Posted on 01/15/2005 8:55:12 AM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
WASHINGTON, January 14 (IslamOnline.net) - The largest US Muslim civil liberties called on the State Department to issue a report on Islamophobia across the world, as American Muslims have complained of more anti-Islam TV rants.
The proposal was made when the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and several other Muslim and Arab-American groups met Thursday, January 13, with top State Department officials to discuss a number of issues related to American foreign policy, according to CAIR’s Web site.
CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad presented in the meeting -- attended by Assistant Secretary Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher and Ambassador William Burns -- a proposal for cooperative efforts to challenge both Islamophobia and anti-Americanism.
The proposal includes such measures as producing a report on the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia, conferences in this country and in the Muslim world to discuss both Islamophobia and Anti-Americanism and domestic and international “goodwill ambassadors” who can speak about both topics.
“By challenging anti-Muslim bigotry, we can help reduce anti-American attitudes in the Islamic world.
“And by having American Muslims speak out in support of their nation's values, while at the same time maintaining essential credibility on issues of importance to Muslims worldwide, we undercut growing Islamophobic views in our society,” read the report, carried by the group in a press release Thursday.
Awad described the meeting as “open and forward-looking.”
Anti-Semitism
The meeting came after the State Department released its first report on global anti-Semitism January 5, taking a country-by-country survey of anti-Semitism worldwide from July 2003, to December 15, 2004.
The report was mandated by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act, which was approved by US President George W. Bush in October.
Influential Jewish leaders applauded the move, saying the very fact that Congress enacted legislation requiring the State Department to issue annual reports is “extremely important and highly significant.”
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, having 30 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada.
Pro-Islam Spots
CAIR said in earlier reports and surveys that attacks against Muslims have been on the rise in the United States since the 9/11/2001 deadly attacks.
The recent slur against Muslims was carried in the Fox TV hit show “24”, which featured an upper-middle class Muslim family operating as a sleeper “terrorist cell”.
In the drama, premiered Monday, January 9, the Muslim mother poisons her son's non-Muslim girlfriend because it was feared the girl could jeopardize the terrorists' plan.
The Fox television network said it would provide its stations with TV spots that portray Muslims in a favorable way after it received complaints for featuring followers of Islam as terrorists on the television show.
A Fox spokesman was quoted by Reuters Friday, January 14, as saying it would provide public service announcements sponsored by CAIR to its affiliate stations.
The move was in response to the Islamic council's complaints about the show.
“What we are hoping to do is to try and mitigate the damages of the stereotypes because it can bring real-life consequences on American Muslims and their lives here,” said Rabiah Ahmed, spokeswoman for the Islamic group.
Citing a public opinion survey conducted by Cornell University last year, Ahmed said television influences viewers' perceptions of Muslims.
“There aren't any positive or even neutral portrayals of Muslims on TV; whenever Muslims or Arabs are portrayed it is always in a stereotypical way,” she said.
“What we are hoping to do is to try and mitigate the damages of the stereotypes because it can bring real-life consequences on American Muslims and their lives here,” said Ahmed.
“When average Americans don't have any personal interaction with Muslims, whether it be at work or at school, they base their perception of Islam and Muslims from what they see on TV,” she added.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan opened in December a seminar on combating Islamophobia through education, inclusion and example.
Annan also warned in an earlier black-tie dinner at the UN headquarters in January that Islamophobia poses a challenge to the spirit that he said unites peoples across the globe.
He said that since the 9/11 attacks “many Muslims, particularly in the West, have found themselves the objects of suspicion, harassment and discrimination.”
“Too many people see Islam as a monolith and as intrinsically opposed to the West. Caricature remains widespread and the gulf of ignorance is dangerously deep.”
I'm rolling my eyes here...It seems as if all the respect isn't going to help, and the aid to the countries hit by the tsunami sure doesn't seem to help either.
I've heard that rumor also,and wouldn't necessarily discount it. Kind of hope it's true. It occurs to me that Bush will have 3 1/2 years more in the White House. What happens when his tenure is up? What if he does not pass this information on to the new president or the new president doesn't approve of the policy? Does chaos break out?
<< Nope. Don't like [Sodomists] pretending [They're] normal -- and I don't like Islamic murderers pretending to be peaceful. >>
What's the difference?
Got your sixes, Airborne.
Per Adua Ad Astra -- B A
I have seen Earth People -- and I'm glad I'm not!]
American Muslims have brought on their real-life consequences with their silence. Until they start speaking out against terrorism they'll have to live with said consequences.
thanks for the ping Former Dodger.
Before the Muslims look for ways to decrease, as they put it, "anti muslim bigotry" and "islamophobia" they should think of ways to decrease Muslim hatred of the infidels.
And the State Department should start the motions to classify CAIR and Red Crescent as terrorist organizations.
Radical Islam's 'plan' to take over America - Arab-American author outlines secret 20-year strategy to undermine country
The Islamic States of America?
Misunderstanding the Enemy: the Islamic Threat and the U.S. Media
CAIR: 'Moderate' friends of terror
An Open Letter to Islamic Organizations in America
Islamic terror based on Qu’ran: ex-CIA official
Exploiting the Koran to Terrorize
A Seat at the Table: Islam Makes Inroads in Education
Spreading Islam in American Public Schools
Islamist Threat to Public Schools in Columbia, South Carolina?
Respecting Ramadan, Banning "Christmas" (School District Favors Muslims Over Christians)
--Omar Ahmed, Chairman of the Board of CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations), San Ramon Valley Herald, July 1998
"Nearly three years after 9/11, the war on terror is far from over. In fact, a leading terrorism expert argues that despite the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, we're not really any safer at all.
Harvey Kushner, a respected adviser to the FBI, the FAA, the INS, and other government agencies, offers frightening new evidence of a unified Islamic terrorist network that is operating inside the United States and planning new opportunities to strike.
Kushner identifies and assesses the violent plans of these Islamic organizations and individuals who take advantage of our reluctance to engage in ethnic profiling. He supports his claims with never-before-seen documents from top-level government sources, exposing a secret network of Arab intelligence agencies, terrorists, university professors, corrupt imams and other religious leaders, and violent criminals.
Some members of this network are recent immigrants; others have been American citizens for years. Some are laundering money from abroad through seemingly innocuous charities and mosques. Some have even infiltrated our military as Arabic translators and Muslim chaplains..."
islam is truly evil!
Well, most big families have their black sheep. I believe the head of the Muslim's need to sit everyone down and give them a good talking to.
Take Scott Peterson's family: they are innocent, but because of Scott, they have all been pulled into murder. They didn't do anything, but they are still pulled along for the ride, because of that black sheep Scott.
Scott's parents are scorned and yelled at all because of their son. I guess it just goes with the territory.
"This is an amazing book. Brilliantly argued and meticulously documented, this book contains a devastating expose of the murderous deceit behind contemporary apologists for militant Islam--in the media, political arena, academia and "mainstream" radical Islamic groups. Read this book to learn why Islamic extremism is dangerously entrenched within the institutional Islamic leadership in Saudi Arabia and the United States." -- Steven Emerson, author of American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us and Director of the Investigative Project
bttt
Ping
Thanks for the ping!
"We need to tell the Muslims...when you start treating Jews with respect then you will earn our respect, then sit back and wait."
Exactly! But after we tell them this, we shouldn't hold our breath that they'll treat Jews (and Christians) with any type or respect.
How about a world wide Islamofascist butchery report???
I'll second that... and I'll be happy to forward it on to the Koranimals at CAIR.
BTTT
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