Character assassination of Muslim Americans

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 organisationally weak and media-shy fledgling Muslim American community was unable to respond. The void was eagerly filled by the politically motivated and organisationally strong, agenda-driven, Israel-loving and media-savvy rightwing Zionist Jews and rightwing Evangelical Christians. They painted Islam and the Muslims in the most unfavourable 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 licence. 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 thousand 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.

The Zionist-evangelical rightwing axis of evil does America a disservice by stopping any discussion of the blunders that America may be committing to earn the world's enmity. (Their arrogant official line is: America never makes any mistake.) This is deliberate, because if free debate is allowed, the inevitable conclusion will be that the Bush administration's blind support for the terrorist and mass murderer Ariel Sharon and the state-sponsored terrorism of the illegal state of Israel is 90 percent responsible for the deaths of America's soldiers and civilians in Iraq and elsewhere. Since Israel is the sacred cow of the Jewish and evangelical neoconservatives, they would rather see Americans suffer death and worldwide hostility than criticise Israel. On the contrary, Muslim Americans would rather criticise Israel than see Americans dying, and earning the world's enmity because of the atrocities committed not by America, but by Israel.

Through all his sanctimonious self-righteousness and venomous diatribes, what struck the writer most about Mr. Doyle's outburst is his absolute ignorance of Muslim Americans. He would fall off his chair to learn that Muslim American organisations had endorsed his hero, candidate George W. Bush, for the president in 2000. Does he know that more than a third, the largest plurality, of Muslim Americans are African Americans? That the next largest, about 30 percent, are from the Indian sub-continent; and only 25 percent are Arab Americans! Ignorance breeds fear and contempt. To assuage his fear of and anger at Muslim Americans, Mr. Doyle is well advised to visit a mosque and a Muslim American home. Last year, an American friend of the writer brought a group of apprehensive Jewish Americans to visit our Islamic centre. When they left they told my friend (I paraphrase): "You will never know how many minds you changed today. We were afraid to come to the mosque because we thought it was full of terrorists and arms! Instead, we found ordinary people like ourselves!"

One dearly hopes that as an antidote for his venom, Mr. Doyle will do the same - and fast! Because, broadcasts like his contribute to the harassment of and discrimination against Muslim Americans in their jobs, on the streets, in the torching of Muslim American businesses and in the vandalising of mosques, all of which are rampant in today's America. Unless Mr. Doyle educates himself, even if the Muslims Americans were to condemn 9/11 every day, that would not satisfy the likes of Mr. Doyle, who are not really interested in Muslim contrition; their only interest is to consign the Muslim to perdition.

Rather alarmed by what Mr. Dole had to say, the writer asked a white Muslim American friend of his why so many Americans still believe Muslim Americans have not condemned 9/11, when they actually have, and what Muslim Americans should do about it. My white Muslim friend said that Muslim Americans should, and have condemned 9/11 as much as Christian and Jewish Americans. They should condemn no more, no less. Excessive and exclusive condemnation by the Muslim Americans would imply that somehow Islam and the Muslims are responsible for 9/11, when they are not. Since Muslim Americans are not responsible for 9/11, Muslim Americans do not own it. The perpetrators of 9/11 -- Osama bin Laden and the hijackers -- own 9/11, not Muslim Americans. These perpetrators did not act on behalf of the Muslims Americans or Muslims; they acted on behalf of themselves. Muslim Americans condemn these terrorists and mass murderers -- for that is what these criminals are, terrorists and mass murderers -- in the strongest possible terms, and as strongly as the rest of the American society. Perpetual Muslim American condemnation of 9/11 would imply Muslim American complicity in the act, when none exists. After all, everyone should remember that none of the 9/11 hijackers were Muslim American citizens.