- Islamphobia culture, race and good Muslim bad Muslim
- Most of the terrorism activities that occur globally tend to have a link with the Muslim community. When a terrorism activity occurs, the media focus on the Muslim community as the potential masterminds of the criminal act. In most parts of the world, people associated with the Muslim culture receive a lot of discrimination considering that their colleagues associate with terrorism activities. The main question is that are all the terrorism activities that take place associate with the Muslim community. The issue of Muslims engaging on terrorism activities has a great influence from the political and cultural perspectives. Most of the academics differ on the issue of Muslims engaging in terrorism and their main contribution on the criminal activities. Some of the academics argue that the other criminal groups engage in terrorism activities and later associate themselves with the Muslim community. Most of the terrorism activities come up because of the contribution made by the Muslim community.
- In this paper, I will focus my argument by comparing and contrasting two articles regarding on the issue of Muslim contribution to the terrorism activities that the world has lately experienced. The Muslims contribute much in the terrorism activities as referred by the author of one of the articles known as Mehdi Semati [1]. On his article, Semati illustrates that back in November of year 2006, unexpected act happened in one of the International airports. About six Muslim Imams were stopped from boarding a flight that was heading to Phoenix[2]. The passengers and the crewmembers in the flight that was coming from Minneapolis got suspicious with the behavior that the six men were expressing. The crew called the police at the airport to intervene and they were able to arrest the six Muslim Imams. Fortunately, if the six men had bad motives that they were planning to do, the police were able to stop them. The law allows everyone to report any suspicious behavior that would result to causing danger to other people’s life.
- The article written by Mahmood Mamdani Cleary shows that, most of the activities regarding to terrorism activities result from the contribution of Muslim brothers. Mamdani illustrates that the activities that happened on September 11 in the country of America were a clear significance if the Muslim contribution to the terrorism activities. Although he argues that there exist good and bad Muslims, he accepts the fact that these men contribute in a great percentage in the terrorism activities that happen globally. Mamdani explains that culture practice of the Muslim community plays a major role in promoting the activities regarding to terrorism[3]. He also explains that the political Lords contributes in expressing bad blood to other communities and encourage the Muslin youth top engage in criminal; activities.
- On the issue of terrorism activity that occurred in September 11, Semati illustrates that culture values played a significance role in contitubuting to a successful operation of the terrorists[4]. He argues that the Muslim community embraces their culture and religion values in a manner that they do not view causing harm to others as a major issue. The Muslim community illustrates on their teaching s that if a man dies while fighting their enemy he will receive the eternal life. This cultural believe have contributed in making many of them engage in suicide bombing by knowing that they will have nothing to lose at last. Believe and culture values of this community convince them that no one ought to stand on their way while claiming for their rights.
- According to Mamdani, terrorism is one of the modern tools that the Muslim community uses in expressing their anger to the western nation[5]. This has led to most of the Muslim community people to engage in terrorism activities. The fact that the western nations introduced civilization in most of the Islamic lands, leads to most of the Muslims Have anger with these nations. Many of the Muslims argue that the civilization that the western nations especially America introduced in their territory had nothing to do with offering help to the common citizens. They argue that the western nations had the motive of exploiting the resources present in the eastern region. Most of the resources that the western had the motive of exploiting included petroleum and other components of the crude oil.
- Semati explains that the youth in Muslim community also plays a major role in contributing to terrorism activities. On his article, he argues that most of the youth are jobless and they find that easiest way of getting daily bread is engaging in criminal activities. He illustrates that most of the eastern region has scarce source of capital and this contributes to most the young men engage in activities related to terrorism[6]. In most of the cases, the young men get lump sum of money after engaging in a terrorism mission. Prior to that, they get many promises of better life after accomplishing what will cause many of their enemies to lose life.
- On his view, Mamdani argues that the Muslim community plays a significant role in contributing to terrorism by the fact that they encourage their youth in getting associated with this type of activities. He states that considering the culture talk, most of the young people engage in terrorism because of the motivation they receive from their seniors. According to Mamdani, the Muslim culture seems to have no history and debates that would guide the youth in doing right[7]. Most of the culture values of this community is from their leaders who dictate what ought to be done. The youth lack creativity in their life and they result in doing only the easiest they can perform in life. According to Mamdani, the easiest way of living to this young people is engaging in war and criminal activities. They focus most of their criminal activities to the western nations. This is a clear show that they get the guidance from their leaders.
