various moslem organizations have attempted to get involved in the american political process and they ahve been rebuffed by some politician (Hilary Clinton is an example). what route should theses organization take in order for the moslem voice to be heard in tha american political seen.
Answer
It is important that Muslims refuse to be rebuffed. In the case of Hillary Clinton for example she was under pressure from pro-Israeli anti-muslim New Yorkers. It was vital that American Muslims should not let those forces prevail and should keep on trying to enter the system.
The example of the Clinton rebuff is very good. Some Muslim leaders felt angry with Hilary Clinton and attempted to turn away from her, but the opposition candidate was worse then Hilary from a Muslim point of view. So many Muslims continued to support Hilary despite the rebuff. That was the right decision.
Name
majid
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Profession
Question
What is it in the American psychy that makes them lose there tolerance when they percieve a threat from different ethnicities. eg the encampment of the japanese and the current back lash against muslim in the USA.
Answer
It is true that American public opinion sometimes mistakes extreme nationalism for patriotism. Extreme American Nationalism tends to admire a warrior president and become excessively security conscious and the result is many Americans rally behind the warrior president as an expression of their patriotism. This can threaten civil liberties in the United States.
The idea of the Bush administration to have military tribunals and secret trials for suspected terrorist runs counter to American principles of due process. Even Nazi leaders after word war II were given a public trial at Nuremberg with access to council. Some of those nazi's had killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Both the United States and Israel have recently talked openly about killing terrorist suspects instead of capturing them. This is worse then the treatment Israel gave Adolf Eichmann. They gave him due process and he was a nazi killer of thousands. So, why are Al-Qaida suspects treated worse then Nazis? Is it because they are not white Germans? Is the difference in treatment racial?
US attorney general John Ashcrof wants to empower the FBI to spy more directly on churches, mosques, and synagogues. In reality, the green light is to spy more systematically on mosques, which as places of prayer were previously protected from close police scrutiny.
Attorney General Aschcrof wants to breach the principle of confidentiality between a client and his or her attorney. He repeatedly talks of suspected terrorist as if they are already proven terrorist. What happened to the principle of innocent until proven guilty?
The President declared the attacks of September 11 as an act of war and responded with war in Afghanistan, yet the Bush administration has refused even appeals from it own European allies to extend prisoner of war status to Taliban and Al-Qaida detainees. Many Europeans are disturbed that the USA is slipping away from its own moral case against terrorism and maybe in danger of slipping away from international law.
Editors of CNN and other major networks in the USA who are basically summoned to the white house and warned against giving Al-Qaida propaganda advantage with what they cover about Osama bin Laden. What happened to editorial independence and freedom of press?
With regard to the American public we must t both congratulate the majority who have shown considerable restraint and the leaders who have shown a good example. But all of us must condemn any thugs among us who show either racial or religious bigotry. As usual, the price of a free society is eternal vigilance
Name
asif
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Profession
Question
In your oppinion, do you thing that highten tensions toward the muslim community in America will subside in the near future and or these events are signs for more things to come?
Answer
The tensions are temporary because they are accompanied by a new curiosity to understand Islamic culture and civilization. In school after school, they have been considering new courses about the Muslim World and about comparative culture. If this trend continues it will be one of the happier results of September 11. Our American children will grow up better informed about other traditions.
