"Why did Muslims harbor so much anger towards the U.S. pre-WTC?"
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
In the Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful
This is the question.
This is entirely Random.
This is just a question that has been brewing in my mind for a while and since I am busy with school and life and other things I have a hard time researching it.
BEFORE the WTC tragedy, what were Muslims so chronically angry and enraged about? I'm looking for specifics. Historical facts, if possible. Besides our government's blind support of Israel. What else? What has made Muslims so generally angry at the U.S.? Please feel free to blast this question or answer it, but please don't ignore it.
I am highly unsatisfied (to put it lightly) with our government for its behavior post-WTC. I also have some ideas about Muslim anger towards the U.S. prior to WTC, however I realized that I really don't know any specifics.
Please leave your comments.
In the Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful
This is the question.
This is entirely Random.
This is just a question that has been brewing in my mind for a while and since I am busy with school and life and other things I have a hard time researching it.
BEFORE the WTC tragedy, what were Muslims so chronically angry and enraged about? I'm looking for specifics. Historical facts, if possible. Besides our government's blind support of Israel. What else? What has made Muslims so generally angry at the U.S.? Please feel free to blast this question or answer it, but please don't ignore it.
I am highly unsatisfied (to put it lightly) with our government for its behavior post-WTC. I also have some ideas about Muslim anger towards the U.S. prior to WTC, however I realized that I really don't know any specifics.
Please leave your comments.
posted by Mujahada at 10:17 PM
10 Comments:
Assalam 'Alikum
I saw your question on Mujeeb's blog, and instead of answering there, I found your blog via Haseeb. There were multitude of reasons pre 911, mostly political.
Islamic 'revivalism' or 'revolutionism'really picked up in mid Cold War. Also, the obvious Isreali-Paleistinian question. The support of unliked regimes around the world. For Afghans, the total abandonment of the country after the Soviet Union withdrawal letting it collapse into a long, bickering, bloody civil war. Playing divide and rule, while choosing both sides. Some corporatation stuff I'm sure must factor in, but thats just Socialistic in thought in general. I can't think of many right now, got to head out to SB.
Keep me in your du'aa.
ياسر
Asalaamualaykum
saleeeeeeeem, u know it wouldnt kill u to call me once in a while ;) (lol inshallah ill call u sometime too!)
Why Muslims dont like America- well its not cuz theyre jealous of our freedom for sure :)
The Israeli-Palestinian issue is a biggie, so is the spread of corporations into Muslim countries, promotion of things that are unislamic - (dating/sex/promiscous society, alcohol, etc.), disrepsct of tradition/religion in general (especially in bigger cities), and so on
Yo bro, with all due respect to shaykh hamza (u know i love him), just listen to some of his talks pre-9-11. He hated on America ALOT back then - although Shaykh Hamza has backed down and even regretted saying alot of those things - they were based on real issues that were - and still are troublesome to Muslims.
but as far as what Muslims are so angry about - Arent Muslims Americans too? Dont we care about issues other than just that affect other Muslim countries? We're also upset at the political climate, rise of extreme right wing Evangelical Christianity (who in my opinion are more dangerous than extreme muslims - these christians are trying to promote a world climate - using American government policy, in anticipation for an armageddon, preceded by the second coming of Jesus (thats why so many right wingers are pro-israel, jews returning to Israel is a pre-condition for the second coming), the environment, lack of health care, etc.
K thats it for now, call me if u want to discuss further
take care inshallah
love,
haseeb :)
Haseeb! How dare you make a comment about my not calling you! Now I shall reveal the falsehood of your statements on the internet for all to see!
For the record: Haseeb and I met a couple months back on a beautiful Saturday morning and for the next THREE CONSECUTIVE Saturdays I called Haseeb to see if he wanted to get together. Not only did we not get together but he didn't even return my calls!
On a side note, check your email buddy.
:)
>Saleem
Salam
good to hear from you saleem. hope everything is going well.. hows 3rd year?
Anyway, to answer your question.. first of all you cant ignore the Arab-Israeli conflict because that was probably the main source of hatred cited by terrorists and other pissed off muslims.
The Arab governments deflect blame from themselves by blaming outsiders for the problems in their countries, and the United States was an easy target because of America's close relationship with Israel. Thats where alot of the stupid conspiracy theories come from. Some of the Arab governments also tended to ignore or try to co-opt the increasing power of fundamentalist and extremist religious leaders to sway popular opinion in their countries. Why those leaders chose to blame the US for everything... i really dont know, i would say that again the whole Israel thing is a big part of it, an easy way to compel people (and a set of grievances that they really believe in).
Other factors are the Gulf War and the stationing of US troops in Saudi Arabia, the American response to terrorism by arabs and other muslims (like killing Qaddhafi's baby, shooting down an Iranian passenger jet, bombing a sudanese pharmaceutical plant, etc)
Finally, of course, the United States is very close to alot of the leaders who are really responsible for many of the problems that these people face... when its percieved that the king of jordan or the egyptian president is taking orders from washington dc, then the US is seen as culpable in the crimes that these guys commit, even when America has nothing to do with them and no interest in seeing these crimes committed.
The anti-western sentiment among muslims in the USA was just a reflection of the fobby anti-americanism that was prevalent abroad. European muslims with real grievances had a whole seperate list of issues that they were unhappy about.
just my opinion
gotta study
ws
Saleem Khano,
This is a tough question. I think that one thing that should be sorted out is the depth of that "hatred." You should also distinguish between political leaders and the average person on the street.
