A Gallup poll taken in January of this year showed more than 4 in 10 Americans (43%) admit to feeling at least "a little" prejudice toward Muslims -- more than twice the number who say the same about Christians (18%), Jews (15%) and Buddhists (14%). And, since the 2008 presidential campaign, President Obama's political enemies have insisted upon insinuating that the President is himself a Muslim. This myth persists and grows, aided and abetted by elected officials in the Republican Party and right-wing talk show hosts who shamelessly enable some of their cohorts to spread this nonsense.
Indeed, Muslims have become the new nig---- in American politics. The right wing used to promote propaganda showing a violent black man (i.e., Willie Horton) who was likely to either rape white women or take a white man's job (for example, the Jesse Helms ad where the white man's hands were balling up a job rejection letter he received because a less-qualified black man took the job instead).
Now, the ads and the whisper campaign are about radical Muslims who, according to right wingers, are devising a terrorist plot around every corner in America. This campaign is craftily executed with the assistance of Hollywood producers, who promote the concept of the olive-skinned or dark-skinned Muslim terrorist in movies and on television.
The demonization process began in the late-1970s and continued throughout the 1980s with movies like "Black Sunday" and "The Delta Force" (loosely based on true events). After 9/11, Hollywood rapidly accelerated the production of movies and televisions shows about Islamic terrorists to the point where, presently, nearly every movie Hollywood produces that includes a real or imagined terrorist plot has a Muslim as the antagonist.
The word "terrorist" has now become synonymous with a Muslim to the point where on-camera personalities like co-host Brian Kilmeade on FOX News feel comfortable proclaiming: "A terrorist is a Muslim." And any mass shooting involving a Muslim is automatically considered an act of terrorism. Yet, a similar shooting -- by an aggrieved Postal worker, for example -- is simply an act carried out by a deranged citizen.
The effort to connect President Obama with Muslims and/or terrorists continues. At a recent political rally sponsored by Republican Congressman Steve King of Iowa, a member of the audience said that he heard that Obama was "sneaking small quantities of Muslims into the country," and asked why can't Congress do something about it. King's response of, "You might have a point," only added fuel to the fire.
Author Dinesh D'Souza's latest book, "The Roots of Obama's Rage," in which he criticizes Obama for urging religious tolerance regarding the controversy to build a $100 million mosque near Ground Zero in New York, paints the President as a confused individual, haunted by the shortcomings of his Muslim father.
Emotions are running so raw that some xenophobic people see mosques and Muslims where none exist. Some fanatical citizens in Phoenix, Arizona are up in arms over a domed church that they wrongly believe to be a mosque. The large building, still under construction along a busy interstate, is actually a nondenominational Christian church. The backlash has been severe enough that the church's leaders have hung a giant banner over the dome: "IF YOU THINK DIFFERENT YOU ARE WRONG -- WE ARE BUILDING A CHRISTIAN HOUSE OF WORSHIP."
The following question arises: Will non-violent, law-abiding Muslim citizens in America and around the world tire of being stereotyped and begin to adopt the behavior and attitudes of which they are repeatedly accused?
On a more humorous note, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann aired a satirical piece on Nov. 9th about Obama's "secret Muslim faith." It's hilarious and accurately portrays the outrageousness of it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZl6KOwM5pg
No comments:
Post a Comment