Stereotypes of Muslims after 9/11 and the Ground Zero Mosque

“Plan for mosque near world trade center moves ahead,” New York Daily News 5/11/10
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The proposal of a mosque to be built near Ground Zero has received a variety of controversy from those who suffered loses from the 9/11 attacks. Although some members of the community find the plans to be offensive, the 12-member Community Board 1's financial district committee has unanimously voted to endorse the project and work will hopefully begin by the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Families who suffered from death of the terrorist attacks are the main group who oppose the building of the mosque. Ground Zero has become a site of sorrow and despair for anyone who had a loved one die on 9/11. The attacks have become one of the most remembered days of grief in the United States. To add a mosque only a few blocks from the scene of the crime, would greatly penetrate some people.

However, many of these community members who are against the mosque do not realize the link between Muslims and those who committed the terrorist acts in New York and Virginia. Although, those who did fly the planes into the World Trade Towers were deemed Muslim, it does not reflect the viewpoints or beliefs behind a religion of more than 1.6 billion people. It is not fair to judge an entire culture based on the acts of a few people.

The plans for the mosque should be treated just as fairly, as that of a church. The mosque will hopefully become a major asset to the community along with a place of worship for thousands of Muslims. The building will be open to all, and has in reality received little opposition from those who are informed. This mosque will hopefully build better relations between Muslims and the "West," and break down barriers that restrict cultures.

The mosque will be a 100 million dollar project and become a major place of worships for an expected 1,000 to 2,000 Muslims every friday. The building will also be a major asset to the community as it is open to all and contain a swimming pool, performing arts venue and basketball court. The opportunities are endless and relations will hopefully be able to prosper between the Muslims of the community and those who were initially against the project.

The mosque may seem to be an offensive action against some, but in reality is barely opposed by those who are educated. The mosque does not represent a slap in the face, but instead is a place for relationships and understandings to take place. If those who were against the plans were able to better educate themselves on the Islamic religion and open their minds, better relations would occur and the community would prosper.

Hurricane Katrina Media Coverage by Luke Anderson

September 1, 2005 The New York Times

In "Evacuation of Stadium - Police Ordered to Stop Looters," an article about the mandatory evacuation of the Superdome, although the word survivors is used in place of refugees, the noun looters makes up the subject of the passage where it is used in the title of the column and later in the column  itself when it is stated, "With police officers and National Guard giving priority to saving lives, looters brazenly ripped open gates and ransacked stores for food, clothing, television sets, computers, jewelry and guns, often in full view of helpless law-enforcement officials." This was the context on which the Mayor ordered police officers to stop search -and-rescue and zero in on the 'crime' in the city. 

The claim is that law enforcement is helpless while it seems that hundreds and thousands of thefts are occurring daily. Also, by describing the people as looters it shows that the writer of the article agrees that these people are generally law breakers and need to be put into place. The bias is obviously against the victims, making it seem that if a person isn't being rescued, they're out running wild on the streets, taking whatever they want. Although there is never any mention of race, the article is biased for the government's perspective, and that sending 1,500 police officers to patrol the streets is the main priority.

The focus of the article starts with relief and rescue effort, highlighting the forced evacuation of the Superdome and the largest deployment of domestic relief in history, but then begins to dwindle on to the crime. After covering the basis of aid and evacuation the author chooses to go on an angle that is all about the crime. The purpose of the word looters is to describe the alleged thieves and persuade readers that the priority of enforcing the law is more important than searching and saving Hurricane Katrina victims. This article is on the front of the New York Times, one of the most widely read newspapers, intended for a vast variety of people. The author wants the audience to know that although there is chaos, the police are going to be having some sort of control from now on and the government is handling the situation correctly.

