The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Jacob Schutz | Ideas instead of ideology

Today marks the second day of the Muslim Student Association's Islam Awareness Week on campus.

While I'm typically ambivalent toward awareness campaigns - there are so many that it seems difficult to focus energy on any one topic - I believe a campus dialogue about Islam is valuable. There seems to be a lot to discuss.

For one, Barack Hussein Obama is running for president. I'm proud that my country stands on the verge of electing a black man with a Muslim father; a man who was given an unfortunate middle name considering the course of history. I'm deeply concerned, however, when I see the e-mails circulating among people (relatives of mine included) that rely only on Obama's name and misconceptions of Islam to smear him.

But the issue isn't only a national one. There have been plenty of misconceptions at Penn.

Indeed, last year the College Republicans held Terrorism Awareness Week on campus. Their title of the week was a less offensive moniker for David Horowitz's "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week," an event sponsored by a right-wing think tank.

I remember the shame I felt upon learning that an organization at my University had taken part in such a symbolic act of misrepresentation and intolerance.

It's one thing to discuss Islamic terrorism in an intellectually stimulating context. There are serious issues to be explored regarding terrorism, including the influence of religion. I have no qualms about any debate on the issue, including the specific role that Islamic teachings have on global terrorism.

Terrorism Awareness Week fell short of this goal. Not because of its programming but because of the larger message Horowitz's campaign sent. While the College Republicans may have had only a sincere desire to spark a dialogue about terrorism, they took part in a larger national offensive aimed at alienating Muslim students.

Horowitz's IFAW makes bizarre proclamations, such as the goal of this year's campaign: "to make the university community aware of the growing power of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) and other campus groups that support the jihad against America, Israel and the West."

Which - in paranoid terminology - urges us to turn against our fellow Muslim students who must surely be aligned with the forces of anti-Americanism.

America has real enemies. Studying them requires an appreciation of complexity. Many of our enemies do call themselves Muslims. They often recruit from affluent families in the Middle East. Yet they also prey on the downtrodden. They promise a return to the glory days of the Islamic Empire. They are a hate-filled reaction to modernization and globalization. They are many things. We must discuss all these aspects and more.

But we can't automatically demonize those who have any similarity to terrorists. To do so is to usher in a new era of paranoia and mistrust, to forget the lessons of history and invite Joe McCarthy back into our lives. We cannot label friends as enemies because we do not have the intellectual courage to decide for ourselves what drives terrorism. Though today's breed is informed by perverted aspects of Islam, surely this does not cast suspicion on all 1 billion adherents of a peaceful faith.

Engineering sophomore Dara Elass, co-director of this year's Islam Awareness Week, told me she was surprised when she heard about "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week."

"You're not even supposed to kill a fly," she told me about Islam. Islamo-Fascism Awareness week "makes all those stereotypes people have [of Islam] sound true."

This year, the College Republicans held back from a full-out Terrorism Awareness Week of their own. College junior Zac Byer, president of Penn Republicans, said that an event last week with conservative commentator Dick Morris was funded in part by Horowitz's organization. He added that the event was hosted by the Penn College Conservatives - a newly formed group that works to bring conservative speakers to campus - not the College Republicans.

In the future, all groups should publicly distance themselves from Horowitz's campaign, as a sign that such blustering intolerance will not be accepted at Penn.

This week provides an incentive for students to discuss their own feelings about Islam, to ask questions and to learn. There's no reason for an us-versus-them discussion regarding Islam. What we need is an all-inclusive front against terrorism, not Islam.

Jacob Schutz is a College junior from Monument, Colo. His email is schutz@dailypennsylvanian.com. The MacGuffin appears every Monday.

Comments (5)

I totally wrote this column last year, but it wasn't my best work (keep in mind that my best work is pretty shitty), and you wrote a pretty solid column here, so I'm not bitter. Plus, you have a beard, which I respect tremendously.

