Media Bias and ISLAM
Gembong SW
On 16 Aug 1996 en...@ihgp1.ih.att.com wrote:
>
> The, tell your friend Gaddafi to turn over the suspects of
> Pan Am bombing to justice.
>
>
What was the Reagan's air strike against Libya all about ?
Just a pretentious show of justice by Good Ole' boy from Hollywood
or what..
Zillur Rahim
Source: Council On American Islamic Affairs (CAIR)
Email: ca...@ix.netcom.com (CAIR)
Title: Editorial - Muslims, Media and the TWA Crash
Highlight: "ISLAMOPHOBIA" LEADS TO MEDIA BIAS
By: Ibrahim Hooper
NOTE:
Ibrahim Hooper is National Communications Director for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic advocacy
organization.
TEXT:
Salaam alaykum:
The information in the following editorial may be used by
anyone wishing to submit an article on this subject to
opinion pages of local newspapers.
Please forward copies of completed editorials to CAIR.
-----------------------------------------
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
1050 17th Street, N.W., Suite 490
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: 202-659-CAIR (2247)
Fax: 202-659-2254
Email: ca...@ix.netcom.com
"ISLAMOPHOBIA" LEADS TO MEDIA BIAS
By: Ibrahim Hooper
Since the tragic downing of TWA Flight 800, media outlets
and expert commentators around North America have been
busting at the seams, trying to place the blame on Muslims
and Islam. Fortunately, in the first few days after the
crash, most journalists recalled the anti-Muslim backlash
caused by the media's rush to blame Muslims for the Oklahoma
City bombing. On day one, ABC's Ted Koppel quickly
reprimanded one commentator when he began listing possible
suspects, all Muslim, for an event that was not even
determined to be a deliberate act. But as time passed, and
air time and column inches needed to be filled, the bonds of
media restraint began to loosen.
One news agency ran a story about a Florida television
station that received a call claiming responsibility on
behalf of "a jihad," a turn of phrase that would not be used
by any Muslim. This bit of "news" was picked up by other
outlets and was used to blame Muslims.
As anyone who has worked the overnight shift in a newsroom
can tell you, these types of calls are an almost daily
occurrence. I remember a regular caller to the station where
I worked who claimed to be receiving transmissions from
government agencies through his dental work. It is
incredible that a major news organization would choose to
run such a claim.
What about that letter faxed to a London-based Arabic
newspaper by an Islamic group claiming an attack would occur
"tomorrow morning?" When Arabic speakers in our office first
began hearing media translations of this time-specific
claim, they thought it sounded familiar. In fact, the
reference was not to a specific time, but was instead a
verse from the Quran, Islam's revealed text, dealing with
God's punishment of Sodom. The verse (chapter 11, verse 81)
reads: "Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the
morning near?" This verse was at the end of a written attack
on the Saudi government and the American presence in that
country. To those fluent in Arabic, it clearly did not refer
to any specific time.
When operating during a crisis, and without the benefit of
real information, journalists tend to depend on their
preconceptions. As writer and commentator Morton Kondracke
said during one talk show, "My thoughts naturally go to the
Middle East, Hamas and Hizbullah, or something like that."
CBS's Dan Rather cornered one expert by asking for a list of
top suspects. The expert, a former FBI official said,
"Again, total speculation at this point...out of the people
I talked to, most said if this a terrorist bombing, they
would bet on the Muslim extremists." It's a bit like asking
someone, "If my uncle was a Martian, what color would he
be?"
At other times, the media trotted out the usual neutral,
objective, agendaless Israeli experts. One former head of
security for Israel's El Al Airlines listed the suspects.
"Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, then Syria," he said. The list
was of course in descending order of perceived threats to
the state of Israel, not America. But that has become a
standard talking point for pro-Israel pundits: demonize 1.2
billion Muslims to facilitate the suppression of the only
remaining opposition to Israeli political and territorial
aspirations.
In one particularly egregious case of media bigotry, a
nationally-syndicated columnist advocated American bombing
attacks on a list of "Muslim" nations. The columnist
acknowledged that there would be civilian casualties, but
stated, "We have no stake in blowing up camel drivers and
date growers." Perhaps the columnist should be congratulated
for his restraint in not naming "rag heads" or "sand
n--gers."
When Muslims challenge unsourced and unsubstantiated
accusations, they are told: "Well isn't it Muslims who
commit most acts of terrorism?" Consider these government
statistics:
According to the Department of State "Patterns of Global
Terrorism" report, there were 99 international terrorist
attacks against U.S. interests in 1995. Sixty-two of these
attacks took place in Latin America, 21 in Europe, 6 in the
Middle East, 1 in Eurasia, 6 in Asia, and 3 in Africa.
The following figures for domestic terrorist attacks were
reported by the FBI in the period 1990 to 1994: special
interest groups (Animal Liberation Front, Earth Night Action
Group, etc.), 12 attacks; Puerto Rican groups, 12 attacks;
right-wing groups, 2 attacks; international groups, 2
attacks. Quoting from the FBI report: "Of the 28 incidents
occurring from 1990 through 1994, only two were identified
as acts of international terrorism...Other incidents
occurring within this five-year time frame were perpetrated
by groups or persons indigenous to the United States."
