By
Garrett Troy
October 26, 2007
As the curtain drew on the last act of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week with radio personality Michael Medved's speech in Kane Hall last night, not everyone was applauding.
A protest of more than 200 people took place outside of the lecture hall during the event, calling for an end to Islamo-phobia, which detractors hold that Medved may be propagating.
"[Medved's] intentions were fine, but [they] are unintentionally destructive, with a message that hurts Muslims," said senior Cale Schupman. "Less than what he is focusing on, he needs to be focusing more on viable solutions that don't feed off ridiculous U.S. acts like the Iraq War. If we get out of the Muslim world they will be able to heal."
Medved, a self-proclaimed "lovable conservative curmudgeon," said he did not have a message of hate but wished rather to engage in constructive dialogue.
"There are three areas virtually everyone, regardless of political views, can agree," he said. "[Among them are] the importance of free expression of ideas necessity for total unimpeded freedom of religion and that Muslims in America are a substantial community that deserves respect."
Even still, Medved sees problems with the status quo that cause inconsistencies in these truths. He holds that two major misconceptions prevent peace between the Western and Islamic worlds.
"[Two lies] are that all Muslims are dangerous and unassimilated and that somehow America is permeated by Islamo-phobia," he said.
Medved holds that most American Muslims voted for George W. Bush and that they have succeeded admirably as a minority group.
Despite his optimistic outlook on American Muslim life, he believes there are several points of dissent that cause most of the grief that both Muslims and non-Muslims feel is a point of contention.
"Concomitant of that is that, if you believe in religious freedom, that does not mean religious groups are free of criticism," he said. "There is a special violence problem in Islam ... [It is] the only major religion where religiosity becomes more of a threat to ... his neighbors [and] to other Muslims."
Not everyone sees the situation in such simplistic terms.
"He addressed historical concerns pertinent to his argument but sidestepped contradictory facts," said Bellevue Community College student Andy Brinkhaus.
Hala Dillsi, Muslim Student Association member and former ASUW Senate Chair, said she believes despite his good intentions Medved missed the mark entirely.
"I would like to have had him see the political context as a source of breeding terrorism, rather than the misinformation of religiosity for a source of terrorism," Dillsi said. "To get to resolutions and understanding and solutions for terrorism, we must look at the political and economic desperation that drives these horrendous acts."
She said she was not allowed to attend the speech, despite being told she had a reserved seat, although she did speak face to face with the talk show host after his speech.
"The event went very well," said Tom Walker, president of the College Republicans. "I was very pleased. Michael did a very good job communicating the message that College Republicans wanted to communicate all week."
[Reach reporter Garrett Troy at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]
15 Comments
#1 Robert
on October 26, 2007 at 6:13 a.m.(Santa Fe Springs, CA | Unverified Name)
I would like to have read a slightly more fleshed-out article.
(Quote:)
“He addressed historical concerns pertinent to his argument but sidestepped contradictory facts,†said Bellevue Community College student Andy Brinkhaus. (End of quote)
The author failed to probe for and/or present these "contradictory facts," which is very disappointing to me.
(Quote:)
"...we must look at the political and economic desperation that drives these horrendous acts."(End of quote.)
The reporter should have asked: Is this student saying that the sole "drive" of terrorism is "political and economic desperation"? Is there no place for Medved's claim that "[Islam is] the only major religion where religiosity becomes more of a threat..."?
A disappointing read, because such specific contentions were not articulated in the article, though the opportunity was clearly there. On the other hand, perhaps the individual interviewed lacked substantive arguments for their opposition. In that case the author is just reporting as best he could.
#2 Brad
on October 26, 2007 at 9 a.m.(Philadelphia, PA | Unverified Name)
I wouldn't be too hard on him Robert - journalists often have to work with pretty strict word limits on their articles.
#3 dora
on October 26, 2007 at 11:40 a.m.(Atlanta, GA | Unverified Name)
"There is a special violence problem in Islam … [It is] the only major religion where religiosity becomes more of a threat to … his neighbors [and] to other Muslims.â€
This is an outright lie. As he said this, Ann Coulter speaking for this "gang" at IFAW week in CA.
A Christian fundamentalist she has been quoted as saying this in referring to Islam:
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity"
"We just want Jews to be perfected."
What are the implications of having somebody like this represent a "champion of religious freedom?"
How dare Medved parade as a "champion" of human rights, when he openly defends slavery..
"THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT TODAY’S AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF THEIR ANCESTORS HAD REMAINED BEHIND IN AFRICA"
#4 Hinton
on October 26, 2007 at 1:19 p.m.(Portland, OR | Unverified Name)
Man, a lot has changed since I was a student there. I guess you have to be a dolt to attend now?