I'm not sure which would be worse. If you're joking, you're just making light of crime and victimization. If you're serious, you will only scare away the sane, serious people from your cause and everything you do in the name of it will be merely a warning to others not to fall into your own hubris and silliness. Either way, you're not helping with your suggestions. [QUOTE id="b0d2e92c-cdc6-4211-8704-80a1d4843351"]We could have safe cities for all peoople of all religions, nationalities and sexual persuasions, if we would look at the part intended victims play in their victimization and take steps to remedy/eliminate that part. I realize this is the most sacred of all taboos but the time has come to dismantle this sacred taboo so that we all have a chance to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. Intended victims are not innocent bystanders - they are the negative reactors of fear and impending danger taking place in our society today. How much longer are we going to bury our heads in the sand and not look at the individuals part in their victimization? The below mentioned creates a magic mirror experience for the would-be criminal after the conscious ego of the intended-victim is threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to the fear and/or impending danger of a crime encounter. This automatic magic mirror self-esteem response creates not only sanctuary for the intended victim but also a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. Truly a Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management Scenario. The law of self-preservation is the first fundamental natural law. Kahlil Gibran writes in an essay from the book "The Prophet," �?. "You are the way and the wayfarers. And when one of you falls down he falls for those behind him, a caution against the stumbling stone. Ay, and he falls for those ahead of him, who though faster and surer of foot, yet removed not the stumbling stone."�? The time has come to remove the stumbling stone and enable all to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. "When you save one life, you save the world," is taken from an ancient Jewish text. We can learn how NOT to be a "Sitting Duck" for random "would-be" criminals (including racists of all races, anti-Semites and all others), thereby saving one life, our own. When confronted by would-be criminals, unprepared intended-victims egos are threatened, bruised and/or punctured. This opens a window to the unconscious and exposes a negative energy pocket, which projects, absorbs and/or reflects negative self-images to the would-be criminal. Ironically, the law of self-preservation innately compels the would-be criminal to destroy the negative self-image reflected by the unprepared intended-victim. This could be the answer to the heart-felt question "WHY" when apparently senseless carnage takes place. The color of our thoughts, deeds and intentions are what do us in, when "our" buttons are pushed, it's our "stuff" that comes up, no one else's. The following is my attempt/description of how to remedy the dilemma. A. BLUE - positive alpha-wave energy B. RED negative bad energy. C. YELLOW - cautionary energy. A. BLUE positive alpha-wave vaccine energy "plate" can be (inserted) between the B. RED bad energy and the C. YELLOW cautionary energy and is represented by the following thoughts/wording: "We share one universal mind, one humanity and one planet. therefore, what we do to another, we in turn do to ourselves. And what we do to ourselves, we in turn do to others (this wording aids in preventing suicide). Had our circumstances in life been reversed, then our positions now too, would be reversed. Let us have only love, compassion and understanding for one another, for we are all a part of each other." To be programmed in during a positive alteration in consciousness. (using yoga, meditation, devout prayer, etc, etc.). This process must be coupled with the triggering mechanism of our conscious ego being threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to conscious and/or unconscious fear/danger. Thus, the "sitting duck" scenario no longer exists, the intended-victim has prepared ahead of time and is able to "bask in the sunlight of the spirit," if the conscious ego is threatened, bruised and or punctured. The stress (crime encounter) can now be aborted. When the "prepared" intended-victim's ego is threatened, bruised and/or punctured the window opens and exposes positive (blue alpha-wave) energy is projected, absorbed and reflects a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image to the would-be criminal. This reflection of a positive self (esteem) image breaks the spell of criminality the would-be criminal is under and a degree of healing take place for the would-be criminal. The Law of Self-preservation comes into play and the would-be criminal is innately compelled to preserve this positive reflection of his/her real God-self image. Thus, the crime encounter is aborted, and Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management with Triggering Mechanisms has created positions of power and sanctuary for the intended-victim as well as a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. For me, this was about as close to a unified field process (experience) that I could ever imagine. Imagine the relief and joy of the families of both would-be criminals and intended-victims who are spared the nightmare of the "sitting duck" scenario. The intended-victim is no longer an intended-victim - they are survivors and healers. The would-be criminal is no longer intent on criminality but disarmed by having a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image (self-esteem) reflected to them on a subliminal level at a very crucial time (during a crime encounter). Call 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096 for a FREE cassette tape and process description of Win-Win Stress Management with Triggering Mechanisms AKA Psychic Self-defense with Humanistic Alpha-wave Programming ??1978 http://mysite.verizon.net/biztg3kt/ bettycalter1956.net@verizon.net Respectfully, Betty Mehan Calter 4204 Stanwood Court "B" Philadelphia, PA 19136-2766 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096[/QUOTE]

