As both a Muslim and a new media geek, I was interested on a number of levels re the media reaction and response -- both within and and outside the Islamosphere -- to the Ft. Hood shootings.
It's also given me a chance to look at what's happening in the Islamosphere in general, a scene I hadn't surveyed since 2005 in this entry. I'll revisit this topic in a forthcoming post.
but to Ft. Hood:
One of the most diligent and thorough aggregator of responses and counterresponses lies with Sheila Musaji's The American Muslim blog (TAM). A recent discovery for me, she is a tireless defender and chronicler of interfaith issues, and her blog has become in general the first stop I go to to gauge osme of the interfaith dialogue on Ft. Hood.
In one of her first posts on the tragedy, she listed the statements released by most major Muslim organizations, all unequivocally condemning Hasan's actions. This provided a lot of detail and resources for me to explore further.
As I continue to peruse her offerings and links, and as I reflect on the tragedy, two key things have struck me:
1) Is the Muslim response sufficient?
and 2) Are the pressures and circumstances for Muslims in the American military being sufficiently addressed and/or brought to light?
To some extent, the two issues overlap.
While the response from most Muslim organizations was swift and laudable, it hasn't been very *visible*. Apart from CAIR, and a few other 'biggies', not a lot of lasting impact was created that made it into the mainstream of network broadcast news with any degree of lasting retention to the public.
Those of you who read this blog know I stress and study user *behavior* as the critical key to new media developments. As other new media geeks have well pointed out before me, the down side of long-tail distribution of information is the potential of interests microniched to the point of insular self-selection. To some extent, I feel, the Islamosphere runs this very risk of 'talking amongst ourselves'.
For the most part -- though certainly not completely -- interaction on Muslim blogs tend to foster either a good community discussion within the fold (which is very necessary and healthy) or else are targeted by incendiary Islamophobes. Taking an honest dialogue on Muslim issues outside of the Islamosphere and into a more mainstream setting is happening, but it hasn't yet reached a level that acheives a lasting, visible clarity, diversity and accessibility to the American mainstream media.
At a time when Muslims in America are, at best, not fully understood (and at worst feared or hated)-- a stronger, more protracted, ongoing visible set and range of Muslim voices is needed. Reactive press releases, though undoubtedly sincere and certainly necessary, become quickly predictable and short-lived see again Musaji's list of statements. They're not enough.
Part of this may have to do with the reticence among Muslim leaders to develop a lasting relationship with the press.
In a follow-up post on TAM, Sheila Musaji wrote:
In the meantime, I cringe every time someone asks me to explain why Maj. Hasan or any other Muslim criminal has committed some reprehensible act. I don’t know why. ... Actually, I am amazed that intelligent people could possibly believe that it makes sense to ask any random Muslim to explain the actions of any one of the other 1.5 billion Muslims on earth, as if we are connected to each other like the Borg.
Dr. Aref Assaf, president of the American Arab Forum, expressed similar sentiments (among some otherwise excellent points) in his article "Please Do Not Call Me! Being an American Muslim when tragedy strikes": "I'm utterly hurt and profoundly burdened by implications and the frequency of these questions from media outlets whenever some lunatic Muslim decides to commit a random act of violence," he writes.
It's a sentiment I genuinely respect, understand, and often feel as well; but keeping a larger endgame in view of bridge-building to a wider circle could help Muslim voices to push beyond this reaction.
Assaf himself offers a powerful voice towards the end of his post:
Undoubtedly, nothing could ever justify or excuse in any way Hassan's alleged actions. But it ought to broaden the horizon of those in the media who seem infatuated with the need to pin the blame for this perverse tragedy solely on a man's religion and last name, rather than considering the variables of a sad case encompassing some combination of mental state, divided loyalty or conscientious objection.
It is precisely that kind of observation that needed to be brought out more, in a stronger, unified voice throughout the Islamosphere. But Dr. Assaf seems to retreat in frustration. In the next and closing paragraph of his post, Assaf makes another elegant point, but then negates any hope of outreach to get his views disseminated:
We should honestly worry about what makes any citizen hate his country so intensely that he is ready to waste his life to express his anger? Till then, please do not call me. For, like you, I have not the answer.
Interestingly, in another version of his article on NJ voices, the comments seem to bear out what I've been sensing, and I'm encouraged that some non-Muslims are seeking a more accessible Muslim media presence to turn to and are also noticing the lack of it.
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