The title of the story impacts viewers immensely, one of the first things readers see is "Police Ordered to Stop Looters." This gives the impression that in New Orleans, a city ravaged by a category 5 hurricane, the number one priority of the police is to stop looting. There is such an "abundance" of it that 1,500 police officers have been ordered to prevent it. It impresses on readers that there is more crime than people needing rescue. This story was deemed newsworthy because it was crime story. For some reason, the public enjoy soaking up misery, despair, violence and lawlessness. Sometimes, I do too. This is because it is not the norm to see or hear about people able to just go into stores and take whatever they want. Whether it is true or not, the story gives something to people that they are interested in and want to hear about.

In conclusion, there is not a relationship between race and news media...... In this article. There is no mention of race in the article to describe the looters to any extent. This article focused on the article, and the crime, without ever classifying or claiming the "thieves" to be of any certain race.

Mohammed Zeitoun: God's Swimmer

By Luke Anderson

 

Mohammed Zeitoun, recently the winner of the Capri to Naples race, has been unanimously named the best ocean swimmer in the world.  Emerging from Syria as a champion swimmer, he has moved on to worldly competitions, facing some of the best swimmers of all time. Graciously, he has chosen to sit down with me for an interview in his hometown Jableh, to talk about his success, family and how he found swimming.

Anderson: Mohammed, you have been named the best ocean swimmer in the entire world. How has your childhood attributed to the success of your swimming?

Mohammed: Growing up, my father, Mahmoud, wanted nothing more for all of his sons to work on dry land.  I think that in some sense, the being forbidden from doing something made me only want it more. I’m not sure why, but I felt as if I belonged in the water.

Anderson: When was the first time you got your “sea legs”?

Mohammed: I spent most of my “tween” years apprenticing for an ironsmith and laying brick, but after years of pleading, my father gave his consent for me to crew on the local boats. I think I was about thirteen or fourteen at the time. After every fishing excursion I would jump off the boat and race the crew to the beach. Sometimes I would win! I guess that could be considered the start of my training.

Anderson: You mentioned earlier your father wanted all of his sons to work on land. Why is that? And how did you finally overrule your father’s decision?

Mohammed: When my father was a young man, he worked on a ship, and on one stormy trip, he was cast out into the sea. The crew threw what they could to my father, for staying afloat, but they were unable to turn around. My father drifted at sea for 2 days enduring sharks and storms until finally he washed on shore. He could not believe he had survived.  It was a miracle but from then on he promised to toy with fate again, and forbid all of his children, including me, to work on the sea. I eventually overruled my father’s decision to work on a ship but when I told no one of my training to swim. After becoming the greatest swimmer in Syria my father knew that Allah had wanted me to be a swimmer. That is when my father accepted my decision.

Anderson: Does your father come to watch your races?

 

Mohammed: He loves to watch me swim. He has never missed a race since he knew of my passion. I can always count on him to be in the crowd, even if I cant pick him out directly.

 

Anderson: You are the oldest of the family, if you could tell your younger siblings one thing about your beliefs, what would that be?

 

Mohammed: Nothing is impossible if Allah is on your side. If your heart is set on something that is how you know God is backing you up. Why would God defy what your heart desires and why would your heart defy what God desires?

 

Anderson: Has your religion impacted the way you live your life? If so, how?

 

Mohammed: We are here because God has willed it to be. My family is filled with strong willed Muslims, and the Zeitouns are an ambitious clan. I try to live my life, as Allah would want. I pray 5 times a day, and I like to think that I am a generous and kind person. One thing I know is that how you live on Earth will define your afterlife. That is the most important conviction of my faith. Do the right thing, whether you want to, or not.

Anderson: You are an amazing swimmer no doubt, but what is the most successful thing you fell you have ever achieved?

Mohammed: No doubt one hundred percent would be breaking my dad in for younger siblings who want nothing more to be a part of the sea. It may seem strange but Zeitouns and water go together better than Syrian food and their presentation.

 

Anderson: Now comes the most important question of all. If you could be one superhero, who would you be?

 

Mohammed: Ha-ha, well it may come as a shock, given everything you know about me, but I would choose Aquaman! Isn’t that surprising?

 

Anderson: Well thank you for much for your time Mohammed and good luck to you on your next quest!