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news
Middle East meets
West at forum
By Jamie Rogers
On-line Forty-Niner
More than 60 faculty
and staff members gathered Wednesday to discuss religious,
historical and political relations between the Middle East
and the United States.
The standing-room-only
crowd demonstrated a strong desire to be well informed of
the issues that provoked the tragedy of Sept. 11.
Houri Berberian,
associate professor of history at CSULB, spoke during the
forum and stressed the differences between mainstream Muslim
practices and Muslim extremists.
"A distinction
must be made between Muslim Islamics and [Islamic] terrorists,"
Berberian said. "In Islamic law, terrorism is considered a
great sin punishable by death. Classical Islam forbids killing;
even in retaliation against acts unlawful or unjust. Islamic
law also forbids indiscriminate attacks against anyone, Muslim
or not. Islam specifically does not condone violence against
other people. This is mainstream Islam."
She went on to
explain that terrorists who use Islamic law as justification
for their violent acts have manipulated the religion to serve
their own purposes.
"It is imperative
that we do not connote most Muslims and the ethical vision
of Islam with the cult of these terrorists," Berberian said.
Political science
professor Larry George explained the history of the region,
starting from the United States post-World War II "strategies
of containment" against the Soviet Union, which led to the
United States training future Taliban soldiers and culminating
with Osama bin Laden's growing influence over militant Muslims,
who harbor resentment toward westerners.
Arlene Lazarowitz,
director of Jewish studies, explained where the militant's
hatred toward westernser stems from.
She said she believes
the United States' misplaced sense of exceptionalism and moralism
rubs many people the wrong way, not just those from the middle
east.
"There is a sense
of superiority which is clearly resented by many countries
with which the United States has any kind of contact," Lazarowitz
said. "Let me give you a one sentence quote from President
Wilson. He said 'America has the infinite privilege of pursuing
her destiny and saving the world.' This is a theme that I
see taking us through the 20th century."
Lazarowitz also
cited American xenophobia at home and abroad and the dichotomy
between pronouncements the government makes to the public
and the government's realistic objectives as reasons for resentment
toward Americans. This, she said, leads to disillusionment
and implicates that the United States can impose its preferences
around the world.
"This is wrong,"
Lazarowitz said. "What the government says it is doing is
markedly different in many cases than what is actually happening.
Don't take at face value what you are hearing."
All three of the
panelists emphasized a need to educate the public on these
issues. They will speak and field questions today at the Faculty
Development Center between 2 and 3:45 p.m. All students are
encouraged to attend.
"We need to emphasize
to our students the human dimension of this tragedy," Berberian
said ."I ask that we do not participate in scapegoating. Not
only do we not participate because I don't think that is enough
for us. I ask that we reach out and stop it and speak out
against it when we see it. If we don't, as intellectuals,
as teachers, who is going to do it?"
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