Nah.... there's no particular violence problem in Islam... except for the odd homosexual getting hanged in Iran every now and then; the odd bomb going off in Manila; the odd nightclub getting blown up in Bali; the occasional beheading, the simple murder in the Gaza area, the odd mosque destroyed, with people in it, because of their crime of being the "wrong kind of Muslim."
Nope. No problem at all.
#5 To "Hinton"
on October 26, 2007 at 2:51 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
These violent acts you mention can be attributed to PEOPLE-fanatics who have more of a political and economic agenda than a religious one. Why blame the RELIGION? Can you give me EXACT verses from the Koran that support these acts? I THINK NOT!!! There are MANY countries in the world with a majority Muslim population where these kinds of acts DO NOT occur. There are BAD people everywhere in the World! Why don't we just become the COP OF THE WORLD and go around stopping these heinous acts wherever they take place? Your way of thinking is what caused the vilification of ALL Jews during WW2, all Africans during Slavery etc. This is the EXACT strategy of people like Horowitz, and Coulter, and the Neo-Cons. Do some research and get out into the World some more! The World is far more sophisticated and complex than the simple ways in which people like would like to you portray it.
#6 To Hinton as well
on October 26, 2007 at 6:20 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Lets take a look at the Christian Fundamentalists who use the U.S. military to carry out their fascist agenda.
Not to mention you did not address what Anne Coulter has said "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity"
What about the one million innocent civilians killed as a result of an illegal occupation by the U.S. government?
What about waterboarding and sleep deprivation and other brutal forms of torture that the U.S. government has just legalized.
By definition of the Geneva Conventions, George Bush is a war criminal and this government is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Although the terrorism is not a good thing for the masses of people in the world, the United States has shown over and over again, that they are "objectively" the bigger threat to humanity because of how widespread their imperialist hands reach.
#7 Ronda
on October 26, 2007 at 7:48 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Garrett incorrectly reports that there were 200 protesters. About 200 people were turned away at the door because UW failed to provide an adequate size room for the lecture. Only about 50 people who were refused entry were actual protesters. I hope UW will make greater efforts to accomodate people who wish to attend college Republican events in the future.
#8 To: To Hinton as well
on October 26, 2007 at 7:51 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
What about the illegal terrorist attacks against the US? What about the lack of compassion these terrorists have when they cut off their hostages heads with a dull knife? What about the constant danger that many people in the middle east are in as a result of Islamic extremists? See? I can make "What about <insert specific example here>" statements all day. The fact is that certain liberals here, for reasons unknown, are neck-deep in political correctness and are afraid of calling these oppressive extremists what they really are: Islamo-fascists. If you really cared about this whole issue so much, you could have already moved to the middle east and helped whoever it is you're trying to defend. Instead, you're here complaining your head off about something that probably won't change.
#9 To: "Ronda"
on October 27, 2007 at 8:21 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Did you actually interview all the 200 who were turned away to figure out that only 50 of them were protesters? Classic neo-con tactics in use here my friends.....When you lose the fight/debates, you start making things up/lying.......UW did a fine job! They gave room based on the ratio of people in America who have such wacked out beliefs; polls show that only 25% of Americans have such beliefs (which are based on IGNORANCE, ARROGANCE and HATRED). I say that no room should be given for PROPAGANDA in the first place..UW was too way generous!
#10 Turned away
on October 27, 2007 at 2:15 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Listen to someone who really wanted to hear Medved speak but was turned away after making it to the font of the line. I was told that the place was full, and then saw a couple guys with Jewish scull caps on aloud in. Maybe the lady guarding the door heard me talking to one of the UW students in line who said he was a protester in line and thought I too was a protester. I asked him if he believed in God and he said no. I asked him why he was a protester, but he didn't know. He said that he wants to be a journalist so he can get into places and find out the truth. He said he only wanted to hear what Medved had to say, but before even hearing him, he was already against him.
I saw the protests out in front of the Kane building, and it is true, there were only about 50 people. I didn't stick around to listen to them chant because I didn't want anyone to count me in as being part of their group. Their chants were totally distorting the facts and they obviously were trying to paint a different picture of things, maybe just to get more to join the protests. Islamo-fascist terrorists, and their sympathizers are the ones creating Islamophobia in our world, not the ones who are speaking out against the Islamo-fascists-terrorists. The Muslim protesters, it seems, are in co-hurts with the terrorists and only want to silence people who are trying to clear up the confusion. If Muslims want to let the world know that they belong to a peace loving religion that should be respected instead of feared, they should stand up in protest against the ones who are hiding behind religion but are really only fascist-terrorists. Violent jihadists and terrorists could not be aloud to hide behind the Muslim religion. Muslims need to start speaking out against them, rather than trying to make excuses for them. Peace loving Muslims need to help expose fascist-terrorists for who and what they are and get them to stop hiding behind their religion.
