U.S. Muslims feel Americans' prejudice(off the barfometer scale)

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | August 15, 2006 | PARVEZ AHMED

[mdittmar]

Shortly after 9/11, President Bush described and later retracted our fight against terrorism as a "crusade." In his first news conference after last week's thwarted terrorist plot to blow up several aircrafts the president said, " This nation is at war with Islamic fascists."

The use of the phrase "Islamic fascists" has drawn the ire of the American Muslim community. As Muslims, we use "Islamic ethics" to mean ethics based on Islamic teachings that guide our behavior. Similarly, "Islamic art" draws its inspiration from Islamic teachings that discourage certain types of art (immodest imagery or certain life forms). When the president uses "Islamic fascists," it conveys that fascism is rooted in Islam or fascism that is inspired by Islam. This is the way the Muslims will see it, regardless of what George W. Bush may claim he really means.

Bush, on an earlier occasion, said Islam is a religion of peace. Now, caving into extreme right-wing pressure, he equated the religion of peace with the ugliness of fascism. Such rhetoric contributes to fear and backlash against American Muslims. A recently released Gallup poll shows four out of 10 Americans feel "prejudiced" against Muslims.

"Prejudice" against Islam and Muslims allowed politicians to whip up a frenzy in rejecting the approval of a Dubai firm to operate U.S. ports. Conservative columnist David Brooks wrote, "But it is certain that the xenophobic hysteria will come back to harm the U.S. This (Middle East) is a region in the midst of traumatic democratic change. The strongest argument the fundamentalists have is that they are engaged in a holy war against the racist West, which imposes one set of harsh rules on Arabs and another set of rules on everybody else. Now comes a group of politicians to prove them gloriously right."

Scholarly writings are delving deeper into the root causes of suicide terrorism. Robert Pape in his book "Dying to Win" uses more than two decades of data to show the paucity of connection between suicide terrorism and any religion. The pioneering instigators and the largest purveyors of suicide terrorism are the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, a Marxist-Leninist group whose members are overwhelmingly Hindu.

Pape writes: "From Lebanon to Israel to Sri Lanka to Kashmir to Chechnya, the sponsors of every campaign have been terrorist groups trying to establish or maintain political self determination by compelling a democratic power to withdraw from a territory they claim." Occupation is the primary motivator and religion, at best, is an "aggravating" factor.

Today we all live in fear of terrorism. Equating terrorism with Islam makes the mainstream Muslim community doubly vulnerable to both the random acts of terror and the ensuing backlash.

In these trying times it is important our nation stands united. Muslims form an important part of the fabric of America. We are law-abiding citizens who have always been dedicated to the protection of our national security. We should not be targeted or singled out because of our faith. Nor should our faith be equated with the evils of terrorism or fascism. We do not control or have say over the actions of shadowy terrorist groups. But as taxpayers we certainly have a right to petition and expect our own to government do everything in its powers to protect us by all means, including avoiding counterproductive rhetoric.

A recent policy brief by the Stanley Foundation states that Western powers "should not focus on the religious and cultural divisions between East and West when approaching this issue (of terrorism), as this plays into the existing grievances of Arab and Muslim populations and creates a sense of clash between civilizations, all of which hinder the resolution of differences."

An attempt to institutionally and rhetorically dissociate Islam from terrorism is imperative.

Parvez Ahmed is chairman of Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR is the United States' largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group. To find out more about CAIR go to: www.cair.com E-mail: pahmed@cair.com.

[justiceseeker93]

When you speak of Timothy McVeigh, bear in mind that the Oklahoma City bomb plot in 1995 was largely masterminded and carried out by Iraqi agents loyal to Saddam Hussein. McVeigh and Nichols, though involved, were the only two participants brought to justice. Thus the Iraqi (Islamic) terrorists with whom they worked largely escaped notice in connection with this heinous crime. Source: Jayna Davis, The Third Terrorist (Nashville, TN: WND Books, 2004).

[Tzimisce]

We can't call them Islamo Facists...

Of course, they can call us Nazis and equate Bush to Hitler and it's all fine.

[thoughtomator]

When the president uses "Islamic fascists," it conveys that fascism is rooted in Islam or fascism that is inspired by Islam. This is the way the Muslims will see it, regardless of what George W. Bush may claim he really means.

That IS what he really means when he says "Islamic fascists", and that is what everybody else understands it to be. They got a problem with it, it's their problem to solve. They don't solve it on their own, and we're going to solve it in a way that will not be pleasing to them.

[A CA Guy]

Not all Muslims are terrorist, but seems all terrorist are Muslim.

I don't care what they feel, let them reform their religion before it is banned world wide.

[ApplegateRanch]

The use of the phrase "Islamic fascists" has drawn the ire of the American Muslim community.

Tough shi'ite; the sunni you're gone, better, sufi-ce it to say.

Never mosque your feelings, and you don't have to worry about anyone misunderstanding you...and MY feeling is that we are way better off without allah you koranuses on this continent.

[ApplegateRanch]

Well how about mainstream islam (whatever that is) clearly denouncing the 9/11 atrocities?

They can't; they believe those were a Zionist/American plot.

How about mainstream islam denouncing Bin Laden and issuing fatwas against him.

They can't; he is a wonderful, philanthropic man, who has been falsely accused by Zionists and the Great Satan, America. The tapes where he brags about what he has done? Cia fakes.

