The Park51 controversy can only be solved through compromise and as the 'Liberal Muslims' building the mosque refuse to speak with the New York city administration the only answer is that those who oppose the mosque must make the difficult choice of caressing their emotional wounds at the cost of changing America forever or rising above the controversy, inject anaesthesia in their emotional wounds and try to forget it.
Demanding that the mosque or cultural centre be moved inherently suggests that those who oppose it hold Islam - the religion responsible for the act of terrorism by some fanatics. This suggestion in turn makes all Muslims - liberal or not very-very defensive making it impossible to negotiate with them or trying to make them understand the viewpoint of the other side. This is something that the American who has come across the "Minority Defensiveness" for the first time, simply has to accept.
The alternative to not understanding the defensiveness of Muslims and allowing them to build the Community Centre close to ground Zero is opposing the same (obviously). However, continuing the opposition has following risks:
1) If the Mosque is built despite the opposition, the thought - "Muslims are insensitive to the emotions of their fellow citizens who lost their loved ones at the hands of a Terrorist attack in name of Islam" will cross the mind of every non Muslim American. this is dangerous because it's a thought that will stay in the subconscious of the citizenry and will act as the first small scratch in the mirror after which every small blow creates a bigger and deeper crack. The thought that "Muslims" per se were insensitive towards 9/11 victim families will erode at the Secular nature of the American Civil Society.
2) If the Mosque is shifted to another place, the incident will become fodder for encouraging more anti American sentiments all over the world. This incident can be and will be used by terrorist groups to poison the minds of "Educated Muslims" who respect the values of Democracy and Secularism.
American Society today stands at the brink of making a historical decision that will define the shape of its Civil Society in future. India is a good example for America in this scenario. The tensions between Hindus and Muslims have always been strong in India considering the violent history of plundering and acquisition that Muslims had in the primarily Hindu India. Yet, the biggest blow to the Indian Civil Society came when Bhartiya Janata Party raised the issue of Ayodhya - A mosque had been built at the site of a destroyed Hindu temple in the auspicious city of Ayodhya. Ayodhya controversy was definitely the most damaging event for the unity between Hindus and Muslims in India after partition of the country. It is an issue that is still brought up and thrown in the face of a moderate - Hindu or Muslim when he / she begins to talk about Hindu-Muslim unity.
One hopes that the Park51 controversy will not become the Ayodhya issue for non-Muslim and Muslim Americans.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Park51 Mosque, Islamophobia and Muslim Accountability - Striking a Balance
Let's begin this discussion wrought with emotions and controversies with facts. Muslims have the Legal and Constitutional Right to build a Mosque at Park51 even though it is close to Ground Zero. What's more if Ground Zero belonged to a private party that wanted to build a mosque there, they would have the legal and constitutional right to build a mosque there. No American Law enforcement agency or government agency can deny this fact.
That said, this controversy is not about law it is about (pardon the pun) Sense and Sensibilities. It is about unconscious or subconscious biases and fears. It is about lack of accountability and a disconnect from reality.
The predominant argument is that because Islamic Fanatics destroyed the Twin Towers it is hurtful for the families of Ground Zero victims to see the symbol of Islam - religion of those fanatics that killed their loved ones - standing proud close to the graves of their loved ones. The argument against this feeling is that these families are calling all American Muslims collectively responsible in some way for the 9/11 attack. The families and their supporters in turn say that they recognize American Muslims are peace loving but still a mosque so close to the Ground Zero Hurts!
Now, let's understand this argument with an open and rational mind. Are the 9/11 families subconsciously and indirectly holding American Muslims accountable? YES. The answer is a resounding Yes. The next question is:
"Is it fair to make American Muslims accountable for 9/11?"
No American Muslim wanted 9/11. No American Muslim condones 9/11. American Muslims are moderate and peace - loving but they need to understand that when a religion gets corrupted every person following that religion is accountable. If Hindus exploited a large section of Indian society in the name of caste system every Hindu and specifically Brahmin is accountable till date for that corruption as remnants of it are still visible in the Indian society. when the Indian newspaper reports that a woman became Sati (Widow burning herself at the pyre of her husband's funeral) in the interiors of Uttar Pradesh (State in India) every Hindu sitting in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Dubai, Atlanta, New York, Chicago or Denmark is accountable for that corruption in the religion. No Hindu is responsible for the death of that woman at her husband's pyre but they are responsible for the "corruption" of their religion that made the woman burn at her husband's pyre and then made her family rich because people started worshipping the poor lady as a goddess.
Similarly, American Muslim is not accountable for 9/11 but American Muslims and Muslims world over are responsible for the corruption of their religion.
