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The Daily Star Bangladesh – April 28, 2004 Character assassination of Muslim Americans Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed writes from Princeton The unkindest cut that can be inflicted on an individual or a group of people is by preventing the individual or the group from defining who they are. Their politically motivated enemies, who seek their destruction or damnation, should not define them. Yet, that is exactly what is happening to the Muslim American community. Immediately after 9/11, there was an insatiable American appetite for knowledge of Islam and the Muslims. Politically and organizationally weak and media-shy fledgling Muslim American community was unable to respond. The void was eagerly filled by the politically motivated and organizationally strong, agenda-driven, Israel-loving and media-savvy rightwing Zionist Jews and rightwing Evangelical Christians. They painted Islam and the Muslims in the most unfavorable way imaginable. In short, Muslims were defined as savage-like fanatics, following a violent religion, who hate America only because of America's freedom, democracy, wealth and for no other reason than because America exists! Such caricatures and monumental distortions of Islam and the Muslim continue to this day in the American newspapers, magazines, radio and television. For example, On Wednesday, April 21 on his drive home after 8 in the evening, accidentally the writer stumbled on to New York's radio station WOR 710 AM, which curiously was playing the Azaan. After the first line, a man named Jerry Doyle told listeners (I paraphrase): "Can you imagine that this sound is played five times a day in the suburbs of Detroit?" Then he went on to say that the five million Muslims of America have never condemned 9/11, and actually support America's enemies. According to Mr. Doyle, Muslims constitute a cancer within America's body and must be removed. He held American Muslims solely responsible for the deaths of 700 American soldiers in Iraq. Playing the first line of the Azaan once again, he then played the Star Spangled banner (America's national anthem) and very dramatically asked the listeners the rhetorical question: "Which of these two sounds do you think our dead soldiers would like to hear on their return home?" (Isn't it unkind to ask dead soldiers, who should rest in peace, for their preference?) Then Mr. Doyle went nationwide and asked callers the leading question: "Aren't you outraged?" (By the presence of these Muslims in America.) All the caller expressed their outrage at and condemnation of the Muslims, especially the one from New York, who said that as a citizen of Israel she knows exactly how barbaric these Muslims are! A caller from California attempted to point out that the first line of the Azaan simply means, "God is Great," and refers to the same God Christians and Jews worship. Mr. Doyle went ballistic and cut the caller off saying, "No, no, no! It is not the same God," and "what is the matter with people like you!" Mr. Doyle advised the good Christian citizens of Detroit to smash the speakers from which "this stuff" (Azaan) was coming from! Mr. Doyle repeatedly blamed the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for the presence heathens like Muslims in "this Judeo-Christian nation." As far as the writer knows, such incitement to violence is punishable by at least a hefty fine and the cancellation of radio station's license. Media's watchdog, the FCC, which now is focusing on indecency in the media (remember the "Janet Jackson breast-baring moment" in this year's Super Bowl half time show?), should inquire into the hatemongering of Mr. Doyle and his radio station and take punitive action. The danger that the right-wingers like Mr. Doyle pose to America's well being is their determination to use free speech to spew hatred of others, while denying the same rights to those they do not like. Unchecked, Mr. Doyle and his followers will propel America towards a rightwing dictatorship. Like other Americans, Muslim Americans wholeheartedly supported America's retaliatory strike against Afghanistan's Taliban, who had hosted the perpetrators of 9/11: Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Mr. Doyle's attempt to hold Muslim Americans responsible for the death of 700 US soldiers in Iraq would have been amusing, were it not so sinister and hypocritical. It was the Jewish neoconservative Zionists and the rightwing evangelical Christians like Mr. Doyle whose enthusiastic warmongering had provided President Bush with the political cover to attack Iraq. Now that the war in Iraq is going badly, instead of being man enough to take responsibility, these right-wingers do what they are best at: look for a scapegoat; the Muslim Americans, in this case. |