تسجيل الدخول

مشاهدة النسخة كاملة : Jews Do Not Have A Monopoly On Semitism



مقاوم
04-07-2007, 09:14 AM
Jews Do Not Have A Monopoly On Semitism


Ignorance Incubates Fear And Hatches Hatred



It has always bothered me to see the term “anti-Semitism” being misused and misinterpreted. Normally, I (like thousands of Arab Americans) just shrug it off and turn a shoulder of indifference to the whole issue. Among Arab Americans, it is widely believed that the Media is totally dominated and fully controlled by ‘Zionists’ (at worst) or by Arab and/or Muslim haters (at best). This conception has resulted in a strong sense of mistrust towards the media on one hand, and an equally strong feeling of despair of any positive change taking place to improve the image of Islam in general and Arabs in particular and the way they are portrayed in the Media on the other.


Arabs are equal partners of Jews in Semitism, but don’t take my word for it! Here’s what the experts have to say:
- Semite: a member of the group of peoples including Arabs and Jews. (Webster’s Universal Dictionary, 1993 Geddes & Grosset Ltd, New Lanark, Scotland)
- Semite: originally one of a people believed to be descended from Shem, son of Noah. Later the term came to include the following peoples: Arabs; the Akkadians of ancient Babylonia; the Assyrians; the Canaanites (including Amorites, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, and Phoenicians); the various Aramaean tribes (including Hebrews); and a considerable portion of the population of Ethiopia. These peoples are grouped under the term Semite, chiefly because their languages were found to be related, deriving presumably from a common tongue, Semitic. The Semites were largely nomadic pastoralists, although some settled in villages. At least as early as 2500 B.C., the Semites had begun to leave the Arabian peninsula in successive waves of migration that took them to Mesopotamia, the Mediterranean coast, and the Nile delta. They were organized into patrilineal tribes, occupying defined territories and ruled by hereditary leaders, or sheiks. In Mesopotamia, Semitic people from the earliest times were in contact with Sumerian civilization and with the rise of Sargon of Agade (Akkad) and Hammurabi of Babylon were able to dominate it completely (see Sumer). In Phoenicia the Semitic population developed a widespread maritime trade and became the first great seafaring people. That group of Hebrews that had been diverted through Sinai into the Nile delta settled at last with other Semitic inhabitants in Palestine. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001)
- Semites: are people who speak a Semitic language, such as Arabic or Hebrew. … Semitic people gave the world the alphabet and the idea of one God. Three great religions-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam- originated among Semitic peoples. … The word anti-Semitism means hatred of Jews or prejudice against Jews. But the term is misleading because not all Jews are Semites, and Semites include not only Jews but also Arabs and other peoples. (The World Book Ecyclopedia, 1978, World Book-Childcraft International, Inc.-USA)


We tend to take many of the terms and definitions used by the Media at face value without question or scrutiny. ‘Anti-Semitism’ is one such term. It is high time that we correct the use and interpretation of anti-Semitism. Hate Crimes against Muslims are on the rise nationwide. Mosques are being attacked, some burnt to the ground. Individuals, especially Muslim women, are being harassed, hassled, and discriminated against. And in the increasingly diverse and complex society that we live in, it becomes paramount that we take concrete steps towards educating ourselves and others about the different people we come in daily contact with. We must build bridges of understanding and respect between ‘Us’ and ‘Them’. Ignorance is a major cause of fear. And fear from the unknown almost always results in hate.


I have always been a firm a believer in the old wisdom; that it is far better to light just one candle than to curse the darkness. I invite anyone who is interested in improving the general moral fabric of our society to help in this process of building bridges and to position themselves in such a way that they become part of the solution and not part of the problem.