CAIRO,
September 30, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – American Muslims in the
Boston area blasted Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's suggestion to
wiretap mosques to "fight terrorism", stressing that such
remarks wound increase hostility against the Muslim minority in the
country.
''[This]
fuels fears and suspicions and even hatred toward Muslims in this
country, and also in the Muslim world," said Anwar Kazmi, a
Brookline resident who grew in Pakistan, according to The Boston
Globe Thursday, September 29.
In
a speech on homeland security to the conservative Heritage Foundation
on September 14, Romney said that mosques blamed for glorifying
terrorism should be wiretapped.
"How
about people who are in settings, mosques for example, that may be
teaching doctrines of hate and terror? Are we monitoring that? Are we
wiretapping? Are we following what's going on?" Romney asked in
the speech.
He
also suggested keeping closer tabs on foreign students who hail from
countries designated by Washington as "sponsors of
terrorism".
Mohamed
Shalaby, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Dental
Medicine, stressed that such remarks threaten to damage a generally
positive rapport between Massachusetts Muslims and the community at
large.
''They're
very reckless and disappointing comments . . . they stereotype in the
most simplistic way," said Shalaby, who emigrated from Egypt
seven years ago and now lives in Quincy with his wife and two
children.
Stereotyping
Mohamed
Saleem Bajwa, executive director of the umbrella group Islamic Council
of New England in Holyoke, also criticized Romney's remarks,
highlighting Muslims' cooperation with US security agencies
terror-fighting.
"The
Muslim community all over America and especially Massachusetts has
been very much working together in alliance with law enforcement
agencies," he said.
"Our
mosques are always open. There is nothing secret going on in any
mosque."
Boston
Muslims also expressed shock over hearing such remarks from someone of
Romney's rank.
"It
slowly filters down . . . when the leadership of a state starts
talking like this," said Shab Khan.
Kazmi
echoed a similar stance.
"To
extrapolate based on what some person at one end of the spectrum and
to apply that to an entire community of 1.5 billion is extremely
unfortunate and offensive," he said.
"Unfortunately
in this country, even in 2005, it's OK to stereotype . . . Arabs and
Muslims.
"This
is where the rest of the American community at large is failing in
their responsibility."
Sacrificing
Muslim Vote
 |
|
Romney called for wiretapping mosques which he blamed for glorifying terrorism.
|
The
Boston Muslim minority, estimated at 200,000 strong, further stressed
that Romney was sacrificing the state's relatively small Muslim vote
in favor of a tough line on homeland security as he weighs a 2008
presidential bid.
"One
would hope and one would think that the American people are more
discerning and more aware to recognize political opportunism when they
see it . . . [comments like] these are more likely to make him lose
votes than to gain votes," Shalaby said.
Caline
Jarudi, who directs the American-Arab Discrimination Committee of
Massachusetts, agreed.
He
stressed that the governor risks cutting channels of communication
between state authorities and Muslim and Arab communities.
"There's
already consensus this blanket profiling hasn't resulted in anything
positive," he said.
American
Muslims have been facing difficult times since the 9/11 attacks for
many reasons, including the misunderstanding of Islam in the west,
fueled by distorted media coverage, according to many observers.
Amnesty
International said in a report on the third anniversary of the 9/11
attacks that racial profiling by US law enforcement agencies has grown
over the past three years to cover one in nine Americans, mostly
targeting Muslims.
A
May 2004 report released by the US Senate Office Of Research concluded
that the Arab Americans and the Muslim community in the United States
have taken the brunt of the Patriot Act and other federal powers
applied in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
