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Amid crisis in Middle East, keep perspective
By The Record Staff
On September 19, 2012
Last week, United States embassies in Egypt and Libya were protested in response
to a video made in California depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammad.
As the protests in Libya heated up, an evacuation was ordered. During the
evacuation, three American embassy staff members were shot and the ambassador
was suffocated to death.
This is a tragedy, and our condolences go out to the families of the victims. But what
we as the American people must keep in mind is that this crime was committed by
a miniscule portion of the world's Muslim population. In fact, Libyans who opposed
the attacks held a counter-protest, condemning the violence against the American
embassies, at great personal risk to themselves and their families.
Ever since 9/11, Americans have been quick to make the connection between
terrorists and Islam, and condemn the whole religion because of it. With over one
billion followers, however, Islam is the second largest religion in the world. One
billion people certainly did not commit this crime.
And their outrage is understandable. By the principle tenets of Islam, depicting an
image of Muhammad is a mortal sin and an insult to Allah. It's a serious offense.
Chances are if someone in Libya made a video insulting Jesus, Christianity and by
extension all of its virtues, some American Christians would be upset by it. Most of
them wouldn't think about acting violently, but there's a chance some would.
There are small niche groups everywhere that are willing to do some pretty radical
things. That's no different here than it is anywhere in the world.
Let's not forget, with 11 years of hostile occupation in predominantly Muslim
countries, the U.S. has committed its fair share of attacks as well. We can't say these
few violent protesters are the exclusive bad guys in the Middle East.
You can talk all day about how what happened in Libya was inexcusable, but all
that will do is serve to deepen the divide between our cultures and further promote
an "us and them" attitude. That's not productive for anyone.
Most Americans will never truly understand what it's like to live as an Egyptian or
a Libyan, no more than they would understand our way of life. But what we can do
is stop blaming those who don't deserve it, and take a minute to try to understand
both sides.
After all, the World Trade Center had an entire floor designated to prayer for its
Muslim employees. It didn't seem wrong then, why should it seem wrong now?
What we need is perspective and coexistence, not blind malice.
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