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
(ATF) "Arson and Explosives Incidents Report: 1994," there
were a total of 8,567 bombings in the U.S. (306 killed,
3,402 injured) from 1990 to 1994, and a total of 1,916
bombings in 1994 alone (52 killed, 478 injured).
These figures do not support a rush to judgment in blaming
Islam, Muslims, and/or Arabs for each unsolved terrorist
incident. But then again, is it "terrorism" if Muslims are
not involved? One wire service story after the recent
Atlanta bombing made a case for not calling the explosion an
act of terrorism because it apparently did not involve
organized groups. When Muslims are not involved in an
incident, it usually rates no more than a few paragraphs in
the "national news briefs" section of any newspaper. Does
anyone outside the local areas involved recall recent
bombings at government offices in the Western United States?
In the period immediately before and after the crash, many
acts of religious or ethnic terrorism and violence occurred
around the world. Here are just a few examples:
* In Sri Lanka, at least 70 people were killed and 200
injured when a powerful bomb, believed to have been planted
by Tamil rebels, exploded in a train in a Colombo suburb.
* In Bosnia, three Croats were arrested in the shooting of a
female U.S. Embassy employee near Sarajevo. In court
testimony, a Muslim survivor of a Bosnian Serb prison camp
said that Serb soldiers acted as if they were "at a sports
match" when they forced a prisoner to bite off a fellow
inmate's genitals.
* In Northern Ireland, major violence swept Catholic
districts of Belfast, This violence came after a large car
bomb exploded in the center of the British city of
Manchester, injuring some 200 civilians. IRA mortars were
also fired at a British Army base in Germany and when a
suspected IRA bomb exploded at a hotel in Enniskillen,
Northern Ireland, 17 people were injured.
* In Uganda, Christian rebels, the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA), abducted 80 people, most schoolchildren, after
raiding and setting fire to a town in the northeast of that
country. In a more recent incident, the rebels killed 60
civilians, placing their mutilated bodies along the roadside
to dissuade others from helping government soldiers.
* Amnesty International concluded that Israel had
deliberately shelled a United Nations compound last April in
an attack that killed more than 100 civilians, including two
American children.
* In Atlanta, a explosion said by law enforcement officials
to have been the work of a "white American," resulted in
two deaths and more than 100 injuries.
This list does not include such violence as the nerve gas
attack on the Tokyo subway that killed 11 and injured
thousands, the blast at the Murrah Federal Building in
Oklahoma City that killed 168, Russian carpet-bombing of
Chechen civilians, or the massacre of thousands of Bosnian
Muslims following the surrender of the U.N. "safe area" of
Srebrenica. In none of these cases was the faith or
ethnicity of the perpetrators used as a basis for
generalizations or stereotyping. American Hindus, Catholics,
Buddhists, Protestants, Jews, and those of the Eastern
Orthodox faith, all remained free of media linkages to acts
of violence.
Some members of the media appear desperate to maintain
linkages between Islam and violence. When the first sketches
of domestic suspects were issued following the Oklahoma City
bombing, a prominent CNN reporter said, "There's still a
possibility that there could have been some sort of
connection to Middle East terrorism...they may have been
contracted as freelancers to go out and rent this truck."
But then he could not help subverting his own argument with
a bit of bigotry: "...one of the assumptions is that Islamic
fundamentalists do not normally hire white
individuals...They don't trust them," he said.
What can one say about a reporter so ignorant of Islam's
diversity? A visitor to any American mosque will see
worshipers from a wide variety of racial and ethnic
backgrounds. I myself am of Anglo-French heritage.
American Muslims are routinely forced to adopt a siege
mentality to avoid the inevitable backlash that results from
what can only be called "Islamophobia." For example, a CAIR
report, called "A Rush to Judgment," outlined the more than
200 anti-Muslim incidents that occurred in the first few
days after the Oklahoma City bombing.
This blame game has to stop. American Muslims will no longer
let themselves be held hostage to media bias and prejudice.
If the TWA crash is ultimately determined to be an act of
sabotage, the Muslim community and its leadership would
unreservedly condemn any individual or group found to be
responsible.
America's Muslim citizens call upon media professional and
commentators to maintain one standard for reporting and to
end the reckless and reprehensible practice of anti-Muslim
bias, prejudice and stereotyping. Journalists and
commentators should not use religious terminology such as
"Islamic," "Jewish" or "Christian" when describing acts of
violence.
- END -
Ibrahim Hooper is National Communications Director for the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a
Washington-based Islamic advocacy organization.
--
____________________________________________________________________
_____ _____ _____ Council on American-Islamic Relations
/ ____| /\ |_ _| __ \ 1050 17th Street N.W., Suite 490
| | / \ | | | |__) | Washington, D.C. 20036
| | / /\ \ | | | _ / Tel: (202) 659-CAIR (2247)
| |____ / ____ \ _| |_| | \ \ Fax: (202) 659-2254
\_____/_/ \_\_____|_| \_\ E-mail: ca...@ix.netcom.com
To join CAIR-NET, CAIR's read-only mailing list: Send "subscribe
cair-net" in the body of a message to majo...@ari.net
____________________________________________________________________
-Surensoy,E.
