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Arabs And Muslim In America And Race Relation

Arabs and Muslim In America And Race relation

 Prof. Hasan Yahya

(In a conference on interfaith and race relations in America. It was broadcasted several times by local public TV stations. The author  contributed with this article)  

The history of race and ethnic relations in the American (U.S) society show that perfect understanding among the diverse groups of the American society is far from achieving in spite of the fact that serious attempts have been made to improve race relations. The development of minority group assimilation to the mainstream American society from Americanization through the melting pot and finally to plurality of cultures still persist in the literature of race relations. These developments varied in the volume of racism, discrimination, and stereotyping. Even though, theoretically speaking, it might be thought for a while that America is free of these practices against Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Women, aged people, mentally ill or disabled, gay and lesbians, and of course, Arabs. It might be thought also that for a while that all African Americans (over 30 million) belong to fancy Cosby Show family or Michael Jackson group. But reality is something else.

In this article, contributions of Arabs to world culture are described, as well as perception of Westerners in general, and Americans in particular of Arabs and Muslims as a minority group. Arabs like Jews are Semites, that’s to say, their language belongs to the ethnic family of languages. Few number of scholars recognize that between the 8th and 12th centuries, while most of Europe was in the throes of barbarism, the Arabs kept a light the flame of Western civilization. To them belongs the unique distinction of having the culture of the east as well as that of the west. From China, Arabs introduced the papers to the West, They furnished the language of science. In Mathematics, Arabs created and improved system of numerals, and developed the mathematical use of the ZERO. They made important contributions to the science of astronomy, music, alchemy, and geography. In Medicine, they classified the pulmonary circulation of the blood, distinguished between smallpox and measles, established psychological treatment to mentally ill persons, and found the curative uses of many drugs. In Chemistry, they learn to dissolve metals to ART, Literature, Architecture, and Philosophy. They preserved many ancient manuscripts, study them and write about them. As a consequence, Arab scholars were well versed in Aristotle three centuries before the churchmen became acquainted with most of his books and philosophy. Arabs created intricate forms of versification and wrote poems of exquisite beauty. They produced numerous works of literature criticism, wrote voluminous histories, and made innumerable translations.

Above all, Arabs established one of the great religions of the world. Its unifying power is attested by the fact, that although scattered and separated by allegiance to various political states, they are in the very real sense ONE nation of Islam. With all these contributions, Arabs and Islam in the perceptions of westerners including Americans have negative meanings and almost always used with little respect and appreciation. Is there a lack of know; edge about Arabs and Muslims? Or is there a lack of interest in Arabs and Muslims? Or is there an international neglect to a great people and great religion? The British writers, Peter Mansfield in his book, “The Arabs” tells a story of Americans in ARAMCO schools. Students were asked some questions to test their knowledge about Arabs and Islam like: Who is the Arab? What is Islam? And Who is the Prophet Muhammad? The answer was that the “Arabic” is a Bedouin wearing a “djellabia” (a long piece dress), carrying an old pistol (or dagger), a camel jockey, in his way to attack his neighbors. About “Islam” their answers were as follows: Islam is a luck game like bridge; Islam is mysterious faith created by the KKK in the United States south. Islam is an American Masonic organization, its members wear strange dresses. About the Prophet “Muhammad”, the answers were no less humor, Muhammad is the author of one thousand and one night, Muhammad is an American Niger, and Muhammad has something related to mountain. Peter Mansfield commented on such answers by saying: “It is obvious that these answers were indications of ignorant persons who wanted to cover up their lack of knowledge.” Films produced by Hollywood almost always portray Arabs in negative terms. They are either “extremely wealthy” “barbaric and backward”, or “sex maniacs”. These myths can be depicted from Valentino’s “the Cheik” through Goldie Hawn’s “Protocol”. In “Lawrence of Arabia”, Arabs were depicted as backward, divided, cruel, cowardly, decadent people, and back stabbers . Many critics think that is the way most Americans still think of them.

On television entertainment, viewers are regularly treated to “Patently racist caricatures of Muslims”. As one put it: “villains in todays “TV movies are likely to be Arabs when they are not South American drug lords, inscrutable rich Asians, Nazi like Europeans or corrupt like Wall Street financiers.” (Smith 1991) Some writers in the United States began show injustices practiced against Arabs and Muslims, for example, Ostrow, a free-lance writer describes these stereotypes as part of a simple shorthand to let audiences know who was in charge, who was subservient, and who was the villain.” In 1991-2, reports from the Middle East rarely treated the Arabs as people with families who worry about their children’s future or their environment. Arab deaths were discounted by the government and repeated by the media as “collateral damages”. The Arab point of view in many instances, was left out of the story. This may be overstatement, but this is a complaint worthy of reflection. To conclude this article, the writer is optimistic about the future of race relations in the United States, but not sure about Europe, (France, Germany, Spain, England, etc.,) Because the American public as I interacted with it, is open to new experiences, eager for information, and knowledge about other cultures especially Arabs and Muslims. It is this openness which give us the hope to communicate for more understanding among the diverse groups of the American society. American policy- makers as well as the public are more apt to deal with minority groups on the grounds of justice and human rights slogans. I believe that if these slogans were applied equally to the diverse cultures of the American society, including Arabs and Muslims, then education, awareness, interaction, and communication will increase reciprocal positive area of misconceptions. As a consequence, the area of compromising may be enlarged to give more chance for peaceful resolutions of race relations and conflict.

About the Author

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