JIHAD GENERATION

"Jihad Generation" --Hot Product & Media Commodity


I am at the supermarket check out. The magazine cover has a child’s face; yes it is a small child carrying a machine gun. The title; “the New Jihadis.” Next to it at least two other magazines with cover stories about Militant Islam. I feel very tired suddenly. Who is a better promoter of Jihad, the Taliban or the Tabloid media?

I have never watched “24” but understand that it is a sort of entertainment vehicle for the War on Terror, reinforcing the idea that Muslims are the enemy and suggesting that any reaction—even torture—may be necessary.

Apparently many Muslim Americans watch the TV show as well, but even these adrenaline junkies have joined in the outcry against the show in recent days. It is important to bring this new concern to other faith communities as well, as they also should not be comfortable with sensationalistic and violent past-times that promote confrontation. Through such interfaith advocacy, morality is a sleeping giant that should be woken to face the monster of mainstream media.

This is not to say free discussion of security issues is a danger, or that religious people should work to silence debate. But our voices must be heard to ensure fair and accurate information is shared, instead of merely propaganda. We are being demonized.

Recently two television programs have brought focus on some of the foolish –and hateful—things that some imams say. The more sensational of the two programs, “Undercover Mosque” was broadcast on Britain’s Channel 4 and also is spreading through Youtube on the internet. The part of the program I have viewed is troubling, if not surprising, both as a witch-hunt of UK Muslims and as a reminder of how substandard some Muslim leaders are.

Making a comment on the television website, I noticed a wide variety of other comments and perceptions, quite a few of them more sensible than the program itself. Some criticized all groups with an insular and reactionary view of the world; bigotry takes many forms. Some mentioned praying at the mosques in question and never hearing such hate speech. Apparently it was not really a fair and balanced program.

Another writer asked the Channel: “Please explain to me exactly what your agenda is? When someone goes undercover that in itself implies you are looking for mischief either one that is genuine or if not taken out of context and presented as such. You must realize the repercussions of your actions result in a paranoid society which turns and attacks the vulnerable.”

And yet, fellow Muslims, it is our challenge to deal with false and extreme views. There is much to be angry about but our faith must keep us just and righteous. It is apparent that some of the British Muslim leaders have been two-faced, sweet in public but bitter and nasty in private views.

But we should also note those political and social groups that are overly sweet, offering assurances of peace and love like so much candy. They jump shamelessly to gain access to the UK government and denounce other Muslims.

Those who “brown-nose” and kiss the hands and other extremities of the powerful are not really “moderate.” Some of the so-called "Sufi Muslim Councils" in the UK (and USA too) who claim to be the moderate Muslims seem to me only hollow shells in a shell game of power and access. However, we should be careful-- some of their followers do mean well, and feel alienated from the Muslim establishment. There needs to be firm but loving dialogue with these groups.

Because it is true—too often we Muslims politely ignore views that are unbalanced. What can we do? Here is one small thing. While I know we are asked to remain listening to sermons no matter what is said, we may, outside of Friday prayers, wish to register disapproval by quietly taking a bathroom break when hateful or foolish things are said. In my opinion, this is the nonviolent way to send a message, politely. It takes courage but not so much! Vote with your feet!

I am also urging media and government officials not to equate Wahhabi influence with militant extremism. It is not the same. However, it is true that some of these people are very intolerant and rigid in their views and almost impossible to work with. On an individual basis therefore we must find out who is able to be a team player and work together to build a strong and diverse Muslim community. If conflicts arise in your mosque or student organization, seek mediation, keep records, and pray for success.

Insha’Allah voting with your feet will not take you away from the Muslim family and community. But this happens quite often, and leaders need to take this challenge more seriously. They need both to educate their own communities and to educate the media. Unfortunately those who most energetically do this are al muhajiroun and other extreme voices.

CNN Reporter Christine Amanpour writes, “Extremists and radicals are very adept at playing the media's game. Even though they are a minority, a small number of them can gather on a corner, hold a protest or demonstration and get a massive amount of media attention and air time. That's because today's mostly tabloid media culture in the UK has sensationalized the "Muslim issue" and focuses only on the extremists, rarely finding the facts, context and texture beneath the surface.”

That said, the pop-up for Amanpour’s new program “The War Within”, shows a Muslim woman’s eyes staring mysteriously from a niqab; clearly a threat, and appropriately lensed through a dark fog. This is the fog of war. Journalists, as well as Muslims, need to be careful not to be played.

We are balanced at a moment which can go towards wider war—even with Iran—or back to a base of relative peace and problem solving. Let us remember that 2 million Iraqis have already fled the country and 1.7 million are displaced with Iraq.

And what are we fighting to protect? It is the Capitalist machine? Or Progress? Let us admit to ourselves that 60 percent of American married partners have both partners working full time, up from 36 percent in 1970, with the average couple now working at least 82 hours. Yes, Americans consume an average 275 pounds of meat per person, up from 238 pounds 20 years ago. But the world’s average is 87 pounds.

What is this American lifestyle based on increasing labor, blood and theft? What is this American media that seeks to comfort us as we plunge into disaster? And what are these false alternatives and hollow promises we hear in our own mosques and DVDs? Time to wake up-- but how?

