The aftermath of the London blasts is even more alarming

 Dr. Bouthaina Shaabaan

1Aug. 2005 (Daily Star)

Among the victims left behind the criminal terror traveling from one country to another is a deep wedge between the cultures of the world. In the aftermath of the London bombings a dangerous phenomenon has emerged, one that might drag the world down a path of bitter conflict that cannot be resolved by one party in the East or West. This phenomenon is the blatant defamation of Islam and Muslims, considering their religious beliefs responsible for terrorism and violence. It is the first time a vast number of writers in major Western international media outlets try to convince the world that it is Islamic teachings that feed hate to Muslims worldwide. They argue that the Western policies in the Middle East are irrelevant, neither are their consequent massacres, occupation, and humiliation of millions of Muslims over the last century. It is Islam, they claim, that creates suicide bombers.

A witch-hunt has followed against Muslims, even with European nationalities, calling them "hate advocates." In the meantime, the West has turned a deaf ear toward the widespread condemnations coming from Muslim thinkers, opinion makers, and ordinary people around the world of such terrorists acts, considering them a flagrant violation of true Islamic teachings. Congressman Tom Tancrido even threatened to destroy Al-Kaaba should the U.S. suffer another terrorist attack. This compounds the sacrilegious violation of the Koran and Muslim holy places, driving Muslims and Christians out of East Jerusalem, muting all moderate voices such as that of the mayor of London, Ken Livingston. It is no exaggeration to call this phenomenon an international crisis.

Muslim youths around the world are watching the human tragedies and humiliation taking place in Iraq and Palestine, and observing what the West writes and films demeaning everything they consider holy. This daily rage and frustration they live drive the weakest in their ranks into extreme and suicidal behavior. The Western media, however, does not show the humiliation these youths watch daily. Its "free" space is devoted to the symptoms and not the underlying reasons; too busy reacting in stead of investigating. This biased and racist attitude toward Muslims and Islam is only making an already complicated international crisis worse, making the wedge between cultures and religions too wide to bridge.

How could a world that still celebrates Mandela's struggle against color-discrimination permit this neoracism against any culture or religion, and turn a blind eye on all the suffering of Muslims around the world. Islamic teachings and true Muslims are passionately against the London and Sharm al-Sheikh bombings and all other criminal terrorist acts. They have suffered for too long this terror that the West has recently known. Such vast condemnation should be the cornerstone for a world alliance against terror, violence and injustice. A constructive second step would be to eradicate the injustice, terror and humiliation inflicted on Muslims in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and put an end to this wave of racism against them. A brown, bearded face is not a terrorist by definition. It might be useful to remember that not too long ago, the whites thought that people of color did not have the same feelings they enjoyed. Is history rewriting itself, deeming Muslims to be an inferior race, bred with hatred and are therefore dispensable wherever they were? With this new wave of thought, one can only be confused at the West's shock every time a Muslim cry of anger or frustration breaks through, forgetting that humiliation and justice only produce a death-wish.

There is only one solution to this wave of racism; it is justice, freedom, dignity and equality for all. It is having faith that all religions teach love and mercy, and that the international policies in the Middle East only engender anger, bitterness and extremism. The West might need to start paying a little more attention to what the Muslims are going through and how they feel about it. There are extremists on both sides, and defeating them starts only by eliminating what feeds their existence: oppression and injustice. Only then might this ominous international crisis be resolved, and the world could resume a dream of a prosperous future.