Monday, October 16, 2006
I have read some rather upsetting things in La Voz, specifically penned by Mr. James Schulte. It is ignorance, I am guessing, that gave the guidance – or lack thereof – to Mr. Schulte’s Sept. 25 article entitled, “Muslims, media distort pope’s true intentions.” As a Muslim American, I feel as though the responsibility lies upon me to enlighten those who are ignorant regarding Islam.
Hopefully, after this letter, Mr. Schulte can approach Islam in a more graceful and respectful manner – perhaps the same way he would want someone to approach Christianity. The first objection I have is the use of broad generalizations that seems to throw in every Khalid, Ali, and Mohammed with the lot of Al-Qaeda.
Mr. Schulte is at fault in this, but in reality, no more at fault than th entirety of the American media.
CNN, MSNBC, and even more so Fox news, give all but the crumbs of the media attention to extremists who are always seeking to blow something up.
To create the converse, it would be like saying that some abortion clinic bomber represents all of Christianity. To do that, I would have to ignore the plethora of sects within Christianity, and of Christianity in general – after all, I don’t think that Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, would encourage violence in the name of God.
The most prominent members of Al-Qaeda are Wahhabists, not Sunni or Shia. The converse of that would be if Pentecostal blew something up, and then Muslims blamed all Christians, ignorant of the fact that there are Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans and, Episcopals.
Wahhabists are simply Islamic Puritanism. They are far more conservative, not allowing music, televisions or, photographs, etc.
Mr. Schulte also said that a Somalian cleric “called for Muslims to hunt down and kill the pope.” To that, I have only questions. What was his name? What was his clerical rank?
If he is a hojjatoeslam or an ayatollah, then perhaps his opinion has some weight, but otherwise using him as a representative of Islam is questionable. The Mujahadeen Army in Iraq is a terrorist group, and such statements are almost expected of them.
Besides, that’s the only way they can get any attention in a sensationalistic media, as Mr. Schulte proves by quoting them then, and if I recall correctly, in no other instance. In response to what I can only assume is Mr. Schulte’s sarcastic “It’s nice to see that Islam has progressed so much since the 14th century.” I once again ask him if it was an accident – a simple mistake that he made – or perhaps if it was made because he unwittingly threw in all Islam with extremist elements that most likely don’t represent 1 percent of Muslims worldwide; if so, it would behoove a person with common human courtesy to apologize once they have learned the error of their ways – but if it is not accidental, and if it is not out of ignorance, I wonder if there is perhaps a more sinister sentiment lurking behind Mr. Schulte’s words. I seek reassurance from Mr. Schulte that this is not the case.
Mr. Schulte makes factual errors as well. “Islam[ic] jihad (holy war)” is written as though it is a translation or definition, and if so, the definition is flatly wrong.
Jihad simply means “to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle.” One can have a jihad against hunger, personal spiritual strife, drought, famine, illiteracy, etc. It does not mean holy war; it is by no means a military term. Mr. Schulte is, once again no more guilty then the rest of American mainstream media.
When Mr. Schulte says that Islam has not progressed since the 14th century and then blurs the line between mainstream Islam and radical extremist elements, he creates a general impression that Islam is not tolerant of other religions. This could not be farther from the truth.
Islam recognizes Judaism and Christianity; in fact, Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, is a book bearing prophet. Jews, Christians and Muslims live peacefully next to each other in many Muslim countries.
I simply wish for La Voz and the readers of La Voz to consider the following: Why does the mainstream American media focus so much attention on radical extremists, but pay so little attention to average Muslims? Why does the mainstream media go out of there way to use exotic terms such as Hezbollah (Party of God) and, madrasse (school). when the English words would be so much easier to use?
Why do they say jihad means holy war, instead of struggle or effort?
Is it ignorance, and if it is, is it not the media’s responsibility to enlighten the public, rather than lead them to false conclusions, as they have?
Or perhaps is it that they are afraid that if Americans see Muslims as human, and not the demonic portrait that is painted on an almost daily basis, that their ratings cash cow, their readerships, their listeners, might not be so glued to them? I myself cannot be sure.
I would like to think that it is just simple ignorance that drives this, that Americans stay true to the pluralistic ideals in which this country was founded on, and do not cower in the face of fear.
I would like to think that the country in which I was born, which I hold dear, and to which I call home would be proud and willing to embrace me as I have embraced it.
Mr. Schulte is not my enemy – on the contrary, he is a lost and confused brother of mine, who simply knows not of what he speaks. After contemplation, I have decided that the mistakes that Mr. Schulte made are innocent, and hardly unique. A great ignorance struck the United States after the attacks of September 11 2001, in regards to Islam, and Mr. Schulte is simply another victim.
