Islam and Western Media
Komail Haider
Due Date: 11-14-2009 and Presentation on 11-21-2009
Hafiz M. K. Siddiqui
Introduction to Islam
Islam & Muslims in Western Media
In July 12, 2008 publication of the New York Times, it was reported that the President of Sri Lanka was killed in a suicide attack. The religion of the suicide bomber was never reported. The very same newspaper (on November 5, 2009), reported that how a Muslim attacker attacked the US Base and killed US army soldiers. This discrimination against the Muslims and Islam is nothing but the fruit of Western Media’s propaganda against the Muslims and Islam. In Western countries, Islam is often looked upon as an "extremist", "terrorist", or "fundamental" religion. In many cases, the media’s reports about Islam are incorrect due to ignorance. This is one of the reasons why the West often hates Islam. In contrast to what many Westerners think of Islam, Islam is a peaceful religion, which does not promote any forms of uncalled for fighting or "terrorist" actions.
Today, the West, without knowing what Islam is all about, has identified a new enemy, "a new demon that has replaced the Red menace of the Cold war, i.e., radical Islam" (Agha 6). This "radical Islam", a stereotype common to western thought, portrays Muslims as fundamentalists or potential terrorists. These thoughts and ideas are the product of anti-Islam propaganda of the western media. Journalists who have no idea about the Muslim World are the one who are talking the most about how evil and barbaric is Islam and its followers. The media then develops a distorted image of Islam that Western culture adopts (Agha 2).A major factor which contributes to Islamic stereotyping in the West is due to the media 's ignorance of selecting their words that describe Muslims. Some common names heard or seen in the news about Muslims are "extremist" or "terrorist". Another factor was writing affirmation about Islam and its adherents without any proof or by using doubtful
Due Date: 11-14-2009 and Presentation on 11-21-2009
Hafiz M. K. Siddiqui
Introduction to Islam
Islam & Muslims in Western Media
In July 12, 2008 publication of the New York Times, it was reported that the President of Sri Lanka was killed in a suicide attack. The religion of the suicide bomber was never reported. The very same newspaper (on November 5, 2009), reported that how a Muslim attacker attacked the US Base and killed US army soldiers. This discrimination against the Muslims and Islam is nothing but the fruit of Western Media’s propaganda against the Muslims and Islam. In Western countries, Islam is often looked upon as an "extremist", "terrorist", or "fundamental" religion. In many cases, the media’s reports about Islam are incorrect due to ignorance. This is one of the reasons why the West often hates Islam. In contrast to what many Westerners think of Islam, Islam is a peaceful religion, which does not promote any forms of uncalled for fighting or "terrorist" actions.
Today, the West, without knowing what Islam is all about, has identified a new enemy, "a new demon that has replaced the Red menace of the Cold war, i.e., radical Islam" (Agha 6). This "radical Islam", a stereotype common to western thought, portrays Muslims as fundamentalists or potential terrorists. These thoughts and ideas are the product of anti-Islam propaganda of the western media. Journalists who have no idea about the Muslim World are the one who are talking the most about how evil and barbaric is Islam and its followers. The media then develops a distorted image of Islam that Western culture adopts (Agha 2).A major factor which contributes to Islamic stereotyping in the West is due to the media 's ignorance of selecting their words that describe Muslims. Some common names heard or seen in the news about Muslims are "extremist" or "terrorist". Another factor was writing affirmation about Islam and its adherents without any proof or by using doubtful
Bibliography: Agha, Dr. Olfat Hassan. http://bertie.la.utexas.edu/research/mena/acpss/english/ekuras/ ek25.html#Heading5. Islamic Fundamentalism and Its Image in the Western Media. Ba-Yunus, Ilyas. http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/6453/myth.html. The Myth of Islamic Fundamentalism. Emerson, Steven. The Other Fundamentalist. New Republic. June 12, 1995. Hassan, Anser. http://psirus.sfsu.edu/IntRel/IRJournal/sp95/hassan.html . Invitation to Islam: Islamic Stereotypes in Western Mass Media. Martinez, Pricilia. http://chuma.cas.usf.edu/~rfayiz/media.htm. Muslim Culture, Religion Misrepresented by Media. Muzaffer, Dr. Chandra. http://www.peg.apc.org/~newdawn/misc2.htm#top. Dominant Western Perception of Islam and The Muslims. Washington, DC. http://www.twf.org/Releases/Fears.html. Why The West Fears Islam: The Enemy Within.