If you poll Americans on their attitudes towards Saudi Arabia (or any other Muslim country, for that matter), they will probably have a generally negative attitude. But how much of the day does the average American spend thinking about the Saudis, let alone hating them?
Likewise, I think that while polls will indicate negative sentiments to the US, that sentiment was probably pretty superficial. Frankly, if you're a car repairman in Jordan, you may not particularly like the US - and you will say so when people ask you in a poll - but you have other things that you spend your time worrying about. The depth of the "hatred" is pretty superficial among most Muslims who claim not to like the US, I think.
Truly HATING the US seems to be a luxury of people who are well-educated and do not work (whether voluntarily or because they're unemployed).
Also, the reasons given by radical mullahs, terrorists, etc. are very much policy-related. But the average people don't care too much about policies. They may be able to cite a few big ones, but they really can't say too much else except they have a generally negative attitude.
A similar analogy with the US is with the election. People who are politically active will say the important issues are Iraq, the minimum wage, social security, healthcare, the Abramoff scandal etc. But the average voter is probably going to vote based on whether or not he or she personally likes the candidates running in the election - or if unfamiliar with the candidate, how much he or she likes the President.
So, my point here is that the reasons for the "hatred" are different between political junkies and people who are casual observers of politics.
I think you need to keep these complexities in mind before you try to arrive at any answer in particular.
Dan here:
All of you have called the Israel support as the number 1 factor. I understand that's certainly the biggest factor internationally, I'm curious about how American Muslims view Israel. I can't imagine that any of you believe the conspiracy theories that come from much of the Arab world about world wide Zionism (if these were true, I'm sooo out of the loop). I know everyone here is strongly on the Palistine side, but is there a consensus about what should happen to Israel, and what the US should do?
you know, everyone one of us shapes their world view based on the environment we grow up in and based on the challenges or the "speeches" we here. And this starts from families to families. People are brought up in different families and how they approach things or how they view the world, be it resentment, be it anger, be it hatred(strong word), be it love, be it oblivion, is all started from the family.
let me answer your question hypothetically.
Let's just say you have average muslim joe who lives in near poverty or lower middle class conditions in a muslim country that is post-colonial most likely, he goes to government schools or if he cannot go it, he goes to a madrassa. He sees other muslims of high class society, filthy rich who are not only non-religious to the core, modern and unislamic and valueless but cough at social justice and treat him with disdain. He is treated as a second class no one, who is resented for being poor. No social justice anywhere and so the place where he can be something or someone is the madrassa. And here he learns what they teach him. Their world view and sometimes, he doesnt wanna hate on those rich un-islamic kids, because after all religion teaches him that they are still muslim even if they treat their dogs,cats better than him. So naturally his anger is diverted to a far away place of whose people he does not know.
But like it was said in earlier posts, the anger is not something permanent or something that majority of people think about.
Also, there are political reasons for this anger. One must be careful not to assess what is going on in the world only through American media. And many in the muslim world hence say there was a war going on before that time, only God knows. Places were being attacked, etc but this is one of the reasons, etc.
So, in conclusion, we all need to get out of our naivete. Yes, we are living in luxury and the best country in the world but maybe there is a price we are paying for it, our ignorance and our oblivion to help enact social justice or sense thereof in muslim societies.
We all say America is so great but what is it that makes America great, the money? the status? no.
it is the sense of social justice, it is the sense of looking out for the lesser person, a sense of respect for everyone, even those who do not have anything to eat.
However, this ideals and sense of justice remain here. What muslims need to do is transplant that into muslim societies, so that we have a better world that we live in. And the scars of colonialism heal.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Israel-Palestinians.html?hp&ex=1163048400&en=6537b69a6a5d8fcf&ei=5094&partner=homepage
and I wonder why you ask?
To the lady/gentleman that asked about Israel and stuff. Well, here is my answer, I am disgusted by the numerous UN resolution violations, human rights violations and the real 21st century apartheid existing in that place you call Israel.
I mean, the whole world including American condemned South Africa but few have condemned the real apartheid in occupied territories in a land you call Israel. But, looking at it, it was really the British that gave you the land mixed with muslim offenses that gave you control of the land. However, human rights could have been established, you didnt have to bull dose houses and as far as suicide bombings are concerned, they are a relatively recent phenomenon(80s and that is recent, believe me). But I tell you I am inherently against suicide bombings and for a very good reason.
Not only is it cowardice and it attacks innocent civilian(just as missle launching is cowardice and attacks children) but most importantly, as a muslim, my religion teaches me suicide is forbidden in every circumstance and there is a punishment for it in the hereafter.
Plus, I want the world to know that those poor, bare-footed barely enough to eat, poisoned by bad water supply children, women, men, muslim are not cheap blood. Their lives are just as worth as any Israel, any American, any high class muslim living in muslim or non-muslim countries.
So dont do suicide bombing, your life and your blood is sacred just as anybody else's and offcourse the lives of civilian muslims and non-muslims is sacred, women and children and non-combatants.
Please read Naom chomsky's books and Zia Sardar's books - Why Do People Hate America?, Icon Books 2003 (Written with Merryl Wyn Davies)
before coming to any conclusion
Shalom,
America's foreign policy, for starters.
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