Jihad Watch
Robert Spencer
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/04/dhimmi-reporter-unsavory-islamic-group-seek-slick-muslim-to-deceive-americans-about-islam.html
I've got a better idea for Mary Sanchez and MPAC: if they really want to "unravel" Americans' "misperceptions" of Islam, here is an easy way they can do it without going to all the time, trouble and expense of finding and hiring a slick PR man: 1. Focus their indignation on Muslims committing violent acts in the name of Islam, not on non-Muslims reporting on those acts.
2. Renounce definitively not just "terrorism," but any intention to replace the U.S. Constitution (or the constitutions of any non-Muslim state) with Sharia even by peaceful means. In line with this, clarify what is meant by their condemnations of the killing of innocent people by stating unequivocally that American and Israeli civilians are innocent people.
3. Teach Muslims the imperative of coexisting peacefully as equals with non-Muslims on an indefinite basis.
4. Begin comprehensive international programs in mosques all over the world to teach against the ideas of violent jihad and Islamic supremacism.
5. Actively work with Western law enforcement officials to identify and apprehend jihadists within Western Muslim communities.
If Muslims do those five things, voila! "Misperceptions" of Islam will no longer hold sway among Americans. And "outright bigotry"? Forget it! It will be about as common as outright anti-Buddhist bigotry!
"Wanted: A calm, credible voice to soothe Americans' fear of Islam," by Mary Sanchez for the McClatchy Newspapers, April 9:
Here's a job posting worthy of only the most stellar applicants. In fact, only those rare individuals with near-superhuman powers to untangle the crossed circuitry in the American mindset need apply.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council is seeking "high-energy candidates" for a communications coordinator. I'd love to eavesdrop on those interviews.
"What do you believe would be the best approach for unraveling the misperceptions and outright bigotry toward Muslims that goes virtually unchallenged daily in the U.S.?"
Yes, the American Muslim community needs a Walter Cronkite, conceded Haris Tarin, a director in the council's Washington office. Muslims need a spokesperson with the credibility to soothe and educate their suspicious countrymen. Despite consistently condemning acts of terrorism, American Muslims find that the No. 1 charge against them is that they do not denounce terrorism.
As Tarin and others point out, Muslims in the United States do not control their own story telling. And far too often, they leave a vacuum only too readily filled by those who view Muslims as anti-Christian terror suspects first, foremost and sometimes completely.
Muslims need to imprint a more positive image in the public mind, and the best way to do that is by pointing out more effectively who they are, rather than taking a defensive posture.
What are they up against? Consider this doozy of an advertisement a Baptist church in St. Cloud, Minn., recently placed in the local newspaper. The text fit under the heading "Does the Islamic religion represent a threat to America?" Among other idiotic statements, the ad darkly warned that in 30 years the U.S. Muslim population will be 50 million. How will a community that numbers only 2.35 million today achieve that demographic feat? Through "immigration, reproduction, education, the government, illegal drugs and by supporting the gay agenda," said the ad.
So why is a nice U.S.-born Christian newspaper columnist concerned that the American Muslim community get a fair hearing? And why should all non-Muslims of good will want the same? It's simple. Minority groups under attack need allies from the broader majority. And when members of the mainstream help, they strengthen social bonds that help draw these minorities into civic participation. To put it another way, I believe that keeping America safe from Muslim extremists will require the help and cooperation of patriotic American Muslims. Why denigrate your best allies? Just what is this Muslim Public Affairs Council, you may wonder. Among other useful things, it published what may be the most comprehensive explanation I've read on how Muslims become radicalized. But I'll bet few people are aware that the 2009 document discussing the "market for martyrs" exists. "Building Bridges to Strengthen America" is available at the council's Web site, www.mpac.org.
Many Americans believe Muslims are unable and unwilling to assimilate - a charge that has been leveled against almost every non-Anglo immigrant group, including the Irish, the Germans and Jews, at some point in American history.
And sure enough, younger Muslims are among the least likely to be registered to vote, a Gallup poll found in 2008.
Yet Tarin explains: "We're still in our infancy for political and civic engagement. We have to do in 30 years what other communities have done in 150 years." Despite being a largely immigrant group (two-thirds of adult Muslims are foreign-born), a Pew Research Center study found most Muslims think they should adopt American customs and do not see a conflict between Islam and living in modern society. Muslim Americans are the most racially diverse of any religious group in the country, and Muslim American women are second only to Jewish American women in educational attainment.
I'm pretty well read about issues pertaining to immigrants, yet I've never heard any of those statistics. They're facts worth building an image campaign around. Applications are due April 19.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may write to her at: Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108-1413, or via e-mail at msanchez@kcstar.com.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/09/2667087/wanted-a-calm-credible-voice-to.html#ixzz0kwv5vNwa
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/09/2667087/wanted-a-calm-credible-voice-to.html
Comments provided Jihad Watch:
I would like to add at least one to the five points mentioned by Robert Spencer:
Demand from all Muslim majority states, including Saudi Arabia that non - Muslims enjoy all the same rights in those countries, that Muslims do or demand in non - Muslim countries, including right to preach and convert Muslims to their religion. Bring pressure to bear upon those states in a visible and credible way, to change their laws in accordance with this demand.
Sanjay
Author Profile Page Gus Rumpf | April 12, 2010 1:51 AM | Reply
In the Koran it is written that "silence is consent"!
I'm sure you have noticed the "good" Islamics silence already.
They ALL are drilled with the exact same radical dogma from birth. Reading the Koran is their first and only priority.
Over and over, with resistance and/or slowness met with harsh beatings, they are taught all non-Islamics are infidels to be hated and killed.
Islam is a murderous, ruthless, barbaric, totalitarian, monotheistic form of government MASQUERADING as a religion.
Islam is not compatible basic freedoms nor with The Constitution Of The United States Of America.
No comments:
Post a Comment