This article discussed the values and differences of the Islam religion and the struggles it's Muslim followers endure in a Westernized world. The article begins with the highly controversial topic of veil-wearing. Should Muslim women be allowed to wear veils? For some the obvious answer might be yes, but one has to consider all of the contexts in which wearing a veil would not be ideal. For example, airport security has increased a hundredfold since the 9/11 attacks and in my opinion everyone should have to follow the new rules that have been implemented which would include removing a veil that covered your face or head. Also, many parents are worried about the effects a veil-wearing Muslim teacher will have on their child. But are these reason enough to prohibit the wearing of religious garments? This is a question still trying to be answered today. The second topic discussed in the article is the popular belief, erroneous or not, that Islam advocates violence from its followers. It is my opinion that Islam receives a bad rap in more Western societies as being a violence-inducing religion because of the small number of Islamic radicals who commit extreme acts in the name of Islam. This is the same basis for many stereotypes. As the saying goes, "One bad apple spoils the bunch." One of the big issues some Westerners have with moderate Muslims is their lack of denunciation of these radical Islamists. They claim that while radicals are organized and make themselves heard, moderate Muslims keep their heads down. By not speaking out against what radicals do, moderates are, in a sense, accepting the actions of their radical brothers. However, many leading Muslim authorities have pointed out their immediate response to the 9/11 attacks and other such incidents. The article ends with a lengthy discussion of the struggles Muslims face outside the Muslim world. How does a Muslim balance their faith with the outside influences of a Westernized society? Should the Islamic ideology undergo a reformation? Does a reformation imply that there is something fundamentally wrong with Islam in the first place? Can there be such a thing as a modern Muslim? These are all questions discussed in the article that can't easily be answered. It will take a collective effort of Islam followers living all over the world who are eager to take the next step toward peace and solidarity.
You bring up some really good points, Alex. It is very sad that people are sterotyped based on the actions of others within a community, state, or even country. While it remains impossible, so to speak, to reform the Islamic ideology, I do agree that it will take the effort of all Islam followers to make this change.
The question of the veil is one I have found interesting since I had to read Persepolis for the first year reading experience. While it seems simple, as this article showed, the question is just one of many of difficult to answer things with Islam. I definitely believe Islam is feared due to a lack of understanding (and of course 9/11) in the West, and I think steps should be taken to see that Westerners gain a better understanding of moderate Islam, and come to terms with the fact that radicals are not everyone in a population.
This article made me realize why it is that the radical Muslims are the ones that are more politically active, when compared to a traditional Muslim. While I previously knew that most terrorist groups, such as al Qaeda, were not the norm in Muslim culture, such groups seemed to be the spokesmen for the entire religion. The article states that this is because traditional Muslim groups do not publicly rally against the extreme groups because they wish to keep the religion unified. The article also says that the religion is viewed as strange, or perhaps even bad, by Western culture because Muslim tends to affect the lives of its followers more publicly than Christianity. Muslim has rules for most aspects of life, such as how women should dress, where Christianity do not have such a public impact on one's life. This is viewed by Westerns as excessive and inappropriate. While to them it may seem so, such things are perfectly normal to a Muslim and should not be looked down upon because of a lack of understanding.
Like anything viewed from a distance, Islam is much more complex when viewed from up close. While Americans often hear about Sunnis and Shiite, the article points to several ideological differences between sects that are not often discussed in mainstream American media. For example, I had never considered the profound difference between the western practice of separation of church and state and the deep connection between the two in Islamic countries. If America was a theocracy like Iran, I have no doubt that large portions of our policy would be vastly different. I also was interested by the article's revelation that Islam has historically been one of the more tolerant world religions, at least with regards to practitioners of other religions. I believe the type of facts and insights given in this article should be more widely discussed and disseminated because knowledge and information about other cultures are of utmost importance in assuring positive, peaceful relations on both the personal and global levels.
I really enjoyed this article. It was very interesting to read about the prejudices that Muslims face. One part of the article that I found interesting was talking about the British government. I thought that the Muslim women should be respected. The British government thinks that the veil that the women wear could be a threat to national security. Although that may be true, I think the government should respect their religion. Another part of the article that I found interesting was when it brought up the stereotype that Muslims face. I think that the assumption that all Muslims are violent is incorrect. Islam seems to be a peaceful religion. Due to the radical Muslim violence, it makes everyone assume all practicing Muslims are violent. I think that people should not judge Muslims as a whole based on the small population of the radical Muslims. I think many people do not realize that most Muslims practice peacefully.
This article was very interesting. It is very true that Muslims have had a bad and misplaced reputation since 9/11. I knew this, but had never thought about it in such detail. It is not fair. I never heard about the Koran not directly saying that women had to wear a veil. I learned a lot about Islam from this article and think that people need to be careful when criticizing Islam.
