|
Arab
And Muslim Journalism Conference Ends In Chicago
By
Ayub Khan, IOL Chicago correspondent
CHICAGO,
March 12 (IslamOnline) - A three-day National Arab and Muslim
Journalism Conference was held, in Chicago over the weekend. Muslim
and Arab journalists from various media outlets attended the
conference to discuss issues confronting them after September 11.
Saturday
night’s dinner and awards ceremony was the main highlight of the
conference in which Lorraine Ali (Newsweek journalist), Hafez
Al-Mirazi (Al Jazeera, Washington DC Bureau Chief) and Jim Avila
(NBC TV Correspondent) were honored for their work.
Seasoned
journalist Ray Hanania, editor of the Arab American View newspaper
and main conference organizer, in his address, lashed out at
hardline Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for repeated injustices
committed on the Palestinian people. He described Sharon as
"murderous", "blood-thirsty", and a
"Nazi," saying the Likud was the first terrorist
organization created in the Middle East.
Defending
the Palestinian struggle for independence, Hanania said:
"Resistance is not terrorism. It is a right to stand up against
injustice. Resistance is the only response to Sharon's Nazi
government."
Urging
the community to take media seriously and support and respect Muslim
and Arab newspapers, Hanania said, "We have a right to
criticize and denounce the acts of the U.S. government when they are
wrong."
Directing
his comments towards journalists, he said: "I, as a journalist,
ask you to make products which will make us feel proud."
Lorraine
Ali, music critic for Newsweek magazine, was awarded the National
Arab Journalists Association's Excellence in Journalism Award. Ali,
who is of Iraqi descent, urged young people to get into the
mainstream media and make their voices heard, saying that the
American public is seeking out the truth, as can be seen by the
recent popularity of The Holy Qur'an.
"It
is up to us to give the American people another perspective,"
she said.
Nationally
acclaimed NBC TV correspondent Jim Avila was presented with a
Lifetime Achievement Award. Avila, whose father was Lebanese, said
he felt honored recieving the award, adding that he is reporter, not
a commentator, and that he works hard to be perceived as unbiased
and credible.
Avila
said that in the wake of 9-11 he has tried to be as fair as possible
in his reporting. Since September 11, he has done features that
include the story of a Pakistani woman who lost her son in the World
Trade Center, and of an Iraqi writer in New York who is afraid to go
out to buy groceries in the city.
He
added that it was important for people who hold different views to
go out and cover the news and appealed to gathered journalists to
"continue to work hard and reach out in the mainstream and add
sensitivity."
The
keynote speaker of the evening was Hafez Al-Mirazi, Al Jazeera,
Washington DC Bureau Chief, who was presented with the M.T. Mehdi
Courage in Journalism Award for 2001-2002. In his address, Mirazi
defended Al Jazeera's track record claiming it continues to be as
objective as possible, saying that there is no way to present an
Arab and Palestinian perspective in U.S. media, but that Al Jazeera
presents all sides in its broadcasts.
Al-Mirazi
said Al Jazeera was praised before Sept. 11, but is now being
unfairly targeted, adding that during the Gulf War, CNN was also
accused of being the voice of Baghdad, as presently Al Jazeera is
being called the voice of the Taliban.
He
said Al Jazeera has done nothing wrong by showing images of
destructions caused by the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan.
"You should stop the carnage in order to make us stop
broadcasting those images," he said.
Several
other journalists and activists were also honored at the event.
The
conference also marked the Chicago premiere of a women's magazine,
Azizah, which is edited by Tayyibah Taylor.
The
conference was co-hosted by the Arab American View newspaper, the
National Arab Journalists Association and the Arab American
Republican Federation. 
|
