“There are certain groups that are unable to come to terms with the reality that 21st century America is culturally, religiously, and ethnically the most diverse country in the world. Groups that are threatened by this diversity have consistently portrayed Muslims as ‘the other.’ ” -Professor Ali Asani
American leaders who criticize the proposed Islamic community center in lower Manhattan are not only shamelessly exploiting American fears about Islam for political gain, but are fruitlessly flailing against a new demographic reality, said Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic religion and cultures at Harvard.
Asani was among the participants at a packed teach-in on Tuesday (Sept. 21) in Boylston Hall that explored why the proposed center has become such a national controversy.
“There are certain groups that are unable to come to terms with the reality that 21st century America is culturally, religiously, and ethnically the most diverse country in the world,” Asani said. “Groups that are threatened by this diversity have consistently portrayed Muslims as ‘the other.’ ”
Sponsored by a tapestry of organizations — including the Pluralism Project, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program —the teach-in tried to put the mosque controversy into historical context.
Click here to read more: A backdrop on Islam in America | Harvard Gazette Online.
Ismailimail 