RE: Unexpected Discussions from Career Fair

I know you addressed your questions, “Dear God” , but I would like to offer a few responses to your questions.  Think of it as it is His will that I respond

1.  It is sad how much the media runs this world and shapes people’s views; I completely agree with you there.  People put way too much faith in the media and think that because a news organization depicts something in a certain fashion that that is how it really is.  Apparently many people are lazy and do not like to become educated and make an informed decision for themselves.  The cliche sayings “Don’t believe everything you hear” and “Don’t judge a book by its cover” can certainly be applied in this context.

2.  I can argue both ways for the questions of whether or not there has been any change since post 9/11 ideology of Islam to now and if people are still afraid of Muslims.  I think there have been many people, who obviously frightened and shocked by the catastrophic events of 9/11, have very much changed their views.  Immediately following 9/11 several Americans were afraid and even had hatred toward Muslims.  As disgusting as that is to say, it is very true.  Even though this country is a melting pot, apparently you were not “American” if you were a Muslim.  Some of these people just couldn’t help themselves.  It all goes back to the media.  When they are plastering the names and faces of the people responsible for carrying out 9/11 and along with the words “Islam” and “Muslim” and “Terrorists” people tend to associate them together.  What people saw and heard was simply this: “The people responsible are terrorists.  The people responsible are Muslims.  Therefore, all Muslims are terrorists.”  Take a look at this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF80BEeQAb4  Unfortunately, I still think that some people have this mentality.  However, I do think that as time goes on people are developing a better understanding.  They see Muslim members of their community and that they are just like everyone else.  The term “radical Islam” is now being used so people can differentiate between that and mainstream Islam.  I have several friends who are Muslim and several who are Middle Eastern and it was very hard for me to watch what they had to put up with and the stares they got from other people.  I even think the media is now doing a little better at portraying “terrorists” as completely separate…which is what they should have done in the first place.

3.  Lastly, I completely agree that people need to read scholarly journals and books to better educate themselves before they make generalizations about an entire community.  I will say that when I started taking classes for my Islamic World Studies Minor, I was shocked at the amount of things I did not know and the amount of things that the media doesn’t accurately portray.  I even think  that something as simple as talking to someone and asking questions (like those people did you at the career fair) can help non-Muslims see a more clear picture.

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