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Detroit Free Press - December 6, 2007
Anti-Muslim bias should offend all Americans
BY VICTOR GHALIB BEGG
Americans are quickly disgusted by racism, anti-Semitism and other unacceptable expressions of hatred. Islamophobia is a bitter fruit from the same tree, but few Americans can identify this increasingly prevalent form of bigotry against Islam and Muslims.
Like others who traffic in hatred, Islamophobes are fueled by fear and ignorance. They deliberately create environments of fear to capitalize on the ignorance of others.
In the mid-1930s, a bigoted radio priest, Father Charles Coughlin, spewed hatred against Jews across the national radio waves from Royal Oak. Similarly today, the nationally syndicated "Michael Savage Show," (heard locally on WDTK-AM, 1400), openly calls for forced conversion of Muslims to Christianity and the deportation of Muslims, and recommends that construction of mosques be made illegal in America. This is the sound of professional bigots wanting to demonize Muslim-Americans, portraying them as a fifth column, disloyal, violent and anti-American.
Why should non-Muslim Americans care? For one, any form of racism, bigotry or hatred toward any minority threatens the very fabric of what this country stands for. Freedom of religion, equal rights and equal opportunity are concepts on which this great nation was founded. In U.S. history, we have seen how irrational fear of entire groups of people has prompted us into wrong, regrettable actions.
It is America's minorities, its diversity and the coming together of many ideas and talents that have enabled our nation to flourish. It is America's Catholics, Jews and Asians that make this nation beautiful. Hispanics, Italians, Poles are an integral part of the richly diverse mosaic that is America. And where would this country be today without our African Americans?
But each of these minorities, and others, was demonized and stereotyped at one time. Some still are.
While many Americans now understand that bias against Catholics, Jews and others is clearly immoral and unacceptable, most do not recognize the evils of Islamophobia. While our history has taught us otherwise, many, including some of our elected officials, are allowing a growing segment of our community to be targeted by agents of hate.
Members of Congress, such as U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., get away with open hostility to Muslims and their religious institutions. U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Holland, recently called for a boycott of mainstream Islamic organizations, although the Bush administration seeks the cooperation of such organizations for homeland security.
When the rights of one minority group are corrupted, it is the responsibility of all Americans to speak up.
Islamophobia is an evil that requires a collective response -- Muslims cannot and must not fight this battle alone. Islamophobia has implications to harm not only American Muslims but also America as a whole. Islamophobia and anti-Americanism are linked. The more Americans engage in it, the more anti-Americanism is created abroad, damaging American interests. Europeans have taken the steps to deal with the problem of Islamophobia, recognizing the problem of alienating 1.3 billion people in the world.
But this rapidly advancing disease has not been addressed in America.
It is high time for our elected officials and community leaders to do so, through education, public policy and legislative initiatives.
VICTOR GHALIB BEGG chairs the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/OPINION02/712060351/1070
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