I realize that there is a prejudice against Muslims in the United States. However, it is not entirely our fault. The radical groups that terrorized our country presented themselves as representatives of that religion. That is where we learned to associate violence and Islam. Is it right? No, but as the old saying goes, one person can ruin it for everyone. Even so, suspending someone from school for embracing their culture and religion is absurd. She was not engaging in illegal activity, she was simply dressed as she was raised to be. In her culture, you are subject to stoning and being shunned if you do not wear the veil. Even though some people in the United States have a twisted view of the culture, a woman would never be kicked out of school for this. It is even more troubling to see that the council gave her money but would not take action against the school. It is clear that they think it was wrong to suspend her but they decided that $2,000 was worth her dignity and education.
I was surprised to find out Islam was the second largest religion in the world. The story pertaining to the teaching assistant being suspended over wearing a full face veil was a little harsh. I believe that she should be allowed to wear her veil while in the classroom. The school should have done something to help her improve the communication with the class instead of just getting rid of her. Britain is in a state of turmoil with the Muslims versus non-Muslims debate due to the ignorance of the non-Muslims believing that the religious and cultural ways are a show of blatant separatism from every. I believe the Muslims are being prejudiced against due to the actions of a few others.
I found this article to be a little shocking due to the behaviors of people in the article towards another religion. Muslim people are different in their own way and because of 9/11 our society feels as though they should judge every person that is Muslim. I thought that it was wrong for them the ask the woman to remove her veil and tried to make her go against her religion. Our society is so quick to jugde others who arent the same as them but in a way i can understand how they may feel uncomfortable with people that are muslim because of the event that occured on 9/11. In the end I feel like we as a society to get to know an individual as their own person than by their religion or people that was done wrong in their culture.
While many people in the United States experience extreme prejudice against Muslims, much is yet to be known of the religion itself. Thanks to the few radicals who have created violence, we see this increasing negativity associated with Islamics. Although it is my personal belief that I will respect you regardless of your religion, race, ethnicity, sexuality, etc, I do feel that exceptions should be made. For example, yes, I understand that a female removing her veil is taboo in their culture however, I do feel that they should makes exemptions to the rule just in the name of national security. My question is if we were doing what their radicals were doing to us, would they feel the same wanting to know that they are protected and not a victim of violence? While the question remains difficult to answer, I would hope that all religious affiliations will become more accepting while also protecting the rights of individuals.
This article discussed the values and differences of the Islam religion and the struggles it's Muslim followers endure in a Westernized world. The article begins with the highly controversial topic of veil-wearing. Should Muslim women be allowed to wear veils? For some the obvious answer might be yes, but one has to consider all of the contexts in which wearing a veil would not be ideal. For example, airport security has increased a hundredfold since the 9/11 attacks and in my opinion everyone should have to follow the new rules that have been implemented which would include removing a veil that covered your face or head. Also, many parents are worried about the effects a veil-wearing Muslim teacher will have on their child. But are these reason enough to prohibit the wearing of religious garments? This is a question still trying to be answered today. The second topic discussed in the article is the popular belief, erroneous or not, that Islam advocates violence from its followers. It is my opinion that Islam receives a bad rap in more Western societies as being a violence-inducing religion because of the small number of Islamic radicals who commit extreme acts in the name of Islam. This is the same basis for many stereotypes. As the saying goes, "One bad apple spoils the bunch." One of the big issues some Westerners have with moderate Muslims is their lack of denunciation of these radical Islamists. They claim that while radicals are organized and make themselves heard, moderate Muslims keep their heads down. By not speaking out against what radicals do, moderates are, in a sense, accepting the actions of their radical brothers. However, many leading Muslim authorities have pointed out their immediate response to the 9/11 attacks and other such incidents. The article ends with a lengthy discussion of the struggles Muslims face outside the Muslim world. How does a Muslim balance their faith with the outside influences of a Westernized society? Should the Islamic ideology undergo a reformation? Does a reformation imply that there is something fundamentally wrong with Islam in the first place? Can there be such a thing as a modern Muslim? These are all questions discussed in the article that can't easily be answered. It will take a collective effort of Islam followers living all over the world who are eager to take the next step toward peace and solidarity.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some really good points, Alex. It is very sad that people are sterotyped based on the actions of others within a community, state, or even country. While it remains impossible, so to speak, to reform the Islamic ideology, I do agree that it will take the effort of all Islam followers to make this change.
DeleteThe question of the veil is one I have found interesting since I had to read Persepolis for the first year reading experience. While it seems simple, as this article showed, the question is just one of many of difficult to answer things with Islam. I definitely believe Islam is feared due to a lack of understanding (and of course 9/11) in the West, and I think steps should be taken to see that Westerners gain a better understanding of moderate Islam, and come to terms with the fact that radicals are not everyone in a population.
