Posted on 02/18/2005 6:18:24 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
WASHINGTON, 19 February 2005 — The Council for American Islamic Relations, CAIR, is known as the outspoken advocate for Islamic and Muslim rights in the United States since its inception in Washington ten years ago. A leading watchdog and Muslim advocacy group, CAIR has 31 chapters nationwide plus those in Canada.
Its mission, it says, is “to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.”
Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR, recently discussed with Arab News how Muslim Americans are coming to grips with life in the US after the 9/11 tragedy, and CAIR’s role in helping Muslims in the US who have been targeted, and sometimes attacked, in the aftermath of 9/11.
The US media are not helping, but rather cultivating a misunderstanding of Islam, he says. “There is a developing trend in the US to portray Muslims as bad guys on entertainment shows,” said Awad. He cited the example of a weekly series, called “Fox 24,” which is broadcast throughout the US and the world, had an Islamic terrorist sleeper cell woven into its plot.
The unfortunate twist Fox used portrayed the terrorists as typical neighbors. Awad said CAIR was concerned that the portrayal of the family as a terrorist “sleeper cell” would cast a shadow of suspicion over ordinary American Muslims and could increase Islamophobic stereotyping and bias.
CAIR met with representatives of the Fox network and expressed its concern that the TV program could enflame anti-Muslim sentiment. The officials were cognizant of CAIR’s concerns and, to Fox’s credit, agreed to broadcast a CAIR public service announcement to network affiliates to be aired during “24.”
Fox also gave CAIR representatives assurances that the program would be balanced in its portrayal of Muslims. Network representatives said that they had already reviewed existing episodes and removed some aspects that could potentially be viewed as stereotypical.
CAIR then contacted its members nationwide with the news. “We thank Fox for the opportunity to address the Muslim community’s concerns and for the willingness of network officials to take those concerns seriously in an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation.”
It was all in a day’s work at CAIR. Nihad says TV shows and movies can create a negative impact against the Muslim community. “The saddest thing for Islam, with its 1.2 billion people, and one of the three Abrahamic faiths, is that it is so unknown and so misunderstood by the most sophisticated society on the Earth, the United States. It’s mind boggling.”
Awad blames the media for the stereotypes and misconceptions, which remains most Americans source of information about Islam, he said, and which he calls “ignorant and biased.” Asked if he thought networks were deliberately biased, Awad said: “In some cases, yes, if these networks carry out ideological trends and represent a certain constituency, you can see they’re try to send a certain message about Islam.”
But, Awad said the rest of the media are ignorant; and the problem is: “They don’t know they’re ignorant. When they bring credible individuals to speak about Islam, it benefits both the stations and the viewers. This happened a lot more before 9/11. Unfortunately, now I don’t see a realistic and positive coverage of Muslims in the media and therefore the attitudes are becoming ‘dangerously negative’.”
The result is easy to gage. According to a Cornell University poll, 25 percent of Americans believe in anti-Muslim stereotypes, and 44 percent approve reducing the Civil Rights of American Muslims. “This despite the fact that not one single American Muslim has been linked to 9/11, and that the hundreds of arrests after 9/11 have not led to any convictions,” said CAIR’s director.
This misunderstanding of one-fifth of the world’s population influences, in the worst way possible, how US public opinion and decisions are made vis-à-vis the Muslim world, said Awad.
“As Americans, we are already suffering from bad decisions and bad policies by the US toward the Muslim world.”
The administration, he said, should welcome input from qualified individuals who could offer expert advice on how to format policies that affect America and the Muslim world.
“To date, this administration has been perceived as relying on the rhetoric of the extremist Christian right regarding Islam and the Arab world. We have seen this in numerous statements by those close to the White House,” said Awad.
“Take, for example, Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham, who said Islam is a wicked religion; and evangelist Jerry Falwell who accused Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of being a terrorist; and Gen. Boykin who claimed that Muslims worship an idol. This is very hard for any Muslim to swallow.”
It’s “no secret” that the image of the US is worse than ever in minds of both Muslims and non-Muslims, said Awad, who was born in Palestine and raised in a refugee camp in Jordan.
“We have reached the lowest point ever in US-Muslim relations due to our misguided policies. The US supports injustice against Muslims, supports regimes that do not promote democracy and sides with the ‘wrong guys’,” said Awad. To bridge the growing gap between the US and the Muslim world, Awad said, the US government “should utilize a very important component of American society - it should use the American Muslim community.”
Courageous lawmakers must rectify these policies to ensure the US does not repeat the mistakes of the past, said Awad, citing the “wrong, misguided policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is viewed by Muslims worldwide as a great injustice. There is also the war in Iraq. People believe the prison abuse issue runs through the political chain regarding torture.”
To ameliorate the situation, CAIR has met with officials at State Department and proposed they create an annual worldwide report on Islamophobia, which would enable them to monitor incidents and immediately address them. “This would be similar to the State Department’s annual report on anti-Semitism worldwide, because no one can deny there are growing anti-Muslim sentiments and misunderstandings in the US and in the West.”
