Wanna Be Famous? Bash Islam

Author: Esra'a (Bahrain)
October 28, 2007
MidEastYouth

Insulting Islam is how the mainstream media and the right-wing blogosphere defines bravery.

Anyone who hates the faith and is outspoken about it has a much higher chance of getting air time than let’s say, an honest activist somewhere in Afghanistan or Iran who actually maintain their faith. Forget human rights activism from real Muslims.

You can be a rich Arab living luxuriously in North America with nothing to lose and much fame to gain if only you would declare yourself an ex-Muslim who is actively trying to destroy the source of all our problems (Islam, apparently.)

Many powerful people will love and praise you if only you would hatefully attack this faith while speaking from personal “experience.”

Let’s admit it; Ayaan Hirsi Ali wouldn’t be where she is today if it wasn’t for the fact that her target is the Islamic faith as opposed to corrupt leadership, military rule, extreme censorship, gender inequality and other politically motivated bullshit.

Many others are struggling to be like her, tempted by the dirty fame that comes along with this. They take cases like Kareem Amer’s and completely twist it to serve their own interests.

The fact that this campaign is led by mostly Muslims turned many people off from linking to it or joining our efforts; they have used Kareem’s case to feed their hatred against Islam and sometimes the inevitable racism against Arabs that come with it.

But we have made a powerful point when we started this campaign; we redefined our struggles in the Middle East and made many people realize that the enemy is not in fact Islam. We make a point of refuting claims by both right-wing and Islamic extremists. In my opinion this is what activism should be about: fighting sources of extremism and hatred in all its shapes and colors.

Not singling out a faith or a group of people and blaming it for all our problems.

That’s not activism, it’s ignorance and stupidity, and it should no longer be fed from corporate giants who control what the majority can hear in the mainstream.

Really, what is going on throughout the media and the international blogosphere is revolting me; this constant need for certain people to gang up on others for the sheer sake of fame and uninformed ideologies.

What about those honest activists elsewhere in restricted countries? Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia? Who cares? Just because they don’t serve anyone’s religious and political agendas they are unworthy of making news?

Sure, let’s forget the fact that they are risking their lives on a daily basis just trying to be heard, for trying to spread the truth about what’s going on in their countries and for struggling towards causes that not enough people are a part of: illiteracy, poverty, health care, genocide, war, tribal disputes, the list is endless.

There are millions of people fighting for many forms of human rights right now as I write this, their bravery is unmatchable. Many are doing it as proud Muslims too.

But somehow, in what seems like a twisted world, an ex-Muslim migrant somewhere spreading hatred on his blog/site from the comfort of Europe or the USA is much more worthy to listen to. This is what the media calls brave and courageous behavior. Why?

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