Good point Betty. [QUOTE id="b0d2e92c-cdc6-4211-8704-80a1d4843351"]We could have safe cities for all peoople of all religions, nationalities and sexual persuasions, if we would look at the part intended victims play in their victimization and take steps to remedy/eliminate that part. I realize this is the most sacred of all taboos but the time has come to dismantle this sacred taboo so that we all have a chance to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. Intended victims are not innocent bystanders - they are the negative reactors of fear and impending danger taking place in our society today. How much longer are we going to bury our heads in the sand and not look at the individuals part in their victimization? The below mentioned creates a magic mirror experience for the would-be criminal after the conscious ego of the intended-victim is threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to the fear and/or impending danger of a crime encounter. This automatic magic mirror self-esteem response creates not only sanctuary for the intended victim but also a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. Truly a Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management Scenario. The law of self-preservation is the first fundamental natural law. Kahlil Gibran writes in an essay from the book "The Prophet," �?. "You are the way and the wayfarers. And when one of you falls down he falls for those behind him, a caution against the stumbling stone. Ay, and he falls for those ahead of him, who though faster and surer of foot, yet removed not the stumbling stone."�? The time has come to remove the stumbling stone and enable all to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. "When you save one life, you save the world," is taken from an ancient Jewish text. We can learn how NOT to be a "Sitting Duck" for random "would-be" criminals (including racists of all races, anti-Semites and all others), thereby saving one life, our own. When confronted by would-be criminals, unprepared intended-victims egos are threatened, bruised and/or punctured. This opens a window to the unconscious and exposes a negative energy pocket, which projects, absorbs and/or reflects negative self-images to the would-be criminal. Ironically, the law of self-preservation innately compels the would-be criminal to destroy the negative self-image reflected by the unprepared intended-victim. This could be the answer to the heart-felt question "WHY" when apparently senseless carnage takes place. The color of our thoughts, deeds and intentions are what do us in, when "our" buttons are pushed, it's our "stuff" that comes up, no one else's. The following is my attempt/description of how to remedy the dilemma. A. BLUE - positive alpha-wave energy B. RED negative bad energy. C. YELLOW - cautionary energy. A. BLUE positive alpha-wave vaccine energy "plate" can be (inserted) between the B. RED bad energy and the C. YELLOW cautionary energy and is represented by the following thoughts/wording: "We share one universal mind, one humanity and one planet. therefore, what we do to another, we in turn do to ourselves. And what we do to ourselves, we in turn do to others (this wording aids in preventing suicide). Had our circumstances in life been reversed, then our positions now too, would be reversed. Let us have only love, compassion and understanding for one another, for we are all a part of each other." To be programmed in during a positive alteration in consciousness. (using yoga, meditation, devout prayer, etc, etc.). This process must be coupled with the triggering mechanism of our conscious ego being threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to conscious and/or unconscious fear/danger. Thus, the "sitting duck" scenario no longer exists, the intended-victim has prepared ahead of time and is able to "bask in the sunlight of the spirit," if the conscious ego is threatened, bruised and or punctured. The stress (crime encounter) can now be aborted. When the "prepared" intended-victim's ego is threatened, bruised and/or punctured the window opens and exposes positive (blue alpha-wave) energy is projected, absorbed and reflects a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image to the would-be criminal. This reflection of a positive self (esteem) image breaks the spell of criminality the would-be criminal is under and a degree of healing take place for the would-be criminal. The Law of Self-preservation comes into play and the would-be criminal is innately compelled to preserve this positive reflection of his/her real God-self image. Thus, the crime encounter is aborted, and Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management with Triggering Mechanisms has created positions of power and sanctuary for the intended-victim as well as a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. For me, this was about as close to a unified field process (experience) that I could ever imagine. Imagine the relief and joy of the families of both would-be criminals and intended-victims who are spared the nightmare of the "sitting duck" scenario. The intended-victim is no longer an intended-victim - they are survivors and healers. The would-be criminal is no longer intent on criminality but disarmed by having a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image (self-esteem) reflected to them on a subliminal level at a very crucial time (during a crime encounter). Call 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096 for a FREE cassette tape and process description of Win-Win Stress Management with Triggering Mechanisms AKA Psychic Self-defense with Humanistic Alpha-wave Programming ??1978 http://mysite.verizon.net/biztg3kt/ bettycalter1956.net@verizon.net Respectfully, Betty Mehan Calter 4204 Stanwood Court "B" Philadelphia, PA 19136-2766 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096[/QUOTE]