The, tell your friend Gaddafi to turn over the suspects of
Pan Am bombing to justice.
../..
In article <4v1sr3$o...@uuneo.neosoft.com),
Zillur Rahim <z...@holditch.com) wrote:
)
)Source: Council On American Islamic Affairs (CAIR)
)Email: ca...@ix.netcom.com (CAIR)
)Title: Editorial - Muslims, Media and the TWA Crash
)
)Highlight: "ISLAMOPHOBIA" LEADS TO MEDIA BIAS
)By: Ibrahim Hooper
)
)NOTE:
)
)Ibrahim Hooper is National Communications Director for the Council on
)American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Islamic advocacy
)organization.
)
)TEXT:
)
)Salaam alaykum:
)
)The information in the following editorial may be used by
)anyone wishing to submit an article on this subject to
)opinion pages of local newspapers.
)
)Please forward copies of completed editorials to CAIR.
)
)-----------------------------------------
)
)In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
)
)CAIR
)Council on American-Islamic Relations
)1050 17th Street, N.W., Suite 490
)Washington, D.C. 20036
)Tel: 202-659-CAIR (2247)
)Fax: 202-659-2254
)Email: ca...@ix.netcom.com
)
)
)"ISLAMOPHOBIA" LEADS TO MEDIA BIAS
)By: Ibrahim Hooper
)
)Since the tragic downing of TWA Flight 800, media outlets
)and expert commentators around North America have been
)busting at the seams, trying to place the blame on Muslims
)and Islam. Fortunately, in the first few days after the
)crash, most journalists recalled the anti-Muslim backlash
)caused by the media's rush to blame Muslims for the Oklahoma
)City bombing. On day one, ABC's Ted Koppel quickly
)reprimanded one commentator when he began listing possible
)suspects, all Muslim, for an event that was not even
)determined to be a deliberate act. But as time passed, and
)air time and column inches needed to be filled, the bonds of
)media restraint began to loosen.
)
)One news agency ran a story about a Florida television
)station that received a call claiming responsibility on
)behalf of "a jihad," a turn of phrase that would not be used
)by any Muslim. This bit of "news" was picked up by other
)outlets and was used to blame Muslims.
)
)As anyone who has worked the overnight shift in a newsroom
)can tell you, these types of calls are an almost daily
)occurrence. I remember a regular caller to the station where
)I worked who claimed to be receiving transmissions from
)government agencies through his dental work. It is
)incredible that a major news organization would choose to
)run such a claim.
)
)What about that letter faxed to a London-based Arabic
)newspaper by an Islamic group claiming an attack would occur
)"tomorrow morning?" When Arabic speakers in our office first
)began hearing media translations of this time-specific
)claim, they thought it sounded familiar. In fact, the
)reference was not to a specific time, but was instead a
)verse from the Quran, Islam's revealed text, dealing with
)God's punishment of Sodom. The verse (chapter 11, verse 81)
)reads: "Indeed, morning is their appointed time. Is not the
)morning near?" This verse was at the end of a written attack
)on the Saudi government and the American presence in that
)country. To those fluent in Arabic, it clearly did not refer
)to any specific time.
)
)When operating during a crisis, and without the benefit of
)real information, journalists tend to depend on their
)preconceptions. As writer and commentator Morton Kondracke
)said during one talk show, "My thoughts naturally go to the
)Middle East, Hamas and Hizbullah, or something like that."
)
)CBS's Dan Rather cornered one expert by asking for a list of
)top suspects. The expert, a former FBI official said,
)"Again, total speculation at this point...out of the people
)I talked to, most said if this a terrorist bombing, they
)would bet on the Muslim extremists." It's a bit like asking
)someone, "If my uncle was a Martian, what color would he
)be?"
)
)At other times, the media trotted out the usual neutral,
)objective, agendaless Israeli experts. One former head of
)security for Israel's El Al Airlines listed the suspects.
)"Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, then Syria," he said. The list
)was of course in descending order of perceived threats to
)the state of Israel, not America. But that has become a
)standard talking point for pro-Israel pundits: demonize 1.2
)billion Muslims to facilitate the suppression of the only
)remaining opposition to Israeli political and territorial
)aspirations.
)
)In one particularly egregious case of media bigotry, a
)nationally-syndicated columnist advocated American bombing
)attacks on a list of "Muslim" nations. The columnist
)acknowledged that there would be civilian casualties, but
)stated, "We have no stake in blowing up camel drivers and
)date growers." Perhaps the columnist should be congratulated
)for his restraint in not naming "rag heads" or "sand
)n--gers."
)
)When Muslims challenge unsourced and unsubstantiated
)accusations, they are told: "Well isn't it Muslims who
)commit most acts of terrorism?" Consider these government
)statistics:
)
)According to the Department of State "Patterns of Global
)Terrorism" report, there were 99 international terrorist
)attacks against U.S. interests in 1995. Sixty-two of these
)attacks took place in Latin America, 21 in Europe, 6 in the
)Middle East, 1 in Eurasia, 6 in Asia, and 3 in Africa.