ReplyDeleteThis article made me realize why it is that the radical Muslims are the ones that are more politically active, when compared to a traditional Muslim. While I previously knew that most terrorist groups, such as al Qaeda, were not the norm in Muslim culture, such groups seemed to be the spokesmen for the entire religion. The article states that this is because traditional Muslim groups do not publicly rally against the extreme groups because they wish to keep the religion unified. The article also says that the religion is viewed as strange, or perhaps even bad, by Western culture because Muslim tends to affect the lives of its followers more publicly than Christianity. Muslim has rules for most aspects of life, such as how women should dress, where Christianity do not have such a public impact on one's life. This is viewed by Westerns as excessive and inappropriate. While to them it may seem so, such things are perfectly normal to a Muslim and should not be looked down upon because of a lack of understanding.
ReplyDeleteLike anything viewed from a distance, Islam is much more complex when viewed from up close. While Americans often hear about Sunnis and Shiite, the article points to several ideological differences between sects that are not often discussed in mainstream American media. For example, I had never considered the profound difference between the western practice of separation of church and state and the deep connection between the two in Islamic countries. If America was a theocracy like Iran, I have no doubt that large portions of our policy would be vastly different. I also was interested by the article's revelation that Islam has historically been one of the more tolerant world religions, at least with regards to practitioners of other religions. I believe the type of facts and insights given in this article should be more widely discussed and disseminated because knowledge and information about other cultures are of utmost importance in assuring positive, peaceful relations on both the personal and global levels.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article. It was very interesting to read about the prejudices that Muslims face. One part of the article that I found interesting was talking about the British government. I thought that the Muslim women should be respected. The British government thinks that the veil that the women wear could be a threat to national security. Although that may be true, I think the government should respect their religion. Another part of the article that I found interesting was when it brought up the stereotype that Muslims face. I think that the assumption that all Muslims are violent is incorrect. Islam seems to be a peaceful religion. Due to the radical Muslim violence, it makes everyone assume all practicing Muslims are violent. I think that people should not judge Muslims as a whole based on the small population of the radical Muslims. I think many people do not realize that most Muslims practice peacefully.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very interesting. It is very true that Muslims have had a bad and misplaced reputation since 9/11. I knew this, but had never thought about it in such detail. It is not fair. I never heard about the Koran not directly saying that women had to wear a veil. I learned a lot about Islam from this article and think that people need to be careful when criticizing Islam.
ReplyDeleteI realize that there is a prejudice against Muslims in the United States. However, it is not entirely our fault. The radical groups that terrorized our country presented themselves as representatives of that religion. That is where we learned to associate violence and Islam. Is it right? No, but as the old saying goes, one person can ruin it for everyone. Even so, suspending someone from school for embracing their culture and religion is absurd. She was not engaging in illegal activity, she was simply dressed as she was raised to be. In her culture, you are subject to stoning and being shunned if you do not wear the veil. Even though some people in the United States have a twisted view of the culture, a woman would never be kicked out of school for this. It is even more troubling to see that the council gave her money but would not take action against the school. It is clear that they think it was wrong to suspend her but they decided that $2,000 was worth her dignity and education.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to find out Islam was the second largest religion in the world. The story pertaining to the teaching assistant being suspended over wearing a full face veil was a little harsh. I believe that she should be allowed to wear her veil while in the classroom. The school should have done something to help her improve the communication with the class instead of just getting rid of her. Britain is in a state of turmoil with the Muslims versus non-Muslims debate due to the ignorance of the non-Muslims believing that the religious and cultural ways are a show of blatant separatism from every. I believe the Muslims are being prejudiced against due to the actions of a few others.
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be a little shocking due to the behaviors of people in the article towards another religion. Muslim people are different in their own way and because of 9/11 our society feels as though they should judge every person that is Muslim. I thought that it was wrong for them the ask the woman to remove her veil and tried to make her go against her religion. Our society is so quick to jugde others who arent the same as them but in a way i can understand how they may feel uncomfortable with people that are muslim because of the event that occured on 9/11. In the end I feel like we as a society to get to know an individual as their own person than by their religion or people that was done wrong in their culture.
ReplyDeleteWhile many people in the United States experience extreme prejudice against Muslims, much is yet to be known of the religion itself. Thanks to the few radicals who have created violence, we see this increasing negativity associated with Islamics. Although it is my personal belief that I will respect you regardless of your religion, race, ethnicity, sexuality, etc, I do feel that exceptions should be made. For example, yes, I understand that a female removing her veil is taboo in their culture however, I do feel that they should makes exemptions to the rule just in the name of national security. My question is if we were doing what their radicals were doing to us, would they feel the same wanting to know that they are protected and not a victim of violence? While the question remains difficult to answer, I would hope that all religious affiliations will become more accepting while also protecting the rights of individuals.
ReplyDelete