Anti-Incitement Tribune Policy Critical to Fighting Hate Crime
Chicago Tribune
September 9, 2004
The Problem described:
Fumbling through the pages of yesterday's copy of the
Chicago Tribune (9/9/2004), I was taken aback by a
political cartoon published on page 20. The cartoon
depicts four Middle Eastern caricatures smoldering
with anger at the news of Abu Ghraib juxtaposed with
an image of them whistling away, a sign of
disinterest, at the news of the massacre of Beslan.
I found this cartoon troubling for several reasons.
Firstly, the cartoon makes a collective statement
about Muslims, any responsible reporter will tell you
no good can come out of that. It demonizes Muslims, an
obviously disheartening and even endangering
situation. Secondly, the message in the cartoon is
quite simply not in accordance with the facts.
Thirdly, the artwork itself is demeaning to Muslims as
it is a rudimentary show of primitive stereotyping and
gross generalization.
Robert Ariail, the well respected, award-winning
cartoonist who penned this caricature has said, "I
don't take cheap shots, but I like to make a point. I
want my cartoons to say something, or at least to show
the irony of a situation." I think Mr. Ariail’s motto
often fails him when it comes to Islam. My letter is
intended to show in clear terms why we believe this
caricature is more of a “cheap shot”, and less of a
portrayal of irony. This is of added significance when
realized that Mr. Ariail’s tendency to generalize and
demonize Muslims and Islam is not an aberration, but a
pattern. Muslims are the only mass group collectively
targeted by Mr. Ariail; most of his cartoons target
individuals, institutions, or events.
Demonization of minority groups jeopardizes the safety
of our citizens:
Fact: hate crimes against Muslims in America are on
the rise. Incidents logged by CAIR - our nation's most
cited Muslim civil rights and media watch group -
range from verbal abuse on the streets, to
discrimination at the work place, to physical attacks
and even murder. Attacks on Muslim property and
Mosques range from the frequent vandalization or
desecration to the occasional out-and-out scorching
into thin dust.
Though these crimes are senseless, they are not
without reason. Irresponsible and sensational media
reports that demonize Muslims feed heavily into this
frenzy creating an atmosphere that is conducive to,
and even incitive of, hate crimes. We do not hold
such coverage as solely responsible, but our research
has certainly shown it is a major contributing factor.
The legal term for this phenomenon is "incitement". It
is a serious situation that beckons an immediate
remedy.
Primitive Stereotyping:
Thankfully, most respectable American publications
have long overcome the use of primitive stereotyping
to depict minority groups. It is no longer acceptable
to see blatant stereotyping of Blacks, Asians, Jews,
or gays in the newsprint. For example, would you
publish a cartoon collectively depicting the African
world dressed in straw-skirt costumes, or the Asian
world dressed in straw hats, and engaging in a
collective emotion? Hopefully the answer is "No". Why,
because such images are reminiscent of a bygone era
whence fair journalistic values and integrity took a
backseat to bigotry and scapegoating.
But the question quickly becomes: why then do some
media personnel still find it acceptable to subject
Muslims to such vintage bigotry? Is it because they
believe Muslims as a minority have not yet attained
the immunity afforded other more politically-mature
groups in America?
Singling out Muslims:
Unfortunately, your readers must face the rude
awakening that the dwindling practice of primitive
stereotyping has in fact not gone extinct as wishfully
believed; it still rears its ugly head from time to
time. We are regrettably reminded through your
published cartoon that it is somehow still acceptable
to casually subject certain groups to this same old
bigotry and stereotyping, even as it is out of the
question to do so with other groups.
Generalization:
What makes you think the four caricatures in your
cartoons are representative of the "Muslims world"? In
truth, the attire of
Muslims range from thousands of different regional and
cultural costumes to universal western fashion. Why do
you choose the garb of one particular geographic
location to represent 1.4 billion people whose dress
code varies widely? We fear this may reinforce the
misconception that the Islamic faith is a
Middle-Eastern affair. This misconception is a serious
one that lies at the root of the widespread
misunderstanding of Islam in America. To battle it is
to educate and uplift; to reinforce it is to misguide
and confuse.