My following statement is admittedly a hypothesis but one I completely believe in. American Muslims and Moderate liberal Muslims all over the world failed Islam and humanity when they did not raise a strong Muslim voice against the 9/11 attack on America in the name of Islam. Even those Muslims who rejoiced an attack on America for political reasons should have stood up and said that America should have been attacked in the name of politics and national interests NOT in name of Islam. Islam does NOT allow terrorism. Islam does not allow killing innocents. Islam stands for peace. It stands for surrendering yourself to God. If American Muslims had raised not just an American voice against 9/11 but "Muslim Voice" against the 9/11 attacks, the building of mosque near Ground Zero perhaps would not have met with as much opposition.
Muslims world over need to acknowledge and accept that they can not sit quietly in their homes and wash hands off Islamic Fanaticism. Islamic fanaticism can not be cured by Non - Muslims. It needs to be fought by Muslims and when the world does not hear strong moderate voices against Islamic terrorism, moderate Muslim becomes accountable and responsible for the corruption of his religion.
Coming back to the controversy of Park51 Mosque, all said and done the argument that the mosque will hurt sentiments of 9/11 victims is dangerous. It is dangerous because by feeling hurt by seeing the mosque the 9/11 families and their supporters are subconsciously holding Islam responsible for acts of Muslims. A religion can not be held responsible for the acts of its corrupt followers.
America and specially the 9/11 families stand at the brink of making a very important decision. They can go with their emotions and risk a downward slope for the civil society of America or they can work with New York City and come up with an alternate plan the sorts of which I will be discussing in the next post.
So, does this mean that I support building a mosque at Park51? Not necessarily. I disagree with the emotional reason of 9/11 families but I do have my own reservations.
My reason for not supporting Park51 Mosque is simple. Fundamentalist Muslims sitting in Afghanistan and other Islamic countries that applauded Islam's attack on America will see this mosque as a sign of support from Muslim brothers in America. They will not see the good intentions of moderate Muslim behind this mosque. They will not see it as an attempt to bridge the gap between Islam and other religions. They will see this as a raised finger to America. They will see this as a sign of solidarity and support. Therefore, I strongly believe the Moderate American Muslim should desist from building a Mosque at Park51. It will only encourage the Fundamentalists and give them the wrong signal that American Muslims support them when American Muslims do NOT support them.
Just as the 9/11 families need to acknowledge the subconscious mistake they are making of tainting a religion because of it's followers' actions and need to accept this mistake and desist from opposing the Mosque, the Muslims need to accept their responsibility to raise a strong voice against radicals and desist from sending the wrong signal to the Fundamentalists by building a mosque at Park51.
That said, this controversy is not about law it is about (pardon the pun) Sense and Sensibilities. It is about unconscious or subconscious biases and fears. It is about lack of accountability and a disconnect from reality.
The predominant argument is that because Islamic Fanatics destroyed the Twin Towers it is hurtful for the families of Ground Zero victims to see the symbol of Islam - religion of those fanatics that killed their loved ones - standing proud close to the graves of their loved ones. The argument against this feeling is that these families are calling all American Muslims collectively responsible in some way for the 9/11 attack. The families and their supporters in turn say that they recognize American Muslims are peace loving but still a mosque so close to the Ground Zero Hurts!
Now, let's understand this argument with an open and rational mind. Are the 9/11 families subconsciously and indirectly holding American Muslims accountable? YES. The answer is a resounding Yes. The next question is:
"Is it fair to make American Muslims accountable for 9/11?"
No American Muslim wanted 9/11. No American Muslim condones 9/11. American Muslims are moderate and peace - loving but they need to understand that when a religion gets corrupted every person following that religion is accountable. If Hindus exploited a large section of Indian society in the name of caste system every Hindu and specifically Brahmin is accountable till date for that corruption as remnants of it are still visible in the Indian society. when the Indian newspaper reports that a woman became Sati (Widow burning herself at the pyre of her husband's funeral) in the interiors of Uttar Pradesh (State in India) every Hindu sitting in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Dubai, Atlanta, New York, Chicago or Denmark is accountable for that corruption in the religion. No Hindu is responsible for the death of that woman at her husband's pyre but they are responsible for the "corruption" of their religion that made the woman burn at her husband's pyre and then made her family rich because people started worshipping the poor lady as a goddess.
Similarly, American Muslim is not accountable for 9/11 but American Muslims and Muslims world over are responsible for the corruption of their religion.
My following statement is admittedly a hypothesis but one I completely believe in. American Muslims and Moderate liberal Muslims all over the world failed Islam and humanity when they did not raise a strong Muslim voice against the 9/11 attack on America in the name of Islam. Even those Muslims who rejoiced an attack on America for political reasons should have stood up and said that America should have been attacked in the name of politics and national interests NOT in name of Islam. Islam does NOT allow terrorism. Islam does not allow killing innocents. Islam stands for peace. It stands for surrendering yourself to God. If American Muslims had raised not just an American voice against 9/11 but "Muslim Voice" against the 9/11 attacks, the building of mosque near Ground Zero perhaps would not have met with as much opposition.