If there's anything Nihad Awad and I can agree on, it's that Islam is misunderstood.
In public schools and colleges, it is taught that Islam is a "religion of peace." The media sees that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that only a small amount of Muslims are terrorists. In fact, most people in Western countries believe Islam is a "religion of peace." Even Bush once said that Islam is a "religion of peace."
However, it is interesting how these never get talked about:
Bukhari:V4B52N50 “The Prophet said, ‘A single endeavor of fighting in Allah’s Cause is better than the world and whatever is in it.’”
Koran 9:88 “The Messenger and those who believe with him, strive hard and fight with their wealth and lives in Allah’s Cause.”
Koran 9:5 “Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war.”
Koran 9:112 “The Believers fight in Allah’s Cause, they slay and are slain, kill and are killed.”
Koran 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender, paying the protective tax in submission.”
Ishaq:325 “Muslims, fight in Allah’s Cause. Stand firm and you will prosper. Help the Prophet, obey him, give him your allegiance, and your religion will be victorious.”
Koran 8:39 “Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.”
Koran 8:39 “So fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief [non-Muslims]) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole world).”
Ishaq:324 “He said, ‘Fight them so that there is no more rebellion, and religion, all of it, is for Allah only. Allah must have no rivals.’”
Koran 9:14 “Fight them and Allah will punish them by your hands, lay them low, and cover them with shame. He will help you over them.”
Ishaq:300 “I am fighting in Allah’s service. This is piety and a good deed. In Allah’s war I do not fear as others should. For this fighting is righteous, true, and good.”
Ishaq:587 “Our onslaught will not be a weak faltering affair. We shall fight as long as we live. We will fight until you turn to Islam, humbly seeking refuge. We will fight not caring whom we meet. We will fight whether we destroy ancient holdings or newly gotten gains. We have mutilated every opponent. We have driven them violently before us at the command of Allah and Islam. We will fight until our religion is established. And we will plunder them, for they must suffer disgrace.”
Koran 8:65 “O Prophet, urge the faithful to fight. If there are twenty among you with determination they will vanquish two hundred; if there are a hundred then they will slaughter a thousand unbelievers, for the infidels are a people devoid of understanding.”
Ishaq:326 “Prophet exhort the believers to fight. If there are twenty good fighters they will defeat two hundred for they are a senseless people. They do not fight with good intentions nor for truth.”
Bukhari:V4B52N63 “A man whose face was covered with an iron mask came to the Prophet and said, ‘Allah’s Apostle! Shall I fight or embrace Islam first?’ The Prophet said, ‘Embrace Islam first and then fight.’ So he embraced Islam, and was martyred. Allah’s Apostle said, ‘A Little work, but a great reward.’”
Bukhari:V4B53N386 “Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah alone or pay us the Jizyah tribute tax in submission. Our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: ‘Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever survives shall become your master.’”
Muslim:C34B20N4668 “The Messenger said: ‘Anybody who equips a warrior going to fight in the Way of Allah is like one who actually fights. And anybody who looks after his family in his absence is also like one who actually fights.”
Koran 9:38 “Believers, what is the matter with you, that when you are asked to go forth and fight in Allah’s Cause you cling to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? Unless you go forth, He will afflict and punish you with a painful doom, and put others in your place.”
Koran 9:123 “Fight the unbelievers around you, and let them find harshness in you.”
Koran 8:72 “Those who accepted Islam and left their homes to fight in Allah’s Cause with their possessions and persons, and those who gave (them) asylum, aid, and shelter, those who harbored them—these are allies of one another. You are not responsible for protecting those who embraced Islam but did not leave their homes [to fight] until they do so.” [Another translation reads:] “You are only called to protect Muslims who fight.”
Indeed, the American public needs to learn more about Islam.
I know from personal experience that the vast majority of muslims are indeed at the very least sympathizers of terrorists!!!!!!
I think I've got a pretty good handle on it.
If they are not Islam, kill them. What's so hard about understanding that?
DO ISLAMIC INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND FREEDOM?
Thank you for the graphic reminder.
All I needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11/01.
Until Islam denounces Wahabism and jihad, and until we outlaw Wahabism in this country, the silence from Muslims has been, and continues to be, deafening.
And another thing, CAIR, stop the murder of my Christian brothers and sisters around the world. They did nothing to you.
Ciao! One more from this side of the ocean.
CAIR would like all of us non-Muslims to just SUBMIT to Islam, and all will be well.
Islam teaches killing and murder. Islam teaches world take-over and rule.
World rule is why people left Europe and why wars were fought. CAIR thinks we don't read history books. We know about tyrants and Islam is one big Tyrant.
Ping me on that one...
Half or your responses are going to be "I learned all I need to know about Islam on 9/11"
Most Americans know that the vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists, but we also know that the vast majority of terrorists are Muslim.
And we also know that the 'vast majority of Muslims [who] are not terrorists never say a word against the terrorism..... makes one wonder.....
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