Islamo-fascism awareness week is not about racism because Islam is not a race, it is a religion, and Islamo-fascists-terrorists come from many races. The week was not about creating and spreading Islamophobia, rather is was about bringing the ideology of Islamic terrorists into the light so that the irrational fears can be done away with. Fascists and terrorists must not be allowed to hide behind religion of any kind, but as long as they are allowed to they will give the religion a bad name. You don't change anything by protesting those who only want to bring them into the light.
Until they are stopped from hiding behind religion, the problem will always look like a religious one. As a believer in the books that came before the Koran, it is clear to me that there will not be true peace in the middle east until both Jews and Muslims are reconciled to God and each other through faith in Jesus Christ. Both Jews and Muslims reject Jesus Christ for who He really is, the Prince of Peace, and therefor are perpetuating the division between the family of Issac and Ishmael. Jesus came to bring peace on earth, heal the broken family of Abraham, and bring down the walls of sin that separate us from God and each other. Jesus is our peace, but if we choose to turn away from him, there is no true peace or reconciliation in sight. Religion may be worth dieing for, but not killing for. We need to put an end to war in the name of religion.
#11 The Truth
on October 27, 2007 at 3:17 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Extremist terrorist organizations will only continue to grow as long as there are people in America who continue to paint everything that is going on as a battle between Christianity and Islam, instead of a battle between THUGS and Politicians who will DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to STAY in POWER! These terrorist organizations will WITHER and DIE when SMARTER people who can turn this a BATTLE OF IDEAS (TRUE American values such as freedom of speech/religion/liberty and equality for all etc.etc. VS. the suppression of such rights elsewhere in the World-NOT exclusively in Muslim countries) start making POLITICAL decisions for this country and IMPLEMENT foreign policies that are JUST and FAIR and don't WREAK of HYPOCRISY and ARROGANCE and SELF-INTEREST. If we are attacked, I am all for retaliation. BUT, retaliation that is based on THOROUGH research, SOUND intelligence, and FOCUSED on the VERY people who attack us. We used 9/11 as an excuse to attack a country that had NOTHING to do with 9/11-which is why Osama bin Laden is still alive today (6 years after we promised to get him). But then again, I think that Republicans and the Neo-Cons DO NOT really want him DEAD-as long as he is out there alive, and putting out videos every few months, the Republicans and Neo-Cons can say that the "fight" needs to go on; and they can continue to KEEP US ALL LIVING IN FEAR indefinitely through events like "Islamo-fascism week", and continue to use this environment to MOULD this country into a FASCIST state, where the power of the Executive branch is SUPREME, and Justices for the Supreme court are selected based on what they think about ROE vs WADE, and the Legislative branch is constantly seeking that 60% vote to override the Presidents VETO. Our founding fathers are TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES!!!!!!! We may as well BURN the Constitution, and FORGET the GREAT principles that this country was founded upon. A new America is being created by the neo-cons my friends, and they're using 9/11, and "Islamo-Fascism," as BLINDFOLDS and HANDCUFFS to hold back: 1). All who REALLY care about this country, and 2). All who TRULY understand what AMERICA should be all about. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. To "Turned away"-your arguments are based TOTALLY on emotion. It is clear that you have a very UNSOPHISTICATED view of the World. Please DO MORE to learn about the World, which is FAR MORE sophisticated and complex than you are being led to believe. Do some research, and travel to other parts of the World more often. Make an effort to meet and be-friend people from different cultures and religions. In the end, you will find that MOST people are just like you, and that they have the same HOPES and DREAMS, and want to LIVE PEACEFUL LIVES, and want to see America as a beacon of JUSTICE to people who are being OPPRESSED elsewhere (without dropping BOMBS and flaunting GUNS). Attend OTHER events at the UW-like "Ask a Muslim Q/A Panel Discussion" on Monday 10/29/07 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm at: the Thompson building Room 125. Here you will have an opportunity to LEARN about Islam, and about MODERATE Muslims, by asking as many questions about everything that is bothering you about the current state of affairs in the World. Do not be afraid-REACH OUT! You will NOT be TURNED away, but you will be EMBRACED.
