[nasional_list] [ppiindia] The Power of the Muslim and Arab Worlds

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 00:36:11 +0100
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**http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=77236&d=3&m=2&y=2006

            Friday, 3, February, 2006 (04, Muharram, 1427)



                  The Power of the Muslim and Arab Worlds
                  Ray Hanania, Arab News 


                    
                  This week, we witnessed the power of the Islamic and Arab 
worlds to bring a Western nation virtually to its knees. I was amazed at that 
power. This is over an issue that the nation's government had nothing to do 
with. All I can wonder is why the Islamic and Arab world doesn't harness that 
power more effectively and change policies that directly impact our causes and 
our beliefs?

                  A newspaper in Denmark, Jyllands-Posten, published a series 
of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a 
derogatory and libelous manner. Few Arabs or Muslims had ever heard of the 
newspaper before the controversy, yet they were rightly angered.

                  Ironically, the cartoons were published in September 2005, 
more than five months ago. But this week, the issue came to a head after it 
surfaced in the Arab world media.

                  Arabs and Muslims are justified in their anger against the 
action of the newspaper. The publication of the cartoons may constitute a hate 
crime, which is considered an offense in most Western countries. They certainly 
should not have been brushed off as being protected under the universal right 
of free speech as they were initially by the Danish government.

                  In justified anger, Muslims and Arabs have begun boycotting 
not only the newspaper but also many products that are produced in Denmark. 
That power has caused many of Denmark's largest corporations to reel in shock, 
forcing many to absorb massive profit losses and to even lay-off their 
employees.

                  That power to act was mobilized in less than two weeks, 
although it should have begun as soon as the offensive material was first 
published five months ago.

                  In response the newspaper offered a lukewarm apology. The 
government of Denmark also claimed it had no power over the newspaper. But we 
know that is not true.

                  Sadly, many innocent companies and people who might otherwise 
support the just causes of the Muslim and Arab worlds have also been punished. 
And that is unfair. And against the spirit of Islam. The Arab and Muslim 
worlds, despite being the target of a constant and unyielding campaign of 
hatred in the Western media, should stand as examples of how right and wrong 
can be addressed.

                  The entire episode reminds me of when the Arab and Islamic 
worlds joined together one other time many decades ago to launch an embargo of 
oil against what was clearly then unfair foreign policies against the rights of 
the Palestinian people and the Arab world. With the power of unity, the Arab 
and Islamic oil producers put great pressure on the world's greatest powers, 
reminding all that right is not always based on might but is instead based on 
justice and fairness.

                  Today, Arabs and Muslims are plagued by disunity. The only 
time we come together to exercise our moral and principled strength is when 
emotion has overcome our reasoning and we act to punish everyone. Unplanned and 
spontaneous acts of anger and emotion are not strategic. They may even cause a 
backlash.

                  The protests and boycott against the Danish newspaper are the 
result of spontaneous emotion rather than strategic action. We reacted rather 
than acted.

                  Everyday, newspapers throughout the world libel not only 
Islam but everything that the Arab world stands for that is principled and 
just. Everyday, the righteous Palestinian cause is victimized by hate crimes in 
newspapers all around the world, especially in the United States where free 
speech has exceptions when it comes to Arab and Muslim voices.

                  Yet we do nothing about these offenses.

                  Ironically, we sometimes help the offenders in their libel. 
In several major American cities, mainstream newspapers are often sold to the 
American public over the counters of hundreds of thousands of Arab- and 
Muslim-owned stores. These newspapers depend on us to help them sustain their 
circulations.

                  In some places like Chicago, newspapers could not survive 
without the support of Arab- and Muslim-owned grocery stores located in the 
inner city. The reality is that Chicago newspapers depend these grocery stores 
to sell their newspapers in poor communities because the newspaper owners fear 
that their newspapers will be stolen from news boxes placed on the streets of 
those communities. The sales policy of the newspapers in inner cities is itself 
racist.

                  Why do we allow this? Why do we allow the newspapers that we 
sell to Americans continue to slander us, defame us and essentially commit 
unpunished acts of hate crimes?

                  Emotion and anger are easy. Planning and strategic unity is 
more difficult and requires effort. We need to come together not simply to 
punish those who offend us, but to also strengthen our community and insure 
that our voices are included in the American mainstream news media.

                  The controversy in Denmark should remind Arabs and Muslims 
that we have the power to make a difference. But can we harness that power when 
it really counts?

                  - Ray Hanania is an award winning Palestinian American 
journalist and author. He can be reached at www.hanania.com 
                 
           
     


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[nasional_list] [ppiindia] The Power of the Muslim and Arab Worlds

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