Unfortunately, there has been a growing trend of bashing and vilifying Islam and Muslims recently. Regardless of whether this is done for political reasons or not, disseminating anti-Islamic movies and speaking against Islam in the media and in numerous universities around the country only results in the spread of hate and hostility toward Muslims.
So when we first learned that David Horowitz was going to be speaking here at the University, we were obviously saddened by the fact that yet another speaker was going to be coming to spread his hateful message, instilling even more fear and hostility. What comforted us was the fact that generally, students here at the University are extremely intelligent, and that they wouldn’t just believe anything that is presented to them from sources that have no evident qualifications on the subject discussed. Horowitz studied English as an undergraduate student, studied English as a graduate student, and appears to have no experience or expertise related to Islam, Muslims or even the Middle East. So it wasn’t a complete surprise when Horowitz said such things as “All Arabs are racist,” or that “Israel should carpet-bomb the Gaza Strip.” Through such statements, we’re sure that discerning students and audience members realized that this was a person who shouldn’t be taken seriously.
And while it would be greatly appreciated if the Burke Society would host more credible, better-qualified and more experienced “experts,” we definitely respect their decision, as they are free to choose whomever they wish to choose, and they are free to believe in whatever it is that they want to believe. The Burke Society did mentioned that they don’t agree with everything that Horowitz says.
But the Muslim Students Association is not only requesting greater sensitivity from a particular CIO. A few days before Horowitz’s lecture, an advertisement paid by the Horowitz Freedom Center was published in The Cavalier Daily. It was titled “Stop the Jihad on Campus” and went on to say that, “On campuses across the nation invited speakers are calling for the execution of gays, the killing of Jews, and support for the terrorist Jihad against America.” These speakers, claims the advertisement, are sponsored by or are themselves members of the MSA. Although not referring to our MSA specifically, the advertisement seeks to implicate University Muslims in the remarks made on other campuses. For anyone who knows the local MSA, it is insulting to find these students accused as jihadists who advocate murder. But for those who don’t know the MSA, this advertisement carries a real potential to incite fear and hate towards Muslims. We understand that the views in the advertisement are not those of The Cavalier Daily, but that shouldn’t absolve the decision-makers of this widely disseminated paper from the responsibility to exercise greater discretion. Statements such as “The Muslim Students Association is an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that spawned al-Qaeda and created Hamas,” cannot be taken lightly. The MSA expects a public response from The Cavalier Daily.
Our hope is that the University community will not get caught up in the frenzy created by such individuals who only wish to spread hate and intolerance. Such destructive intentions can only be countered with critical thought and a commitment to respect that shouldn’t be threatened by the differences amongst us.
Alla Hassan is president of the Muslim Students Association. Omer Shaukat is a Muslim student in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
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