Speaking about tough issues in America and the world
Sometimes the toughest issues have to be discussed to make progress. In lieu of this, the Isabella Cannon Centre hosted a talk about Islam on Sept. 15.
“We’re not able to communicate on a level like this, just talking,” freshman Muhammad Musah said during “A Conversation About Islam, America, World Events and Individual Responsibility.”
“Talking is a great thing. Just protesting, shooting each other is not working.”
Musah, along with several other students and professors, gathered in the Centre for the talk. Associate professor of political science Betty Morgan was one of the people who came up with the idea.
“This is such an important, critical time to start the conversation,” she said. “I didn’t want people lecturing. I wanted people talking to each other as freely as we could make it. I would sit on the floor and put popcorn out.”
Attendees of the discussion sat on chairs and sofas arranged in a circle in the Centre where everyone could easily see the others. It was a respectful atmosphere, where people were attentive when others spoke.
The idea for the discussion was first brought up by freshman Toorialey Fazly, a student from Afghanistan, Morgan said. Morgan said she wanted to bring in professors from various disciplines and various religious leaders, though some never got back to her. She said she plans to keep trying to bring them in. Fazly was unable to attend the talk because he was hit by a car earlier that day while riding his bike.
“This is the very first (talk),” Morgan said. “I want to keep it going. We’ll be here, we’ll be talking, every other Wednesday night.”
The talk focused on issues of Muslims in America, Terry Jones’ threat of burning the Koran and the Muslim Community Center planned to be built in New York City.
For a while, Islam wasn’t on people’s radar, Morgan said.
“All that we as Americans know about Islam is flying carpets, genies and belly dancers,” sophomore Neima Abdulahi, a Muslim, said. “Now Americans see it under a new light: terrorists, hate, violence, killing. These have become synonymous with our religion.”
Musah, who is also of the Muslim faith, agreed with Abdulahi.
“Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden have become synonymous with Muslim,” he said. “How do you erase that label, that connection?”
Abdulahi said Americans and non-Muslims are not the only ones who were affected by Sept. 11.
“As American Muslims, we are left answering questions, with confusion about ourselves,” she said. “We became PRs (public relation) for our own faith.”
When pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn the Koran, Musah said he believed it affected everyone.
“I live 10 minutes from Ground Zero, and I’ve never seen anything so hateful,” he said. “That an American would have so much hate in his heart, this time it really hit home.”
Senior James Pope, a Christian, offered a voice from another side.
“The only thing I can equate the Sept. 11 attack with is Pearl Harbor,” he said. “I can’t see something being built so soon, so close (overtop of it). (Muslims) have the right to build it (the community center) there. But I just think was that location necessary? It’s too soon.”
Abdulahi addressed Pope’s concern by explaining that it is a lot to ask people to wait indefinitely.
“Going forth with it (the community center) will cause solutions, help issues, because it may never be a perfect time,” she said.
Musah said building the mosque might show that America is maturing or regressing as a nation, based on the subsequent actions.
Dean of International Programs and director of the Centre Woody Pelton said the war the United States is engaged in has no set end date.
“This isn’t a war between nations — who would sign a treaty if it ended?” Pelton said. “This is a war against what I would call an ‘ism’ — terrorism. Like war on poverty or gender equality, well, when is it over? These are wars that just don’t end.”
Adbulahi brought up the question of what the U.S. can do to minimize hatred and lessen gaps that are forming.
When lines are drawn, it becomes dangerous, sophomore Jasmine Whaley, who is a Christian, said.
Morgan asked attendees to explain their personal responsibility in such issues.
Whaley said people have to go the extra mile to get more information.
“It’s not a hard concept to grasp, but it’s hard to implement,” she said.
Whaley said how, as a student, she is extremely busy and life continually gets busier. She said she considers herself a very politically conscious person. But those who are not don’t always go that extra mile.
Whaley said she wishes the media would make these stories more accessible to people, so they don’t have to read five different articles to get the full story, because not everyone will do that.
Associate professor of communications Brooke Barnett said it is impossible not to cover these kinds of issues in the media. But then it becomes a question of how to do so ethically, she said.
“To bring up these conversations,” senior Samantha White said.
“Exposing it, educating people, word of mouth. You can’t just sit by because if you don’t correct people, who will?”
Barnett said people have to take what power they have and use teachable moments to enact the change they can.
“Continue the conversation outside here,” Pope said. “As long as we have conversations, we can only move forward.”
Morgan said she will continue to offer these talks.
“This is what I can do,” she said. “Get people who care to talk. I think it’s important. I’d do it five years from now if I thought it would help.”