- While considering the contribution of the Muslims in most of the terrorism activities, Semati illustrates that the history that outlines the emergency of this community gives an indication of why they participate in this activities. He argues that the Muslim religion always hold negative motive with the Christian religion[8]. This has contributed much in the Muslim community to focus their terrorism activity to the western countries as they withhold the Christian values. In most of the cases, the Muslim community views the Christians as inferiors and they should not be the one controlling many functions of the world. On this view, the Muslims results in engaging in activities that no one would recommend.
- Mamdani illustrates that the Muslim community is associated with the terrorism activities since the historical times. On his article, he focuses on the war that most of the Muslims referred to as cold war. According to Mamdani, this war took place after Indochina[9]. The Muslim community was struggling with the American government against the issue of the Soviet Union. In this time, the terrorists distinguished themselves from the guerilla fighters and they were later a successful group that could threaten the peace of the whole world. In this war, the Muslim terrorists were able to gain a lot of knowledge concerning how to go about on various issues in the future wars. The Muslim leaders were able to introduce more wars in the territory of Afghanistan. They came up with new mechanisms of fighting and introduced new fighting tools. They were successfully been able to make more explosives and bombs that they could use in their terrorism activities.
- On the issue of political culture, Semati illustrates on his article that the Muslim community plays a major role in contributing to terrorism activities. He argues that the community is responsible for politicizing the young men in the society to engage in terrorism activity. Considering the incidence that occurred on September 11, the political culture contributed much in the actions that took place on that day[10]. The American government issued a statement from the president of that time known as George bush that the terrorists group engaged in the act because of political hatred. He said that the group managed to hit America because of considering that the Americans are brighter than they are.
- On his article, Mamdani indicates that Muslims contributes much in the terrorism activities because of the contribution made by the political Lords. He points out that the political god fathers manages to assist the terrorism groups with various fighting tools that they use while on their operations. He states that the community fails to adore the spirit of democracy in order to ensure that there is peace in their neighborhood and the whole world at large[11]. On his article, Mamdani indicates that the challenge that faces most of the Muslim community is that they are unable to create a national political Islam community. According to Mamdani, establishing of the community would result on focusing on the main issues that cause the Muslims to engage in terrorism activities.
- Both of the two articles tend to contrast on various issues. On his article, Semati argues that the media plays a major role in associating the Muslim community with the terrorism activities that often take place. Considering on the activities that took place on September 11, Semati argues that the media over showed what the real situation was like[12]. He states that some of the media channels created graphics that illustrated how the situation after the terrorist attack was looking like. In real sense, some of these graphics were not showing the truth of the matter as the life situation was after the attack.
- On contrary, Mamdani argues that media interest started showing some significance contribution on the issue of September 11 some view months later. He argues that the media gave very little interpretation on the issue of this particular terrorist activity. He states that the media does not contribute to making of the terrorism activities active. According to his interpretation, he states that the media just shows how the terrorist operate their activities. He states that the media played a significance role in making sure that those people who were affected in the 9/11 bombing received the recommended attention from the government[13]. On his view, the media contributes to a positive role on the issue of terrorism activities.
- Another issue that both of the articles contrast is the one that explains about racial dynamics. On his view regarding on this issue, Semati argues that the racial diversity contributes to most of the terrorist activities to happen. He illustrates that before the incidents that took place on 9/11; most of the Americans were living as brothers and sisters. They were living without discriminating others on their place of origin or religious background. However, after the bombing incident that took place, there was a lot of racial discrimination that took place[14]. He indicates that the Arab community woke up to be no more as whites but the American citizens referred them according to their ethnicity. Other communities staying in America received the same response from the citizens. This issue indicated that racial consideration might result to terrorism activities.
- Mamdani on his view regarding to the issue of racial contribution to terrorism argues that most of the terrorists do not commit the crimes while considering the race present in a certain geographical area[15]. He states that the terrorists groups commit their unlawful actions with various intentions despite the issue of race. He states that the issue of race does not play a major role in the committing of various terrorism activities.
- Bibliography
- Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 256-275.
- Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 766- 775.
- [1] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 256
- [2] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 257.
- [3]Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 768.
- [4] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 259.
- [5]Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 769.
- [6] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 260.
- [7] Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 770.
- [8]Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 265.
- [9] Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 773.
- [10] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 270.
- [11] Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 774.
- [12] Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 271.
- [13]Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 776.
- [14]Semati Mehdi. (2010). Islamophobia, culture and race in the age of empire. Cultural Studies. Volume: 24, Number: 2, Pages: 272.
- [15] Mamdani Mahmood. (2010). Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: A Political Perspective on Culture and Terrorism.American Anthrolopoligist. New Series, Volume: 104, Number: 3, Pages: 775.
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