To Search Not Surge

To Search Not Surge: Towards an Evolving Center of Peace Work

Last week the President shared his Urge to Surge with the world. Some of us have already rejected his advances as an obscene proposal to dominate and control; others simply see no self-interest in supporting this strategy. Even many Iraqis resent the continued, open-ended intrusion into their affairs, even for supposed humanitarian reasons. After his speech was over, there were few rose petals to be seen.

However, surging or increasing troop levels may promise political advantages to the administration. This strategy allows the neo-conservatives to leverage Iraq against Iran. The increased troops may also postpone a complete collapse of order until the Democrats are fully in power in Washington, or at least until they too are tangled in the response to the ongoing crisis and too compromise to find a way out.

But this may be a moment to turn the tide. So let us search instead of surge. Let us search for the light at the end of the tunnel. Let us search for a path to peace. What is the way?

As the writer James Carroll has observed, writing about Martin Luther King recently, humanity can have no Justice without Peace: “…Racial injustice and poverty are inextricably linked to violence. That is why non-violence formed the evolving center of King's vision. It was no mere tactic with him, a way of coping with racist sheriffs who had guns. Non-violence was a defining affirmation of the value of life, and it was the practical engine of a powerful political movement.

And James Carroll expands further on the link of local and international violence: “But King would name the link between gun supply in American cities and the flood of weapons pouring from a global arms industry across the most impoverished regions of the world. Indeed, poverty has become the ground of global violence, and terrorism is its poison flower. What King and Johnson knew as the war on poverty has become an all-but-declared war on the poor. Washington is its headquarters…..”

“The disgrace of US poverty, now necessarily seen in the context of a globalized economy, is a footnote to the smoldering catastrophe of world-wide disparities between rich and poor. Cities, especially in the southern hemisphere, teem with desperate people, and no system of authority or organization seems remotely able to respond.”

The issues Carroll refers to cannot easily be addressed within the particular capitalistic framework in which we live. But nevertheless, accepting for now that framework as given, a first important step should be to strongly urge our elected officials in Congress to support legislation to force the president to get authorization from Congress for a troop escalation. This Legislation has been proposed by Senator Edward Kennedy and is supported by Congressman Abercrombie, Chairman of the Air-Land Subcommittee, which oversees military ground forces and air power. But your congressional office needs to hear from you. Truly, numbers matter and at this moment we do have influence on this issue.

Beyond voting for a non-binding resolution of disapproval for the president's plan, other leaders are discussing cutting off funding and even repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. Congressman Sam Farr has justified such legislation, stating: “When the Republicans were in charge of the House and Senate, they insisted that President Clinton had to have permission to go into Kosovo." Let your Congressman know if you agree. You may call (202) 225-3121 for the switchboard operator for the House of Representatives.

If we Muslim Americans sit back and let everyone else take action, we too have blood on our hands. The world continues to study war, and to be intoxicated by war, to be enriched by it, and to be raped and ruined by it. Muslims can and should show a better way, publicly as well as privately.

Last week, a Muslim colleague joined the peace-making delegation that visited Khartoum to discuss implementing a ceasefire and ensuring access to humanitarian help and aid convoys. This is real work beyond the wall of hype that surrounds us. With Governor Richardson, staff members of the Save Darfur Coalition were able to negotiate trust-building steps both with rebel groups and with the government of President Bashir.

This delegation went far beyond the Bashir-bashing that some member agencies have been content with. The clear goal is to allow the political process to continue, to de-escalate hostilities and create structures that would provide an alternative to the anarchy and pillage that has created such a hell on earth for so many. However, a full Peace Conference is not scheduled until March.

Engaging with the 12 rebel groups and with the Dictator is a beginning of the process of de-escalation. It is significant that this is done by a (well-connected) private group, and not by the warmongering Bush Administration. Of course we do expect the government to welcome the results. But they are not perceived as balanced; peacemakers must be interested in actual situations, human needs, and the abuses committed on both sides.

Even the suffering Darfurians must be held accountable for some misdeeds. As a colleague writes, “When I used to tell Palestinians in the Diaspora what the “revolutionary heroes” in Palestine were actually doing, it never made anyone very happy. It will be hard to convince the Darfurian diaspora that Darfurian rebels are also part of the problem… As long as they receive Libyan money through Chad they are in a position to continue fighting.”

Peacemaking in Palestine-Israel will also require a clear-eyed absence of myth-making. There is enough blame and blood to go around. The focus must be on the future, and getting there with less injustice and violence.

We will continue to face violence and injustice of the war on terror; extremists on all sides, with the largest resources belonging to the State. This past week, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Guantanamo gulag, some of us held a vigil against the abuses together with the Metro New York Religious Council Against Torture (see http://www.witnesstorture.org/). With over a hundred such actions world-wide, we are bringing to public attention our private resistance to policies of fear and oppression. However, we have got to build up the Muslim community’s participation and the improve the reliability of our leaders in the dialogue and peace process.

To build our commitment and our capacity for peace, beyond words and good intentions, I would urge you my fellow Muslims to actually study peacemaking. Let's not just talk about peace. There are conflict resolution courses around the country. You still can learn something! We can be adapting these curricula to an Islamic framework; though they are already universally useful. From Darfur to Downtown, solving a dispute is a beautiful thing. It takes work. But as a Muslim, haven’t you a taste for Peace?