)
)The following figures for domestic terrorist attacks were
)reported by the FBI in the period 1990 to 1994: special
)interest groups (Animal Liberation Front, Earth Night Action
)Group, etc.), 12 attacks; Puerto Rican groups, 12 attacks;
)right-wing groups, 2 attacks; international groups, 2
)attacks. Quoting from the FBI report: "Of the 28 incidents
)occurring from 1990 through 1994, only two were identified
)as acts of international terrorism...Other incidents
)occurring within this five-year time frame were perpetrated
)by groups or persons indigenous to the United States."
)
)According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
)(ATF) "Arson and Explosives Incidents Report: 1994," there
)were a total of 8,567 bombings in the U.S. (306 killed,
)3,402 injured) from 1990 to 1994, and a total of 1,916
)bombings in 1994 alone (52 killed, 478 injured).
)
)These figures do not support a rush to judgment in blaming
)Islam, Muslims, and/or Arabs for each unsolved terrorist
)incident. But then again, is it "terrorism" if Muslims are
)not involved? One wire service story after the recent
)Atlanta bombing made a case for not calling the explosion an
)act of terrorism because it apparently did not involve
)organized groups. When Muslims are not involved in an
)incident, it usually rates no more than a few paragraphs in
)the "national news briefs" section of any newspaper. Does
)anyone outside the local areas involved recall recent
)bombings at government offices in the Western United States?
)
)In the period immediately before and after the crash, many
)acts of religious or ethnic terrorism and violence occurred
)around the world. Here are just a few examples:
)
)* In Sri Lanka, at least 70 people were killed and 200
)injured when a powerful bomb, believed to have been planted
)by Tamil rebels, exploded in a train in a Colombo suburb.
)
)* In Bosnia, three Croats were arrested in the shooting of a
)female U.S. Embassy employee near Sarajevo. In court
)testimony, a Muslim survivor of a Bosnian Serb prison camp
)said that Serb soldiers acted as if they were "at a sports
)match" when they forced a prisoner to bite off a fellow
)inmate's genitals.
)
)* In Northern Ireland, major violence swept Catholic
)districts of Belfast, This violence came after a large car
)bomb exploded in the center of the British city of
)Manchester, injuring some 200 civilians. IRA mortars were
)also fired at a British Army base in Germany and when a
)suspected IRA bomb exploded at a hotel in Enniskillen,
)Northern Ireland, 17 people were injured.
)
)* In Uganda, Christian rebels, the Lord's Resistance Army
)(LRA), abducted 80 people, most schoolchildren, after
)raiding and setting fire to a town in the northeast of that
)country. In a more recent incident, the rebels killed 60
)civilians, placing their mutilated bodies along the roadside
)to dissuade others from helping government soldiers.
)
)* Amnesty International concluded that Israel had
)deliberately shelled a United Nations compound last April in
)an attack that killed more than 100 civilians, including two
)American children.
)
)* In Atlanta, a explosion said by law enforcement officials
)to have been the work of a "white American," resulted in
)two deaths and more than 100 injuries.
)
)This list does not include such violence as the nerve gas
)attack on the Tokyo subway that killed 11 and injured
)thousands, the blast at the Murrah Federal Building in
)Oklahoma City that killed 168, Russian carpet-bombing of
)Chechen civilians, or the massacre of thousands of Bosnian
)Muslims following the surrender of the U.N. "safe area" of
)Srebrenica. In none of these cases was the faith or
)ethnicity of the perpetrators used as a basis for
)generalizations or stereotyping. American Hindus, Catholics,
)Buddhists, Protestants, Jews, and those of the Eastern
)Orthodox faith, all remained free of media linkages to acts
)of violence.
)
)Some members of the media appear desperate to maintain
)linkages between Islam and violence. When the first sketches
)of domestic suspects were issued following the Oklahoma City
)bombing, a prominent CNN reporter said, "There's still a
)possibility that there could have been some sort of
)connection to Middle East terrorism...they may have been
)contracted as freelancers to go out and rent this truck."
)But then he could not help subverting his own argument with
)a bit of bigotry: "...one of the assumptions is that Islamic
)fundamentalists do not normally hire white
)individuals...They don't trust them," he said.
)
)What can one say about a reporter so ignorant of Islam's
)diversity? A visitor to any American mosque will see
)worshipers from a wide variety of racial and ethnic
)backgrounds. I myself am of Anglo-French heritage.
)
)American Muslims are routinely forced to adopt a siege
)mentality to avoid the inevitable backlash that results from
)what can only be called "Islamophobia." For example, a CAIR
)report, called "A Rush to Judgment," outlined the more than
)200 anti-Muslim incidents that occurred in the first few
)days after the Oklahoma City bombing.
)
)This blame game has to stop. American Muslims will no longer
)let themselves be held hostage to media bias and prejudice.
)
)If the TWA crash is ultimately determined to be an act of
)sabotage, the Muslim community and its leadership would
)unreservedly condemn any individual or group found to be
)responsible.
)
)America's Muslim citizens call upon media professional and
)commentators to maintain one standard for reporting and to
)end the reckless and reprehensible practice of anti-Muslim
)bias, prejudice and stereotyping. Journalists and
)commentators should not use religious terminology such as
)"Islamic," "Jewish" or "Christian" when describing acts of
)violence.
