Sanchez: Wanted: Calm, credible voice to soothe Americans’ fear of Islam

By Mary Sanchez

Here's a job posting worthy of only the most stellar applicants. Only those rare individuals with near-superhuman powers to untangle the crossed circuitry in the American mindset need apply.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council is seeking “high-energy candidates” for a communications coordinator.

Yes, the American Muslim community needs a Walter Cronkite, conceded Haris Tarin, a director in the council's Washington office. Muslims need a representative with the credibility to soothe and educate their suspicious countrymen. Despite consistently condemning acts of terrorism, American Muslims find that the

No. 1 charge against them is that they do not denounce terrorism.

As Tarin and others point out, Muslims in the United States do not control their story telling. And far too often, they leave a vacuum only too readily filled by those who view Muslims as anti-Christian terror suspects first, foremost and sometimes completely.

Muslims need to imprint a more positive image in the public mind, and the best way to do that is by pointing out more effectively who they are, rather than taking a defensive posture.

What are they up against? Consider this advertisement a Baptist church in St. Cloud, Minn., recently placed in the local newspaper. The text fit under the heading “Does the Islamic religion represent a threat to America?” Among other idiotic statements, the ad darkly warned that in 30 years the U.S. Muslim population will be 50 million. How will a community that numbers only 2.35 million today achieve that feat? Through “immigration, reproduction, education, the government, illegal drugs and by supporting the gay agenda,” the ad said.

So why is a nice U.S.-born Christian newspaper columnist concerned that the American Muslim community get a fair hearing? And why should all non-Muslims of good will want the same? It's simple. Minority groups under attack need allies from the broader majority. And when members of the mainstream help, they strengthen social bonds that help draw these minorities into civic participation. To put it another way, I believe that keeping America safe from Muslim extremists will require the help and cooperation of patriotic American Muslims. Why denigrate your best allies? Just what is this Muslim Public Affairs Council, you may wonder. Among other useful things, it published what may be the most comprehensive explanation I've read on how Muslims become radicalized. But I'll bet few people are aware that the 2009 document discussing the “market for martyrs” exists. “Building Bridges to Strengthen America” is available at the council's Web site, www.mpac.org

Many Americans believe Muslims are

unable and unwilling to assimilate - a charge that has been leveled against almost every non-Anglo immigrant group at some point in history.

Despite being a largely immigrant group (two-thirds of adult Muslims are foreign-born), a Pew Research Center study found most Muslims think they should adopt American customs and do not see a conflict between Islam and living in modern society. Muslim Americans are the most racially diverse of any religious group in the country, and Muslim American women are second only to Jewish American women in educational attainment.

I'm pretty well read about issues pertaining to immigrants, yet I've never heard any of those statistics. They're facts worth building an image campaign around. Applications are due Monday.

n Comments: msanchez@

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