THE MEDIA BIAS AGAINST MUSLIMS:
Those in power have always sought to “label” and “target” a specific group as a means of oppression brought about simply by insecurity that is baseless. In this instance today it is Muslims, as if we are responsible for the actions of a small segment and that we are all “guilty by association”; this association being a shared faith.
All Christians are not painted with the same brush and deemed fanactics destined to kill innocent people although the likes of the Timothy McVeigh’s of this world committed horrible acts that killed many innocent people. All Christians are not painted with the same brush and labeled rapists, pedophiles or homosexuals although it has been revealed that a number of priests have sexually assaulted young boys/men. All Christians are not held accountable for the high incidence of out-of-wedlock teen pregnancies or high divorce and adultery rates although it is quite evident that such exists in churches.
All Jews are not labeled heartless killers or power hungry people who lust after land and money, etc. although the actions of the Jews in Israel speak volumes. All Jews are not labeled whiners although there are some that will forever claim to be the victim.
So it pains to know that all Muslims are held accountable for the actions of a few and our communities are targetted under the guise of “getting to know us”. The anti-Jewish sentiments come from perhaps a small segment of so-called Muslims but is not the foundation of mainstream/orthodox Islam.
The perceived problems arise when people realize that Islam is the fastest growing religion, that Islam is the only one that is not on a wholesale scale sold out its values in favor of secularism, that on the larger scale Islam/Muslims still believe in helping one another, have family values and hasn’t tried to alter the faith to suit “man’s” needs and desires and doesn’t have the hierachial structure as found in other religions (this even troubles the current Pope because he apparently believes that he should speak only with someone who is at his level, but who put him there but a group of men in a room).
The media is far from unbiased and focuses unnecessary attention on small incidences where anyone claiming to be Muslim is the so-called aggressor and paints it as a negative and when Muslims are the victims it is painted as being self-defense and those innocents killed deemed “collateral damage” or “necessary sacrifices” and then the media forgets.
I recently viewed the documentary “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” and let me tell you “shock” is putting it mildly, yet the ones in power were not held accountable for these cruel and inhumane acts, something that Muslims on the whole would simply not do to those whom they were holding, but it was done to them and still not all Christians or Jews (as they were among the US troops) are labled and heartless monsters who place little value on human life and human decency.
The US was founded on the belief of religious tolerance and freedom from the imposition of a certain set of religious beliefs, yet what we find is just the opposite. While Muslims are free to practice, that freedom is now beginning to come with a heavy price. You may be monitored and followed as you enter/leave a masjid, you may find “plants” inside investigating the imam and other attendees, you may be followed, have your home entered (with or without your presence or consent), have your phone and e-mail communications monitored, your financial records checked more carefully than non-Muslims, etc. Why?
Just because you are a Muslim and if you want to “freely practice” you must be willing to sacrifice some freedoms. Those who are are friends and stand with us to speak against the injustice are similarly targetted. All of this has led to Muslims not enjoying the sense of community and sharing spirit we should, has fueled distrust and fear amongst the ummah, has turned Muslims against one another who are willing to lie against one another in order to “save themselves”. All of this serves no purpose except to aid those who fight against us as the internal strive ultimately destoys us.
All people of conscience need to stand up and say “Enough is enough” before it is too late.
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