The reality is that Islam is at home in sub-Saharan
Africa, Southeast Asia, Far Asia, Russia, and Western
Europe as much it is at home in the Middle East. As
the matter of fact it is just at home in America as it
is in Antarctica. That is because Islam is not an
ethnic code, nor a political ideology. It is a state
of the heart and mind, one that seeks to put the soul
at ease with itself and with its surroundings. Islam
is a faith that can be at home wherever a heart beats
and a mind contemplates. Any suggestions that Islam is
a function of a certain culture or locale misinforms
and misguides the public to the detriment of all
parties involved.
Misrepresentation:
All four caricatures depict ultra-conservative
Muslims, yet the text indicates that they are supposed
to represent the entire Muslim world. This is a
preposterous misrepresentation. The Muslim world
houses the ultra-conservative, the ultra-liberal and
everything in between. Why does the cartoonist use one
faction to generalize about an entire world? Iran,
Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan (whom the four
caricatures clearly spoof) are not “the Muslim world”.
One way vision:
War in Chechnya has been raging on for a decade. The
civilian death toll among Chechens is immense. The
breadth and intensity of human rights abuses in
Chechnya are some of the worst estimated for the last
10 years. Notwithstanding all of this, Western media
coverage of the suffering of the war-battered Chechens
has been little to none. Condemnation by the Western
masses of the - even non-disputed - atrocities has
been little to none. Consequently, some accuse the
West of a deafening silence in the face of the
annihilation of the Chechens. Did you publish a
similar cartoon expressing this viewpoint and
chastising the west for it?
Inaccuracy:
Most significantly, the message you are sending out
through your cartoon is inaccurate. There is no
evidence that the Muslim world was in anyway accepting
of, or even indifferent to, the tragedy in Beslan. All
indications coming from all corners of the Muslim
world clearly point to a strong condemnation of the
heinous act. (Do you even realize that Muslims were
amongst the victims of Beslan massacre? I am sure you
would find the non-silent shrills of their agonized
mothers quiet deafening).
Countless Muslims from all over the globe strongly
sympathize with the victims and their families -
Muslim or not. They have no doubt in their minds that
the murder of children and innocent adult civilians
cannot possibly have any justification - regardless of
circumstance. There are a number of circulating
reports that describe the horror and condemnation
expressed amongst Muslims in the wake of this tragedy,
reports such as the one entitled "Siege prompts horror
among Arabs" published in the "World" section of
CNN.com on Sep 5, 2004.
Requests:
In conclusion, I would like to make a few requests of
the editor.
I ask that your esteemed publication adopt a policy
that is sensitive to the grave implications of
incitement, therefore steering away from reports that
demonize any entire group of people, Muslim or not. It
is worth mentioning that the very same day the Chicago
Tribune published this cartoon, the LA Times, also a
Tribune company, published an article by the title
"criminals, not Muslims". The article presented
objective, informative reporting; therefore, acting to
bridge gaps rather than to widen schisms. It better
served all parties by helping to stir intelligent
conversations about Muslims and the West, rather than
cater to embitterment and hate. We point to this
approach as an example to be followed.
I ask that the cartoonist in question be advised to
show more sensitivity to your Muslim-American
readership, just as he would to those of other
minority groups. If he fails to do so, I ask that your
esteemed publication refrain from publishing any of
his inflammatory work in accordance with the Tribune
policy of fair and sensible journalism.
I ask that you grant me the opportunity to publish as
an editorial, a version of this letter that would
filter the informative points into a standalone
letter, and not a reaction to a cartoon. It would go a
long way in battling misconceptions that cartoons like
the one in question help create in the first place.
You owe it to your readership.
Lastly, I ask that your publication lends itself as a
medium for Chicago Muslims to express themselves at
times of need. Part of the reason accusations of
silence are leveled at Muslims is due to a shortage in
the media affording ordinary Muslims opportunities to
speak out. I for one, on behalf of my organization,
would be glad to voice the stances of our Chicago
Muslim constituency loud and clear through your pages
- in support of justice for all, and in opposition to
injustice against any.
Our organization, alongside the many concerned members
of our community, looks forward to your response. I
thank you greatly for your attention.
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