How about denouncing decades (and that's being generous) of ISLAMIC terrorists attacking the US, Israel, Spain, Russia, Great Britain and on and on and on.

They can't; that is legitimate resistance and or freedom fighting.

They can't help it; they are so full of hate, that they have an answer that justifies anything and everything they do, while playing the victim card endlessly.

It is kinder to just shoot them, as there is no other cure for their brand of insanity.

[thoughtomator]

Not all Muslims are terrorist, but seems all terrorist are Muslim.

There is scant evidence to back up the first half of that sentence.

[backhoe]

I've been trying to wake people up to this menace, for years:

Islam, a Religion of Peace®? ( links, blogs, quips, quotes, aggravating pictures ) is located here- click the Picture, and scroll backwards:

...and the barbarians are already inside our gates.

Never, ever, forget:

Where It's 9-11 all the Time: Click the Picture:

"Where it's nine-eleven all the time
and no Sun sets, and no clocks chime
where no voice speaks and no bird trills
the Moon hangs frozen o'er the hills
The winds are still, they seem to say,
Reflect, remember, stop to pray..."

...and at our neighbour's gates, as well:

Terror Strike Toronto ( Aborted! )-- Click the picture:

And then, there is this little problem:

For "Thunder on the Border," click the picture:

I've been trying to wake people up to this menace, for years:

Islam, a Religion of Peace®? ( links, blogs, quips, quotes, aggravating pictures ) is located here- click the Picture, and scroll backwards:

...and the barbarians are already inside our gates.

Never, ever, forget:

Where It's 9-11 all the Time: Click the Picture:

"Where it's nine-eleven all the time
and no Sun sets, and no clocks chime
where no voice speaks and no bird trills
the Moon hangs frozen o'er the hills
The winds are still, they seem to say,
Reflect, remember, stop to pray..."

...and at our neighbour's gates, as well:

Terror Strike Toronto ( Aborted! )-- Click the picture:

And then, there is this little problem:

For "Thunder on the Border," click the picture:

[SlayerOfBunnies]

The USA should ban Islam on the grounds that it is a political system seeking to undermine the US Constitution and deport every last one.

Exactly correct!

[BigCinBigD]

"Law abiding, patriotic Americans aren't going around planning to murder Muslims in their sleep or at work. We may be on the lookout for suspicious behavior among Muslims, but we aren't looking for weaknesses in their defenses that will allow us to slaughter them wholesale."
Yet.

[kittymyrib]

A hit dog howls. Did these terrorist sympathizers think the US is as weak as Europe and that we would simply turn our country over to Islamic Sharia rule? The next massive terror attack by Muslims will mean mass deportations of Muslims from this country. They have had their chance to prove their allegiance to the USA, but all we hear is apologists for Islamic terrorists and blame for the majority of US citizens, now even including the President.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Stop slitting throats while chanting religious songs and we'll start liking you.

[panthermom]

As far as I'm concerned respect is earned not just given. If you all are such "peaceful" people stand up for yourselves and denounce the killings. My education regarding Islam began on SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 and up until this very moment, I have yet to learn anything else to make me feel any different, in fact every day my disgust for it grows. Quit your freaking whining and go back to your caves. Sorry, your way of life and thinking cannot coexist with the rest of us.

[Convert from ECUSA]

[Convert from ECUSA]

U.S. Muslims feel Americans' prejudice(off the barfometer scale)

Memo to Parvez Ahmad: Boo-hoo-hoo. Maybe the past 30 or so years of airplane and ship hijackings, kidnappings, murders, airplanes flown into buildings, televised and videotaped beheadings, lychings of Americans in Iraq, 444 days of hostages in Iran, 241 Marines murdered in Beirut, bombing of the USS Cole, bogus charities and CAIR that are muslim terrorist fronts, mosques in our midst which are no more than terrorist incitment and training grounds might just have something to do with this "prejudice" you're whining about. Tell you what, Parvez, lets see how long we "infidels" would get away with doing the exact same things to you and your kin listed above. Would your patience be as forbearing and long suffering? I don't think so.

[Dustbunny]

The best way to correct this is for Muslims to get out of the USA and go live in a Muslim country.

[Vision]

"Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Qur'an should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth"

--Omar Ahmed, Chairman of the Board of CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations), San Ramon Valley Herald, July 1998

[monday]

"Parvez Ahmed is chairman of Council on American-Islamic Relations."

...and a terrorist supporter. Any Muslim who agrees with Parvez Ahmed is also a terrorist supporter. All of them should be deported since they all want non Muslims dead.

The only Muslims with whom I feel any sympathy are those who understand that they, as Muslims, are under suspicion because of the terrorist actions of their fellow Muslims. They are angry, not at us for suspecting them of evil, but at Muslim terrorists for causing us to suspect them. These Muslims are practically non existent.

It really is that simple. Any Muslim who blames us for being suspicious of Muslims is a terrorist sympathizer. Muslims who blame Muslim terrorists for our suspicions of Muslims are not.

[DungeonMaster]

Well, gee ... when every single terrorist do far has been MUSLIM, yeah, rational people don't like being murdered just because they are the "infidel".

And every single Muslim seems to be kind of OK with whatever any Muslim terrorist does.

[nmh]

"And every single Muslim seems to be kind of OK with whatever any Muslim terrorist does."

What a coincidence!

Amazing.

;)