Meeting examines U.S.-Islamic relationship

Meeting examines U.S.-Islamic relationship

by By Anna Jewett
Daily Trojan (University of Southern California)
10/07/2004

A "town hall" meeting, sponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy as part of their nationwide "Hope Not Hate" series, drew a crowd of approximately 25 people Wednesday night in Topping Student Center in an effort to promote global understanding among American citizens in regards to US- Islamic world relations.

Americans for Informed Democracy is a nationwide organization that works to get more people involved in multilateralism in foreign policy, promoting cooperation over confrontation, said Lea Smith, a senior majoring in political science and the campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy.

The United States and the Islamic world need to formulate "a relationship based on mutual respect and understanding," said Dafer Dakhil, director of community development and external affairs and the official spokesman of Omar Ibn Khatab Foundation.

"While we are all responsible, the west is more equipped at the present time to reach out to the Muslim world," he said. "Countries in the west need to apply morals and values and not just self-interest in foreign policies."

Jean Rosenfeld, senior research associate at the Center for the Study of Religion at the University of California, Los Angeles and the second of three speakers, said that apocalyptic dualism - a state in which the world is divided into good and evil camps - allows no room for recognition that either side has any redeeming qualities.

"We need to listen to one another with respect if not with agreement," she said. "In nature, the presence of diversity if necessary for a healthy environment."

Philip Fraser, an active member of the Art of Living Foundation, also emphasized the importance of acknowledging differences and promoted understanding, saying that if you want to address the problems, you have to address the human beings behind them.

Fraser asked the audience, "What makes people fanatical?" He said that economic downturn and stress can cause tension and it is necessary to "alleviate the seed of conflict which builds up."

Erica Hooper, a senior majoring in history and communication, said she decided to attend because she did not know that much about Islam and wanted to comprehend the difference between the religion advocated by the terrorists and the actual principles of Islam.

"I think ignorance promotes prejudice. People need to understand more than they do now," she said.

Nels Beckman, a senior majoring in computer science, also said he was interested in Islam and religion. While Beckman said he was worried that people would come to the meeting with preconceptions, he described the event as non-biased and informative.

The town meeting concept effectively "encouraged diversity of opinion," Beckman said.

Although Smith said she would have liked more people to attend, she plans to pursue starting a USC student chapter of Americans for Informed Democracy.

She also said she intends to hold another event in the spring that will address and simultaneously promote increased understanding of another aspect of American foreign policy.

"Discussion helps replace misperceptions with facts and create more informed public dialogue," she said. "It helps to humanize rather than demonize."