)
)- END -
)
)Ibrahim Hooper is National Communications Director for the
)Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a
)Washington-based Islamic advocacy organization.
)
)--
)____________________________________________________________________
)
) _____ _____ _____ Council on American-Islamic Relations
) / ____| /\ |_ _| __ \ 1050 17th Street N.W., Suite 490
)| | / \ | | | |__) | Washington, D.C. 20036
)| | / /\ \ | | | _ / Tel: (202) 659-CAIR (2247)
)| |____ / ____ \ _| |_| | \ \ Fax: (202) 659-2254
) \_____/_/ \_\_____|_| \_\ E-mail: ca...@ix.netcom.com
)
)To join CAIR-NET, CAIR's read-only mailing list: Send "subscribe
)cair-net" in the body of a message to majo...@ari.net
)____________________________________________________________________
)
)
)
)
FireWire
What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms that
do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
(Chicago Tribune Aug 6 '96)? Sound like the US playing World Police again.
The signing was witnessed by relatives of the TWA bombing victims,
suggesting Clinton's support for the baseless notion that the bombing was
caused by Muslim terrorists.
Is this for real or just another half-assed, fucked-up, shitty,
tasteless media stunt for the elections?
R.D.
Robert Knowles
Zillur Rahim wrote:
>
> Source: Council On American Islamic Affairs (CAIR)
>
> Journalists and
> commentators should not use religious terminology such as
> "Islamic," "Jewish" or "Christian" when describing acts of
> violence.
>
And, of course, you will also hold yourselves
to this high standard you have set for others.
Mohammad Javed A. Khan
FireWire wrote:
>
> What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms that
> do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
> (Chicago Tribune Aug 6 '96)? Sound like the US playing World Police again.
You are right. What we need is a mighty China which will be the result
of merger between China and Taiwan. Some of Singapores most brilliant
people can also contribute into it.
> caused by Muslim terrorists.
>
> Is this for real or just another half-assed, fucked-up, shitty,
> tasteless media stunt for the elections?
>
> R.D.
I do not know. See, couple of days ago tf...@ic.ac.uk called the
muslims pigs in an email to me. So many people have such detest for
muslims.
Mohammad Khan
carlosq
FireWire wrote: (Re:)...Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign
firms that do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist
> The signing was witnessed by relatives of the TWA bombing victims,
> suggesting Clinton's support for the baseless notion that the bombing was
> caused by Muslim terrorists.
**Weren't the witnesses relatives of the *Pan Am* bombing victims, over
Lockerbie, Scotland, several years ago? And why won't Libya hand over the
the guys the US says did it? (BTW, they are Libyan intelligence officers.)
**And who are YOU, FireWire, defending Libya and Iran? Who do you work
for?
carlosq
Mohammad Javed A. Khan
How about Israel shot down Libyan plane in the 70s and US shot down
Iranian plane in 80's over the persian gulf. Is this not terrorism ?
In that sense US and Israel are terrorist states too. Especially
Israel.
Mohammad Javed Khan
Shayne O'Neill
Dear Average Joe's (and Jane's)
I'm sorry to say it. Unfortunately my beloved Australia also has a
strange bias against Islam. I am not a follower of Muhammed however I
do find it disturbing the "them" characterisations that the Western
media makes about Islamic people, as opposed to "us" characteristics
we are supposed to accept that we possess in oposition.
Constantlly in the media we are bombarded with ethnographic immages of
the "other", those people in the head dress with "them" ways and "them"
morals. We are shown that "they" engage in terrorism. We are shown
that "their" women are oppressed. We are told "they" are filthy rich,
then get told that "they" are poor and oppressed. We are told of
strange religious practices , and we are told of strange religious
governments.
But consider.....
Do "They" consider "us" as bizare , irrational and amoral. Probably.
Infact, I hope they do! As they should not be made to sit down and
be what we tell them to be. Islam decides what Islam is.
Indeed,
"We" engage in terrorism in the forms of wars and even the odd riot or
too, "We" oppress and degrade our women!, "We" have some strange morals,
and indeed some who chose to disobey them. "We" have our filthy rich,
and "We" have our filthy poor...(Something "We" passed on to all people)
....AND WE OPPRESS PEOPLE TOO!
"We" have some bizare religious practices(Fundamental Christianity) and
yep, you guessed it "We" have A religious government too... Even if
it does not always admit it, but sure seems that our govt's
ACT like religious peoples sometimes...)
Anthropologist Clifford Geertz (Or was it Sade??)in his work
"Orientalism" set down the notion that the west defines itself by
excluding the east, that is, what is not east, is west.
Therefore he says, that The West has created a
series of discourses about the east that intends to show them as
precisely that which the west is not. It is often not a racist thing,
rather that of a Nationalist or Imperiallist thing, or indeed it may
simply be for the tourists. ("Gee honey, look at them NATIVES, aren't
they bizare") But it is power that drives this. The west has seeked to
subdue the east in discourse, as well as imperialism. This seems to
be the case here.
Rather, if we want to know what makes an Islamic person tick, shouldn't
we first ask him or her? Or mabey we could even apply scholarly research
in, and preferably by , Islamic communities.
