations to recognize our independence.
I'm surprised you've never noticed the very many Protestant churches who have an ecclesiastical structure essentially the same as your friendly neighborhood mosque. You don't suppose that happened in a vacuum do you?
I don't claim to be an expert in the deal, but during the 1400s and 1500s extensive trade relations developed between Europeans and the Middle East. Both goods and ideas were exchanged. Some territorial boundaries were adjusted, e.g. Spain became wholly Christian while the Balkans fell to the Moslems. The Protestant Reformation arose at the hands of those with the most extensive contacts with the East. The connection is inescapable.
erm no. In fact, f*** off. Islam = terrorism and loathing of all things non-islamic. I see no need to "learn about the Muslim community".
That's everybody else's initial reaction too.
"I hope it's not a Muslim because it just gives a wrong image..."
No, Zafar. Your problem is that it gives an accurate image.
"...and...the image is getting tarnished.”
The "tarnishing of the image", Zafar, is the awakening of the world to reality--something that you would be wise to awaken to.
"I'm always at the edge."
You're at the edge!?!! How do you think the sane people of the world feel with a bunch of murderous lunatics running around loose, blowing things up, and determined to establish a world-wide theocracy with the shariah as international law?
I would advise you to change religions, Zafar, but, if you do, your fellow Muslims will murder you.
Uh... Don't really, truthfully speak and make comments about Islam, Preacher Moss. Remember that part about losing your life.
I'd sure like to see Preacher Moss and his merry band of jesters go into, say, Mosul, and perform there.
No, I must have missed that meeting. I do not recall asking to be attacked by terrorists either.
Thanks for the knowledge. I guess I spoke too soon!
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