Muslims world over need to acknowledge and accept that they can not sit quietly in their homes and wash hands off Islamic Fanaticism. Islamic fanaticism can not be cured by Non - Muslims. It needs to be fought by Muslims and when the world does not hear strong moderate voices against Islamic terrorism, moderate Muslim becomes accountable and responsible for the corruption of his religion.
Coming back to the controversy of Park51 Mosque, all said and done the argument that the mosque will hurt sentiments of 9/11 victims is dangerous. It is dangerous because by feeling hurt by seeing the mosque the 9/11 families and their supporters are subconsciously holding Islam responsible for acts of Muslims. A religion can not be held responsible for the acts of its corrupt followers.
America and specially the 9/11 families stand at the brink of making a very important decision. They can go with their emotions and risk a downward slope for the civil society of America or they can work with New York City and come up with an alternate plan the sorts of which I will be discussing in the next post.
So, does this mean that I support building a mosque at Park51? Not necessarily. I disagree with the emotional reason of 9/11 families but I do have my own reservations.
My reason for not supporting Park51 Mosque is simple. Fundamentalist Muslims sitting in Afghanistan and other Islamic countries that applauded Islam's attack on America will see this mosque as a sign of support from Muslim brothers in America. They will not see the good intentions of moderate Muslim behind this mosque. They will not see it as an attempt to bridge the gap between Islam and other religions. They will see this as a raised finger to America. They will see this as a sign of solidarity and support. Therefore, I strongly believe the Moderate American Muslim should desist from building a Mosque at Park51. It will only encourage the Fundamentalists and give them the wrong signal that American Muslims support them when American Muslims do NOT support them.
Just as the 9/11 families need to acknowledge the subconscious mistake they are making of tainting a religion because of it's followers' actions and need to accept this mistake and desist from opposing the Mosque, the Muslims need to accept their responsibility to raise a strong voice against radicals and desist from sending the wrong signal to the Fundamentalists by building a mosque at Park51.
Respect the National Anthem
Recently, I attended a function in the Hindu Centre in my city and observed something that was quite disturbing! The hall was full of chatting adults, playing children of all ages, servers serving food, volunteers from other charities that found it a good opportunity to talk to people about blood donation etc. and performers standing by the stage waiting to perform. In the mayhem ofcourse nobody paid attention to the host of the program on the microphone desperately trying to get the audience's attention. Suddenly, I caught the Host saying National Anthem and few seconds after that the speakers were blaring the Indian National Anthem Jana Gana Mana.
The audience was caught by surprise and while some of the adults and children stood up in attention and instantly stopped talking, others stood up and started to ask whoever they could see to stand in attention too (this of course meant that they were not standing in attention themselves but were talking and moving around while the anthem played) some others just looked confused and didnt know what to do and so continued doing whatever they were doing in a jerky half hearted manner that was almost comical and trhen of course there was a good chunk of people that simply did not care.
The result was that the Anthem began in midst of chaos and ended in the midst of chaos without a single second of peace and serenity.
Now, I have some serious beef with this! The organizaers ought to know that the audience will behave the way they did and thus not play the Anthem. The Anthem can not be used as a tool to attempt to bring some order in midst of chaos!!! Its a symbol of respect for the country to which the national anthem belongs and deserves to be played only and only when the audience is ready to receive it!
I shared the experience with our team here at Choices and everybody was suitably disgusted. Thats when one of my team mates forwarded me this You Tube Video that I think suits the mood of this post. Hope you enjoy it! and get the message too :)
Just for the more intellectually inclined, I have also attached a link to a nice article that talks about rules and guidelines for using the Indian National Anthem:
Rules and Guidelines to using the Indian National Anthem
The audience was caught by surprise and while some of the adults and children stood up in attention and instantly stopped talking, others stood up and started to ask whoever they could see to stand in attention too (this of course meant that they were not standing in attention themselves but were talking and moving around while the anthem played) some others just looked confused and didnt know what to do and so continued doing whatever they were doing in a jerky half hearted manner that was almost comical and trhen of course there was a good chunk of people that simply did not care.
The result was that the Anthem began in midst of chaos and ended in the midst of chaos without a single second of peace and serenity.
Now, I have some serious beef with this! The organizaers ought to know that the audience will behave the way they did and thus not play the Anthem. The Anthem can not be used as a tool to attempt to bring some order in midst of chaos!!! Its a symbol of respect for the country to which the national anthem belongs and deserves to be played only and only when the audience is ready to receive it!
I shared the experience with our team here at Choices and everybody was suitably disgusted. Thats when one of my team mates forwarded me this You Tube Video that I think suits the mood of this post. Hope you enjoy it! and get the message too :)
Just for the more intellectually inclined, I have also attached a link to a nice article that talks about rules and guidelines for using the Indian National Anthem:
Rules and Guidelines to using the Indian National Anthem
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