Christians, Jews and Moslems all worship the same God, however in my
humble opinion, and I appologise if I offend anyone here, the difference
is in the details. Furthermore, In my limited experience, the majority
of Islamic people have been warm caring generous, and.. kinda western...
people (Ie like me in a way)
So why is it that we here of this New Islamic Fundamentalism. First,
let me say it is no doubt to some degree exagurated, but I suspect it
is in defence against American/Imperial/Western/Christain encroachment
on Islamic traditional life. The people of Islam, not ones to take
the decimation of culture are quite entitled IMHO to become
"fundemental", after all, its there culture, and not yours.
Of course this does not explain the African-American Islamic movements,
but I'm sure someone else could fill this gap!
Anyway, I hope this makes sense.
Peace,
Shayne.
(Could some one inform me of Islamic custom on mentioning Muhammed and
Allah's name, so I can show the necessary religious respect along with
any other usefull information on Islamic practice that would help me
understanding Islam and Islam practicing peoples)
--
=-The obligiotary .sig-#2-----------------------------------------=
Shayne O'Neill Murdoch Media & Politics. Any arguement Any time!!
Call me a leftist Subverter if you will, but there is a lot to
be said for the carefull implementation of Marxist policies in
balancing the economic gap between the oppressor and the
oppressed. **** SUBVERT THE DOMINANT PARDGYM! *****
=-----------------------------------------------------------------=
AGI
In <321941...@mtu.edu> "Mohammad Javed A. Khan" <mak...@mtu.edu>
writes:
>
>FireWire wrote:
>>
>> What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms
that
>> do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
again.
Whether US can impose its own laws on other sovereign nations, who wish
to trade with the "so-called" terrorist states does not merit much
debate. There are no legal grounds for one country to subject anyone
other than its own institutions and citizens to abide by such rules.
The world court (if it had any real authority) will no doubt rule on
this. But the fact remains, that US has been and will always find ways
to bully other countries around to its imperialistic designs. Unless,
as noted later, China or other 'sleeping giant' challenges that
hegemeny!
Shayne O'Neill
Mohammad Javed A. Khan wrote:
>
> FireWire wrote:
> >
> > What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms that
> > do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
> > (Chicago Tribune Aug 6 '96)? Sound like the US playing World Police again.
> > tasteless media stunt for the elections?
I find this particullarly disturbing in that, Mr Clinton has really failed to look within
his own walls before pointing the finger at others. Has anyone read any of Linguist
Noam Chomskys political writings? He claims that the difference between American
Millitary agression and non American and non nation/state millitary agression is
pretty much one of degrees only. He has a quote in the intro to one of his books about
Emprors and Pirates and the size of their ships. Has anyone read it? I'd be damned if I can
remember the actual wording.
Anyway.....
To the point. It is simply NOT America's right to dictate the terms of trade for other countries,
America Does not own the world.. Or am I confusing "Ought" for "Is"? Unfortunately
world economys swing to American capitalism, and therefore if the US say Jump, we Jump.
It is all to easy to point the finger at Islamic Nations for terrorism, but I must point out
that IMHO the next terrorist hotpot is going to be America. Unfortunately, while the American
government retains contitutional claptrap such as protections of Millitias, the glaze of attention
must be on America. Could someone please give me some data on millitia membership numbers.. I can't
really support my arguement without them. Anyway, Why must we accuse the followers of Muhammed (pbuh)
for terrorism because of the actions of a disposessed nae irresponsible minority, when we are so
happy to harbor Christian Fundamentalist millitias(Potential terrorism imho Why else must they exist?).
Oh well!
My little rant for the day.
Peace,
Shayne.
Tore Kjeilen
FireWire wrote:
>
> What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms that
> do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
> (Chicago Tribune Aug 6 '96)? Sound like the US playing World Police again.
>
> suggesting Clinton's support for the baseless notion that the bombing was
> caused by Muslim terrorists.
>
> tasteless media stunt for the elections?
>
Anyone looked into the license of Netscape? The program is not to be
used by nationals (even expatriates) of Libya and Iran, as well as some
other peoples......
Sadly, I use Win 3.1., so no MSIE for me. But perhaps MSIE got the same
rule? MSIE-users, please tell
--
Tore Kjeilen, editor, CiAS
---------------------------------------------------
Home: <http://home.sn.no/~tkjeilen/tore.htm>
CiAS: <http://home.sn.no/~tkjeilen>
Mail: tkje...@sn.no
Pedram Arang
Mohammad Javed A. Khan wrote:
>
> >
> > FireWire wrote: (Re:)...Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign
> > firms that do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist
> >
> > > The signing was witnessed by relatives of the TWA bombing victims,
> > > suggesting Clinton's support for the baseless notion that the bombing was
> > > caused by Muslim terrorists.
> >
> > Lockerbie, Scotland, several years ago? And why won't Libya hand over the
> > the guys the US says did it? (BTW, they are Libyan intelligence officers.)
> >
> > **And who are YOU, FireWire, defending Libya and Iran? Who do you work
> > for?
> >
> > carlosq
>
> How about Israel shot down Libyan plane in the 70s and US shot down
> Iranian plane in 80's over the persian gulf. Is this not terrorism ?
> In that sense US and Israel are terrorist states too. Especially
> Israel.
