The Quran and Sensationalism
Published in Folha
(Brazil) on 8 September 2010
by Clóvis Rossi (link to original)
A recent attempt in worldwide sensationalist journalism gave space to a lunatic named Terry Jones who invented "Burn a Quran Day," scheduled for Sept. 11, the date of the attacks on the twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon in 2001.
After being put on Facebook, this spread like wildfire.
It is far too late to contextualize the matter and show that Jones represents no one and stands for nothing. According to Folha's Washington correspondent Andrea Murta, the church, “Dove World Outreach,” which created the event, has only 50 followers.
Gainesville, the small town in Florida where Jones resides, has only 114,000 inhabitants and is of no political relevance in the state, let alone the country.
It is obvious that the madman was seeking his 15 minutes of fame by launching “Burn a Quran” Day. He achieved much more. The Spanish newspaper El Pais had the following headline at the top of its front page on Wednesday: "World in Alarm by the Announcement of a Public Burning of the Quran Next 11-S [Sept. 11]."
I'm not able to say whether or not there was a "global alarm," but General David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, was quite alarmed himself. He said, "We’re concerned that the images from the burning of a Quran would be used ... by those who wish us ill, to incite violence ... around the world.”
This is what happens when journalism treats mere tall tales (dangerous, but tall tales nonetheless) as newsworthy and serious. At the very most, the case of "pastor" Jones should be placed under the "faits divers" section — alongside, for example, the threat of Maradona parading naked if Argentina were to become World Cup champions.
It is evident that sensationalist journalism jumped on the Islamophobia bandwagon, a truly disturbing and uncomfortable trend that goes beyond just the United States. However, to choose as representative of this trend the threat of a madman lost in the suburbs of Florida is to jump into an abyss.
Not even the reactionary tea party movement went to the extremes of sending the Muslim holy book into the fires of hell.
There is the risk of no longer discussing the relevant — for example, the controversy surrounding the construction of a mosque in the vicinity of "ground zero," the center of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
In this case, yes, the sensibilities of each side are raw. Let's do away with the sensationalism.
Not coincidentally, a poll was just released — relating to Latin America, but I suppose applicable to the United States — which at first shows what is already known: Viewers trust television news: 61.9 percent say that television news is very trustworthy, compared to 9.2 percent who say untrustworthy.
No news there. Here is where the link to the "pastor" comes in: Those surveyed said that television news is the best tool for the government to listen to them. Traditional methods (going to Congress, the courts or executive authorities directly) are not as efficient in reaching the ears of those in power.
Therefore, the second tool used to be heard are street demonstrations, preferably with blockades. Those surveyed say this is how one can get on TV and, by extension, reach the powerful.
Obviously, Terry Jones will never be heard, if the journalism that at times walks hand-in-hand with sensationalism does not show the burning of the Qurans.
After being put on Facebook, this spread like wildfire.
It is far too late to contextualize the matter and show that Jones represents no one and stands for nothing. According to Folha's Washington correspondent Andrea Murta, the church, “Dove World Outreach,” which created the event, has only 50 followers.
Gainesville, the small town in Florida where Jones resides, has only 114,000 inhabitants and is of no political relevance in the state, let alone the country.
It is obvious that the madman was seeking his 15 minutes of fame by launching “Burn a Quran” Day. He achieved much more. The Spanish newspaper El Pais had the following headline at the top of its front page on Wednesday: "World in Alarm by the Announcement of a Public Burning of the Quran Next 11-S [Sept. 11]."
I'm not able to say whether or not there was a "global alarm," but General David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, was quite alarmed himself. He said, "We’re concerned that the images from the burning of a Quran would be used ... by those who wish us ill, to incite violence ... around the world.”
This is what happens when journalism treats mere tall tales (dangerous, but tall tales nonetheless) as newsworthy and serious. At the very most, the case of "pastor" Jones should be placed under the "faits divers" section — alongside, for example, the threat of Maradona parading naked if Argentina were to become World Cup champions.
It is evident that sensationalist journalism jumped on the Islamophobia bandwagon, a truly disturbing and uncomfortable trend that goes beyond just the United States. However, to choose as representative of this trend the threat of a madman lost in the suburbs of Florida is to jump into an abyss.
Not even the reactionary tea party movement went to the extremes of sending the Muslim holy book into the fires of hell.