#12 To: "The Truth"
on October 27, 2007 at 10:15 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
You say my arguments are based totally on emotion and that I have an UNSOPHISTICATED view of the World. Are you trying to evoke an emotional response from me or what? You must be the protester that was trying to turn the whole Islamo-fascism week into an issue of racism and hate. Why don't you wake up and try to speak the truth?
For your information, I have traveled much of the world and I know people from many different religions. I do not agree with every religion, but that hasn't prevented me from talking about religious differences and still being friends with those who I disagree with. The problem with the Muslim protesters is that they want everyone to live in a closed society where no one is free to speak out peacefully in public.
I have nothing against you practicing your peaceful religion, if that it all it is. I don't have a problem with you wanting to teach others more about your religion either. I do have a problem if you are going to try to rewrite history, make false accusations and speak deceptively about what you truly are all about. I also have a problem with the way you try to silence everyone who doesn't see things like you do.
The truth is, I don't care to learn any more about Islam. For your information, I follow Jesus Christ and He is God's final word for me. I am not interested in becoming a Muslim either because to do so would mean rejecting my Lord and Savior who purchased me with his own blood.
You say, "We may as well BURN the Constitution, and FORGET the GREAT principles that this country was founded upon." I think you would like that. You say, "A new America is being created by the neo-cons my friends." I don't know what you think a neo-con is, or who are calling your friends, but I am sure you are not speaking to me. I am a true American Patriot and I am a conservative Christian who would like to see America get back to the Biblical foundations of truth, liberty and justice for all that it was built upon. We would have more in common if you were serious about being in favor of the principals America was built upon. You say that people are, "using 9/11, and "Islamo-Fascism," as BLINDFOLDS and HANDCUFFS to hold back: 1). All who REALLY care about this country, and 2). All who TRULY understand what AMERICA should be all about." Why don't you tell us what you think America should be about? What other country in the world would you like to see America become more like and why? Do you want to see America become more like Saudi Arabia or Iran?
#13 America's Founding Fathers
on October 28, 2007 at 9:07 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
Thomas Jefferson, as president, wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut on January 1st 1802. It contains the first known reference to the "wall of separation" between Church and State.
The essay states in part:
"...I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State..."
During the 1810's, President James Madison wrote an essay titled "Monopolies" which also refers to the importance of church-state separation. He stated in part:
"Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and Government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history."
#14 Kamran Memon
on October 28, 2007 at 3:14 p.m.(None, None | Unverified Name)
Muslim students who are concerned about "Islamofascism Awareness Week" need to publicly address the substance of the allegations being made against Islam. I don't mean events that say "Islam means peace." I mean serious discussions about the Quranic verses and Hadith that the other side is questioning, and discussions about the mixture of religious and political grievances that have led some Muslims to react violently to decades of Western intervention in the Muslim world.
These are the sorts of discussions that we promote through Muslims For A Safe America. For example, in the Religion/Identity area, we've put together "debate" handouts (one page, double-sided) on the following issues:
DEBATES ABOUT RELIGION AND IDENTITY
Why Should American Muslims Talk About American National Security?
Should American Muslims Be Loyal To America?
When Are Muslims Required to Fight, And Against Whom?
Should American Muslims Join the American Armed Forces?
Are Western Civilians Legitimate Targets in War?
Should American Muslims Work As Government Informants?
(All these handouts are available at
http://muslimsforasafeamerica.org/?pa... )
Our approach is unique, because we don't present our opinions on these issues. Instead, we just present arguments on both sides of the issues, so that each Muslim can make an informed decision.
Muslim students can use such material to organize "fair and balanced" discussions about these issues. These events would actually begin to answer the real questions that many Americans have about Islam. These discussions would be a great response to the "Islamofascism Awareness Week" events that Muslim students are concerned about.
For example, Harvard’s Islamic Society hosted a discussion about different interpretations of The Qur’an: http://www.thecrimson.com/article.asp...
Kamran Memon, Esq.
Muslims For A Safe America
200 S. Michigan Avenue
Suite 1240
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 961-2354
http://muslimsforasafeamerica.org/
#15 TO "to the TRUTH"
on October 29, 2007 at 1:13 a.m.(Woodinville, WA | Unverified Name)
"To THE Truth" who cares if you don't care about Islam...seriously your problem is that you don't even have enough knowledge about other religions and countries. Islam was the last holy religion therefore it is God's FINAL word. Besides I am definitely sure that you have never been to either Saudi Arabia or Iran, because if you actually had seen these two countries, their people, beliefs and their level of education, you would have never mentioned their name in your very biased comment.
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