>
> Mohammad Javed Khan
The US is probably the biggest terrorist country in the world! The reason
they are not recognized as such is that they have controll of 90% of the
world media! What they want to publisize will be publisized through their
news networks (ie CNN) and what they want ignored will be ignored. The US
is probably the most crime ridden, corrupt and hypocrytical nation in the
world!
Baluach
Mario Martinez
In <3219F4...@carmen.murdoch.edu.au> Shayne O'Neill
An interesting point of view;hwoever,we have to look at things a
little closer. To me, any type of terrorism is reprehensible be it left
right, nationalist, relgious or just plain anarchy. On the otherhad,
while not faulting Islam, it is important to look at what cause the "Us
and Them" outlook.
The legacy of terrorism runs deep in the Middle East. The actions
of a handful of individuals who have used Islam for their own agendas
are the ones really to blame and not the media as a whole. The media is
the catalyst that amplifies the image and thus reinforces the notion
that Islam is bad while at the same time glossing over Christian
fundamentalism as equally dangerous.
Just to let you on another persepective about the media bias, It is
important to note that it takes an action to cause a reaction. The
Media bias is in effet caused by the actions of an individual not an
institution.
Mario
Mario Martinez
>>
>> What about Bill Clinton's new laws that will punish foreign firms
that
>> do business with Libya & Iran, which he called "terrorist countries"
again.
>
>
result
>of merger between China and Taiwan. Some of Singapores most brilliant
>people can also contribute into it.
>
>
>>
>> Is this for real or just another half-assed, fucked-up, shitty,
>> tasteless media stunt for the elections?
>>
>> R.D.
>
>
>muslims pigs in an email to me. So many people have such detest for
>muslims.
>
>Mohammad Khan
Most likely than not its going to get worse when they TWA 800
investgation is finished.
Mario
Shayne O'Neill
Disclaimer:
Big time mistake on my behalf.
Geertz DID NOT write "Orientalism" In fact it was Edward Said.
Oops... Apologies to all involved Here!
(Insert sound of ruber boot being removed from my mouth!)
> >Anthropologist Clifford Geertz (Or was it Sade??)in his work ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^----
--
Shayne O'Neill
My mistake. Apologies!
Certainly. I am in full agreement here regarding the horridness of "terrorism".
It is however worth pointing out that Islam generally looks down upon violence
and murder, just as Christianity , Judaism and many of the other established, evolved
religions.
>
> The legacy of terrorism runs deep in the Middle East. The actions
> of a handful of individuals who have used Islam for their own agendas
> are the ones really to blame and not the media as a whole. The media is
> the catalyst that amplifies the image and thus reinforces the notion
> that Islam is bad while at the same time glossing over Christian
> fundamentalism as equally dangerous.
You are quite correct here. I must refrain from my occasional habbit of painting
Christian Fundamentalists as "Bad". It is no worse than painting Islam "fundamentalism"
as bad. Its all valid belief, both beautifull and ugly.
There is a theory called (something to the effect of)
"Amplication of deviance" It roughly goes that;-
(Paraphrased from "Key concepts in Communication and Cultural studies Ed2 . O'Sullivan et al.)
1.
There is an initial "deviant" (eg.. Religious terrorism) trend (real or not)
that is to some degree orchestrated by the media (exagurated?) Which creates concern in
the community.
2.
Public concern , expressed and represented by the media, preasure groups and political demands
focuses the attention of police and control agencies on the "deviant" activities.
3.
This increase of attention boosts arrest rates apparently uncovering greater or increasing
"deviance"
4. This accelerates the "deviance" trend and further mobilises public sentiment and concern.
(Go Back to Stage 1...)
The model is primarily aimed at drug use, crimes , mugging etc, but I think a valid case can
be made for its aplication to religious fundamentalism..
Heres one possible reading.
1. Initial signs of an "Islamic Fundamental uprising". Mostly media hype, but none the less
generating concern in the good folk of suberbia.
2. After public concern and preasure , Western politicians start harrassing Islamic countries
with military and economic measures. The gaze of Authority is on the "Hard" edge of Islam
rather than the common folk of Islam who are somewhat like you or I.
3. The escalation of Nationalist , economic , religious and military tensions and the
coresponding tensions apparently "uncover" support and action in the Islamic communitys.
(Even if 1. It was already there, or 2. It is a reponse to Western preasure) Thus creating
the illusion of greater or increasing "terrorism" or "uprising"
4. This accelerates the Preasure and mobilises western sentiment. Go back to square 1.
Its a theory anyway.
P.s. Does anyone know where I can get more info on this theory. My little "concepts"
dictionary is an embarassingly breif and summary style source of info.
>
> Just to let you on another persepective about the media bias, It is
> important to note that it takes an action to cause a reaction. The
> Media bias is in effet caused by the actions of an individual not an
> institution.
>
> Mario
Certainly to a degree, however that reaction can cause more action. Interesting point also
on the individual/institution thing. Jury's out for me on this one.
Peace,
Shayne.
Student @ Clinical School, UNSW
What I find interesting is that the people of Iran suffer both in the
hands of their government and are starved by US for what their government
does.
