Hiding in the Backwaters Just one more blog on the net.

Personal Prejudice?

Muslim attitudes and beliefs are at the top of many people's minds these days. Some spend their days fearing a terrorist attack. Others, including me, are just trying to get a handle on a culture that seems completely foreign to our way of thinking. Recently an article appeared in the International Herald Tribune titled "Murder of a Muslim prompts anti-immigration feelings in Italy." After reading about the 20 year old Pakistani woman found buried in the family garden with her throat slit, with her father, uncle and brother-in-law in custody as suspects, my reaction was, "Oy. There they go again." Probably not the most culturally sensitive response, but it does, in fact, get worse.

The Muslim community here, which has universally condemned the murder, strongly resents the allegations that Hina was killed as a result of her family's religious beliefs.

"For us, murder is a sin, not only a crime," said Mahmood Tariq, the director of the Muhammadiah Islamic Cultural Association in Brescia (Povoledo, 2006, ¶7-8).

My cynical, "Uh huh. Sure," response to Mahmood's statement brought me up short. How could I assume one murderous act is representative of Islam as a whole? Perhaps such a cynical view of Islam is a natural consequence of constant media coverage of the rising violence in Iraq, public execution of minors in Iran, successful and thwarted terrorist attacks in Europe, Muslim youth in the streets of New York openly praising terrorism and, most recently, a bit on the evening news about suicide bomber recruitment drives. Nevertheless, why is the possibility that these acts are, in fact, the doings of extreme radical elements of Islam that have little to do with the average Muslim so far removed from the public consciousness ? Is there no Western analogy to such groups? Obviously, there are. What about the former Presbyterian minister who showed no remorse for gunning down a physician who performed abortions and his bodyguard? "Much of the joy I felt after shooting the abortionist, and still feel today, is the joy of having freely obeyed Christ after long being enslaved to fearful obedience to men"(Hill, 1997, ¶45). Did anyone at any time condemn the Presbyterian religion for the acts of this one man? Indeed radical Christian fundamentalists have been waging a terrorist campaign against abortion clinics for the last twenty years ("Violence," 2004). When was the last time you were nervous your new Christian neighbor might be a terrorist?

The prejudice that Muslims are violent and unpredictable fosters an environment of fear where dialog and understanding are impossible much less trust. Those affected by this prejudice are on both sides of the issue. Italians fear for their safety, and growing resentment only serves to further ostracize and alienate Muslim immigrants. For their part Pakistanis and other Muslim immigrants fear wider reprisals and increased discrimination. There is also growing sense of bitterness that they are regarded as alien. "People used to be more tolerant; they used to be less allergic to seeing someone from a different race... Now people don't want to see us outside the factory... They just want us to produce" (Povoledo, 2006, ¶20-22).

The media has already been counted among those who contribute to a distorted view of Islam. One cannot discount opportunistic politicians who seize on such tragic events to further their own political agenda. As nice as it would be to lay the blame elsewhere, human groups, whether large like a society or small like a gang, tend to demonize "the other." We must all take a second look within at our own socialized responses, responses like mine, and determine whether we are helping to maintain prejudices or dismantle them.

I cannot think of any practicing Muslims I have had the chance to meet much less get to know. I believe that were I to have that opportunity I would not allow my prejudices to interfere with getting acquainted with that individual. I also believe that it would have to be a conscious effort on my part.

While this sociodrama has played out in Italy, I do not think the issues are unique to Italy. Such a scenario could play out anywhere in the western world, including here in the U.S. and Utah.