There is the risk of no longer discussing the relevant — for example, the controversy surrounding the construction of a mosque in the vicinity of "ground zero," the center of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
In this case, yes, the sensibilities of each side are raw. Let's do away with the sensationalism.
Not coincidentally, a poll was just released — relating to Latin America, but I suppose applicable to the United States — which at first shows what is already known: Viewers trust television news: 61.9 percent say that television news is very trustworthy, compared to 9.2 percent who say untrustworthy.
No news there. Here is where the link to the "pastor" comes in: Those surveyed said that television news is the best tool for the government to listen to them. Traditional methods (going to Congress, the courts or executive authorities directly) are not as efficient in reaching the ears of those in power.
Therefore, the second tool used to be heard are street demonstrations, preferably with blockades. Those surveyed say this is how one can get on TV and, by extension, reach the powerful.
Obviously, Terry Jones will never be heard, if the journalism that at times walks hand-in-hand with sensationalism does not show the burning of the Qurans.
There is hardly any religious book so much read and even taken to heart as the Quran. What is missing now is few learn its meanings and by that token deprive them from gathering myriad divine blessings and abundant gifts. The pervasive ignorance, poverty, disease, backwardness and blaming the West for left out from the global mainstream, can be regained from Quran’s guidance and blessings. Let us make a start from the beginning. Jesus Christ commanded: Give me my today’s bread.” The Qur’an delivers it and teaches how to. There is the example of Moses underlined when he took flight from Pharaoh’s Egypt. He invocated: “O my Sustainer! Whatever provision for me lies with You I am in dire need of it.” The response came instantly. Earlier Moses caused unintentionally the death of an Egyptian. He at once repented, saying: This is an act of the Satan. O my Sustainer, I have done a wrong to myself, forgive me.’ God at once forgave him. Prophet amplified meanings of Quran mostly through supplications. Islam can help Americans ending unemployment through this divinely approved invocation: “O my God! Make rightly earned earnings sufficient over the wrong and make me self-sufficient out of Your own self.” This is putting the onus on God to, first, provide employment suiting each individual and then bless it to cover ever rising cost of living and finally making the person self-sufficient. If I were to migrate to America, I would most certainly share this supplication with the fellow Americans God multiplies charity by 700 times (70,000 per cent). If as an American I was getting this reward, I would be a lunatic to torch this beacon. American renowned universities would interpret this seemingly incredible stimulus and blight usury from America’s economy. Islam did this immediately after announcing this stimulus. And American charities would share in the belief that there is no reckoning in God’s bounty. Nobody would go for loans for house-building. Giving dollars 100 every month in charity beginning from the near relations would multiply at year’s end to dollars 840,000. This how baggery got eradicated in Egypt, Persia, Syria and what the Arabs called ‘Maghrib.” Wait a while. Here is a heart-throbbing and touching message: “Who responds to a miserable person in his affliction and removes the affliction. Is there any other deity besides Him? Very few, indeed, heed to this message.” Messages, such as this, draw tears of gratitude to the Most Merciful God. God has made it mandatory to the well-off for a share of their wealth to the beggar and the deprived with the promise, of course to multiply t manifold, even more than 700 times. In light of such benevolence, it is sheer stupidity to insist on defying popular uproar and outcry against the mosque and a greater stupidity to add a center to it for abstract purposes. I must add a word about the misconception of “Jihad.” The “Jihad” came to an end after the last expedition of the Prophet. ‘We are now,” said he, “moving towards a greater jihad, meaning learning of Islam’s messages and shining light of these for others to benefit from them.” Islam prohibits a person to leave parents even for going abroad for improving their luck. Parent’s permission is a prerequisite. The talk of “Jihad” and its practice by Taliban and other militant outfits is nonsense. America’s biggest weapon was to mount a propaganda machine and let the learned scholars offer to the militants a better substitute to gaining their ends. For instance, America happens to be the best country in the world history to inform and guide the combatants that negotiations to end the combat is possible only through the democratic way of having a clear mandate from the people. This is what the British, thankfully, did before their departure from the colonies. Pakistan’s creation was the result of an overwhelming mandate that Mr. Jinnah carried at the transfer of power in the sub-continent. This what Palestinians need most at this crucial moment?