Mulla Nasr ed Din
zubaidah
Shayne O'Neill wrote:
>
> Disclaimer:
> Big time mistake on my behalf.
> Geertz DID NOT write "Orientalism" In fact it was Edward Said.
> Oops... Apologies to all involved Here!
> (Insert sound of ruber boot being removed from my mouth!)
>
> Mario Martinez wrote:
I wish to highlight a few points which many tend to forget. Firstly, Islam the religion
is Ad-din, meaning perfect. It also means submission ie.. submission to the will of
God. That is man's purpose of being on this earth. Islam as a religion is comprehensive
too as God through the holy Quran guides man in their lives. This guidance is
exhaustive such that it covers from topics of daily needs to other complex issues such
as politics. With such guidance it is no suprise that we muslims perform the same
prayers anywhere in the world regardless of our language or race. I can go to any
mosques in this world to perform my prayers regardless of who built the mosque. It gives
us the sense of universal brotherhood.
My point is this, please do not confuse yourself between the Islam the religion
and Muslims the people who practise it. The former is perfect but not the latter.
Everything that is good comes from Allah, God, but it is man who err and tainted others
perspective of the religion.
Frankly speaking, I do not sanction terrorism. I condemn those who uses it in
the name of religion. Many of the people who resort to this form of violence do so for
political or social reasons. I have to admit that though Islam the religion is perfect,
Muslims are not. There are Muslims who practise the religion in varying degrees. The
are those non-practising Muslims too. Most of these people are born Muslims but do not
practice the teachings of Islam or follow the guidance of the prophet Muhammad.
However, I wish to also state that should anyone try to degrade Islam as a
religion like Salman Rushdie, he is proclaiming war against the Islamic nation by doing
so. That was why Muslims try very hard to get his books off the shelves in the
bookstores all over the world but the West did not share the Muslims point of view.
Muslims cannot quietly accept this and fight to free our religion from any blasphemous
writings or sayings about it. It is our duty to do so.
If non-Muslims do not share our concept of the UNITY of God ....There is only ONE GOD,
ALLAH and none other, then they are entitled to their reasoning faculties to decide the
TRUTH. They would be hitting below the belt should their objectives be to taint Islam,
as a religion.
In Islam muslims must accept the articles of Faith called IMAN (belief):(ie) to accept
that
he/she solemnly believe in
1 ALLAH
2 His Angels
3 His Books (4 altogether - through i Prophet Musa a.s.(Moses)
ii Prophet Daud a.s (David)
iii Prophet Isa a.s. (Jesus)
iv Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.(the last
prophet)
4 The day of Judgement
5 The power of doing actions good and bad comes from ALLAH (//God's
providence)
6 The Life after death.
Apart from these We muslims must live by the principles of Islam if we want to
strengthen our faith. There are 5 such principle:
1 The Declaration of Faith, kalimah shahadah
Ash-hadu al-laa ilaa-ha il-lallah
(I bear witness that there is no god except ALLAH)
wa-ash-hadu anna Muhammadur rasulullah
(And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH)
((There is the need to declare this especially after Islam see Christians deviating from
the correct path by formulating the trinity concept when there is only ONE GOD, ALLAH
and their miscalculted reasoning to acknowledge a man, prophet Isa a.s.(Jesus) as the
son of GOD. This is blasphemy. If prophet Adam a.s.the first man was created without
any human contributions ie. as we are today through our parents, why can't Christians
accept the miracle of GOD in creating prophet Isa a.s. without any father?)
2 To perform the 5 daily obligatory prayers.
3 To distribute zakat - obligatory charity - to Muslims only.
4 To fast in the month of Ramadhan - 29 or 30 days
(fast : abstain from any food or drink from dan till dusk)
5 To make the pilgrimage to Mecca for the performance of the Hajj once a lifetime.
I hope these information are useful to help anyone understand a bit about Islam. Should
I make any errors please forgive me cause all the good comes from ALLAH while the
mistakes if any from me, His servant.
Yours in Islam
Zubaidah Ariffin
carlosq
Student @ Clinical School, UNSW (Us...@mhe.pow.unsw.edu.au) wrote: (snip)
>
> What I find interesting is that the people of Iran suffer both in the
> hands of their government and are starved by US for what their government
> does.
**"<T>he people of Iran" put the present government in. Remember, folks,
the howling mob from the souk -- and the so-called "students" -- that
threw out the Shah and put in the medieval lunatic Khomeini? Well, now the
people of Iran are stuck with Khomeini's terrorist successors.
**The people of Iran may not deserve it -- hell no, they don't -- but in
the end they have only themselves to blame for their misery.
**How would you like to have *your* MTV taken away by some loud-mouthed,
hypocritical, chauffered-Mercedes-riding mullah?
carlosq
Moritz Rothschild
I have a remedy for them. I don't usually advise violence but--- Let
them overthrow the tyrants in the same way they overthrew the shah.
They might even get some help from the world community. Hilda
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
carlosq
Moritz Rothschild (ro...@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
> I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> I have a remedy for them. I don't usually advise violence but--- Let
> them overthrow the tyrants in the same way they overthrew the shah.
> They might even get some help from the world community. Hilda
> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
**Right on! Up against the wall for those medievalist MF's!! YesYesYes!!!!
carlosq