During Madison’s monumental protests, we have come to various realizations about ourselves as Muslim-Americans and about America itself. The protest against Scott Walker’s bill embodies the struggle against dictatorial legislation, attitudes and violations against basic civil liberties and the dignity of a people. While the policies of this bill won’t affect us directly, we believe that it is our duty as Americans, but also as Muslims, to stand up and fight for justice. It is stated in the Qur’an: “… Be just: that is next to piety … (5:8).” Not once have we found our faith to be conflicting with our American values, but Peter King’s “Extent of Radicalization Among American Muslims” hearing aimed to prove otherwise. These hearings target the Muslim community to accommodate irrational fear and ignorance. Shari’a is being equated with terrorism and seen as a threat to national security. Conjecture and “facts” threaten our right to perform everyday religious practices. This is blatantly unconstitutional. We, as Americans, need to make sure that no one in this country is stripped of basic rights to protest, receive quality education, practice his or her religion and so forth. We, as Americans, need to stand up against these attacks on Muslim Americans not because it affects us directly but because fighting for justice is the American thing to do.
Huda Bashir, a Muslim, is a senior majoring in religious studies. Sehar Sufi, a Muslim, is a senior majoring in international studies.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice”? Contrary to a number of recent claims, the only Muslim “extremists” I have met are extremists for love and the extension of justice. As I have developed friendships with Muslim students on campus through inter-faith dialogue with the Lubar Institute for the Study of Abrahamic Religions, it has become obvious to me how misinformed many Americans are about Islam and Islamic law. Yes, they live extreme lives: they donate to charities, protest for equal rights, build homes with Habitat for Humanity and feed the homeless. They daily put the needs of others before their own because they hold these truths to be self-evident: all people are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The greatest way to realize our ignorance and overcome our fear of those who are different than us is to befriend them. If history is any indication in this, their humanity and “Americanness” might just surprise you.
Eric Ogi, a Christian, is a senior majoring in religious studies.
The Muslim-Jewish Volunteer Initiative is an organization on campus I help lead that fosters connections between faith communities through social action and dialogue. We are a group dedicated to improving the community. It’s why we care about and are standing up for the people of Wisconsin right now. It’s also why we can’t protest at the Capitol without bringing attention to the climate facing Muslim-Americans today. What’s so upsetting about a hearing that seeks to gauge the “Extent of Radicalization Among American Muslims” is that it creates a framework where tolerant, civically-engaged Muslims are viewed as an exception rather than the norm. This could not be farther from the truth. The examples Eric shared are snippets of the tremendous contributions made by Muslims to the campus and Madison communities. The reason that the MJVI exists is because we are tired of having the type of conversation that the hearing promotes. It’s an energy drain that does not lead toward understanding. Instead, the MJVI focuses on our shared values of volunteerism and social responsibility. Rather than equivocate “difference” with “threat,” the MJVI sees unlimited potential in sharing and learning from these differences. Help make this change happen: Find out more about the MJVI and other groups on campus working to foster meaningful connections.
Levi Prombaum, a Jew, is a senior majoring in political science and art history.
