[Islam-Online- Politics]

Q: As a minority in the United States, some Muslims believe in a media conspiracy theory. Is this a result of perceived victimization?
A: I don't believe in these conspiracy theories because believing in such theories does not help. Again, all it does is allow us to whine, throw our hands in the air and cry, "They're all against us." This is weakness and I don't believe we are a weak community. I say to Muslims if our Prophet had not stood for what he believed when he faced all odds, where would they be today? He stood his ground, compromised when necessary and gave as good as he got.
Although I do not believe there is a conspiracy, two factors work against us. One, the media has generally distorted or given incorrect impressions of Islam. The second point is we must not forget that media often get their information from the same source - news agencies like Reuters, Agence France Press and so on. When identical stories, based on reporters' misguided views, are used, it gives the impression that a conspiracy is afoot. Well, again, the cure is education, not grumbling. It's our job to work and make our presence felt.
Q: Islamist sympathizers claim that Islamic movements are amenable to democracy. Yet some Islamists instill fear in observers due to their fiery rhetoric. Namely, America is demonized, the destruction of Israel is promised, pluralism is not guaranteed. There are also concerns about human rights for women and non-Muslims. Critics point to Sudan and Iran as examples of Islamic autocracy. Why should America support Islamist calls for political participation?
A: My role is not to defend other nations. What the American Muslim Council does call for, however, is every nation's right to pass through its growing pains. There is a lot of hype about Iran, Sudan and anti-democratic ways. First, we can't lump the examples you gave together - nor can we judge them with the same measuring stick. They are completely different in culture, goals, methods and beliefs.
Furthermore, there are things happening in those countries that aren't discussed here. Elections in Iran have shown that moderates are slowly but surely coming to power. At the recent Arab Summit in Cairo, Sudan made the first move, albeit unsuccessful, to improve relations with its neighbors. Both these nations have made mistakes, some they've amended others they haven't. Does this mean we write them off? Politics are far too complex for such simplistic solutions. American Muslims must do their part to bring greater understanding between our Administration and foreign nations trying new models of government. There are productive ways to get your point across. And if you don't convince others of your way of doing things, it's unforgivable to punish them for it.
It's fair to criticize those Islamists who send out mixed signals. For example, in Algeria Abbassi Madani says he wants democracy while his partner, Ali Belhaj, rejects it. This confuses the West. Such rhetoric allows special interest groups to claim that Islamism is anathema to development. Yet while constructive criticism is helpful, dictating policy fosters animosity. Unfortunately, moderate Islamist leaders do not have a strong enough base to unequivocally come out in support for democracy. There are hard-liners in their camps who will undermine them and on such sensitive issues they cannot risk an organizational breakdown. The West cannot expect miracles. It took us nearly 150 years to stamp out segregation and similar time frames to guarantee minority and women's rights, establish fair labor laws, and so on. We can't expect others to immediately fulfill our wish list. It is unacceptable that the West wants the Muslim world to prove its democratic credentials without being given a timely chance.
Islam encourages rational freedom of choice and expression. If these have to be placed within a framework of Western-style democracy, there is a problem. Cultural, economic and religious factors negate implementation of such a system. That would throw the Muslim world into chaos. America must nurture the democratic forces in Islamic countries but not expect a mirror image of itself. In the United States, there is an organized effort by the Zionist movement that does not want to see Islamic nations gradually gain self-determination. Such maturity is too risky for their interests. As such, they adopt an all or nothing policy, knowing full well that such radical changes will plunge the Muslim world into turmoil. The Washington Institute on Near East Policy, a pro-Israeli lobby with powerful friends in our government, has consistently championed containment policies in the Middle East. To such groups, self-determination in the Muslim world is not an option. Their efforts will fail in the long run, but only after American Muslims do their part at home and abroad. As to the issue of female and non-Muslim rights, that's just a smoke-screen. Although the West looks to nations such as Iran as practitioners of oppression, Iran still has more women in government than we do. And non-Muslims have prospered quite comfortably in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Problems occur due to cultural reasons and those are issues society must resolve. Yet just as abortion must not play a pivotal role in our elections, such issues should not form a barrier against Islamic political participation.
America has a vested interest in supporting Islamist political participation. Like it or not, such groups have strong popular support and they're coming to power throughout the Muslim world. Najmuddin Erbakan's victory in Turkey's recent elections is a case in point. Though his Islamic party has entered into a coalition with secularists, the fact that he won proves that Islamists can and will play a major role in regional governance. America can choose to ignore Islamists, support repressive regimes or keep channels of communication open - offering guidance and constructive criticism. Anti-American rhetoric exists, yet it rates poorly compared with the larger percentage of Islamists open to good relations with America. It is these forces that must be nurtured and given leeway to help their parties mature. Recent efforts in Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere to destroy Islamism, with America?s tacit approval, may seem to have neutralized the growth of Islamism. Yet as the Welsh poet George Herbert once wrote, "Pursue not a victory too far. He hath conquered well that hath made his enemy fly; thou mayest beat him to a desperate resistance which may ruin thee." We must not pursue a path of animosity. Otherwise, the world's future would be bleak.

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