We could have safe cities for all peoople of all religions, nationalities and sexual persuasions, if we would look at the part intended victims play in their victimization and take steps to remedy/eliminate that part. I realize this is the most sacred of all taboos but the time has come to dismantle this sacred taboo so that we all have a chance to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. Intended victims are not innocent bystanders - they are the negative reactors of fear and impending danger taking place in our society today. How much longer are we going to bury our heads in the sand and not look at the individuals part in their victimization? The below mentioned creates a magic mirror experience for the would-be criminal after the conscious ego of the intended-victim is threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to the fear and/or impending danger of a crime encounter. This automatic magic mirror self-esteem response creates not only sanctuary for the intended victim but also a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. Truly a Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management Scenario. The law of self-preservation is the first fundamental natural law. Kahlil Gibran writes in an essay from the book "The Prophet," �?. "You are the way and the wayfarers. And when one of you falls down he falls for those behind him, a caution against the stumbling stone. Ay, and he falls for those ahead of him, who though faster and surer of foot, yet removed not the stumbling stone."�? The time has come to remove the stumbling stone and enable all to be safe and secure under any and all conditions. "When you save one life, you save the world," is taken from an ancient Jewish text. We can learn how NOT to be a "Sitting Duck" for random "would-be" criminals (including racists of all races, anti-Semites and all others), thereby saving one life, our own. When confronted by would-be criminals, unprepared intended-victims egos are threatened, bruised and/or punctured. This opens a window to the unconscious and exposes a negative energy pocket, which projects, absorbs and/or reflects negative self-images to the would-be criminal. Ironically, the law of self-preservation innately compels the would-be criminal to destroy the negative self-image reflected by the unprepared intended-victim. This could be the answer to the heart-felt question "WHY" when apparently senseless carnage takes place. The color of our thoughts, deeds and intentions are what do us in, when "our" buttons are pushed, it's our "stuff" that comes up, no one else's. The following is my attempt/description of how to remedy the dilemma. A. BLUE - positive alpha-wave energy B. RED negative bad energy. C. YELLOW - cautionary energy. A. BLUE positive alpha-wave vaccine energy "plate" can be (inserted) between the B. RED bad energy and the C. YELLOW cautionary energy and is represented by the following thoughts/wording: "We share one universal mind, one humanity and one planet. therefore, what we do to another, we in turn do to ourselves. And what we do to ourselves, we in turn do to others (this wording aids in preventing suicide). Had our circumstances in life been reversed, then our positions now too, would be reversed. Let us have only love, compassion and understanding for one another, for we are all a part of each other." To be programmed in during a positive alteration in consciousness. (using yoga, meditation, devout prayer, etc, etc.). This process must be coupled with the triggering mechanism of our conscious ego being threatened, bruised and/or punctured due to conscious and/or unconscious fear/danger. Thus, the "sitting duck" scenario no longer exists, the intended-victim has prepared ahead of time and is able to "bask in the sunlight of the spirit," if the conscious ego is threatened, bruised and or punctured. The stress (crime encounter) can now be aborted. When the "prepared" intended-victim's ego is threatened, bruised and/or punctured the window opens and exposes positive (blue alpha-wave) energy is projected, absorbed and reflects a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image to the would-be criminal. This reflection of a positive self (esteem) image breaks the spell of criminality the would-be criminal is under and a degree of healing take place for the would-be criminal. The Law of Self-preservation comes into play and the would-be criminal is innately compelled to preserve this positive reflection of his/her real God-self image. Thus, the crime encounter is aborted, and Win-Win Stress (crime encounter) Management with Triggering Mechanisms has created positions of power and sanctuary for the intended-victim as well as a degree of healing for the would-be criminal. For me, this was about as close to a unified field process (experience) that I could ever imagine. Imagine the relief and joy of the families of both would-be criminals and intended-victims who are spared the nightmare of the "sitting duck" scenario. The intended-victim is no longer an intended-victim - they are survivors and healers. The would-be criminal is no longer intent on criminality but disarmed by having a �?magic mirror�? positive self-image (self-esteem) reflected to them on a subliminal level at a very crucial time (during a crime encounter). Call 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096 for a FREE cassette tape and process description of Win-Win Stress Management with Triggering Mechanisms AKA Psychic Self-defense with Humanistic Alpha-wave Programming ??1978 http://mysite.verizon.net/biztg3kt/ bettycalter1956.net@verizon.net Respectfully, Betty Mehan Calter 4204 Stanwood Court "B" Philadelphia, PA 19136-2766 215-338-6447 or 1-800-564-4096

Barack Obama's family name has Muslim roots, however, his father, and many generations of his family before him, are not. His Indonesian stepfather, on the other hand, is Muslim. Great article otherwise, Islam needs to be respected and if Obama was a Muslim it should not prevent him from aspiring to the Presidency. That said make sure your facts are straight.

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