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Northwestern Event Fights ‘Islamaphobia’

January 22, 2010 RSS Feed Print

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In an effort to combat what its members call "Islamaphobia," Northwestern's Muslim-cultural Students Association brought in someone who knows a lot about the struggles that Muslims face around the world.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a former Army chaplain at Guantánamo Bay, James Yusef Yee shared his experiences with a crowd of 300 people interested in fighting faith-based stereotypes, the Daily Northwestern reports. While working at Guantánamo Bay in 2003, Yee, a Chinese American, was imprisoned for 76 days after being accused of aiding the Taliban and al Qaeda. He called his experience a prime example of Islamaphobia.

"Profiling is a violation of national standards against racial discrimination," Yee, who is Muslim, said at the event. "It is not something that our country was founded on."

The event was designed to provoke further discussion of the sensitive topic.

"Islamophobia is a kind of xenophobia that's going on in the United States and throughout the world," Dulce Acosta-Licea, external relations vice president for McSA, tells the Daily Northwestern. "It is a lack of understanding for Muslims, this population which some people think is foreign or strange, and as a result, there are many misconceptions."

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True religion? All religions are only a facet of truth; but no religion encompasses all truth, although one religion may possess more than another. Who knows what those truths are? We may never know if we remain isolated in our thinking. We should concern ourselves to a real search for truth, that is, asking God as to what the truth is and allowing Him to answer us in His own way. Many I understand are impatient and miss any opportunities or teaching moments. We may think we should have things right away and on our own terms. That may work in mortal places like stores, hospitals, or any institution that allows us instant or almost instantaneous gratification. God runs His programs on His own terms, not on ours. This probably where all concerned, i.e. Christians and Muslims, are reaching a misunderstanding. If we had individuals that had true connections that Jesus or Muhammad had, i.e. direct revelation, we could allow them to settle these disputes peaceably. But who today can we trust in this manner, in a day where prophets are an anachronism. I for one cannot accept the notion that God's hands are tied and cannot send someone who can be a prophet. I think it is the people themselves being unable to believe anyone could be an actual prophet that prohibits such an action. God's hands are not tied by any religion or someone's interpretation, it is us that ties His hands by our unbelief or misunderstanding.

Scott YoungBear of IA 10:27AM January 26, 2010

"Profiling is a violation of national standards against racial discrimination," – Please tell me what “race” is Islam?
“…Brought in someone who knows about the struggles that Muslims face around the world.” – What about a counter-point from a Christian, Jew or Buddhist who knows about the totalitarian and supremacist application of Islam in Muslim-dominated countries? One can't even wear a cross publicly in Saudi Arabia. It’s only due to the beauty of American democracy that this can even be discussed openly - try that in a Muslim country.

MN cold1 of MN 9:29AM January 26, 2010

Ah yes, the PC rich, multicultural students, so full of the vast experience of perhaps 18 or 20 years on this planet! What nonsense. First, read World History. You know, that subject that isn't taught anymore because might offend some race, group, or sect. Look at the violent, expansive nature of Islam, right from the beginning. Check especially their invasion of Spain and the Holy Land. Puts a slightly different look on the Crusades. Next, buy and READ the Quran, realize that it is the final revealed truth (for them) of God, and ALL Muslims believe it. We naive Americans have been conned into thinking that, just like in the 1950's Westerns, there are 'good' Muslims and 'bad', extremist Muslims. To be sure, most don't blow up people regularly, but their false religion allows it too easily. Likewise, they are NOT a part of America's history to any significant degree. THEY have declared war on us, despite Obama's naive, self-serving remarks, those of us in New York know that. Every tourist coming here should be required to visit the World Trade Center cemetary, as well as all newly-elected politicians. Time to take the gloves off, and wake up, America.

christmastree of NY 3:34PM January 25, 2010

Northwestern Event Fights ‘Islamaphobia’

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