Islamophobia

I think lectures are one of the most underrated college experiences. Many times, students, myself included, will groan about a professor requiring them to attend a lecture. Even if we are interested, squeezing something else into our schedules--especially whatever sliver of blissful free time the lecture inevitably interrupts--seems like a major pain. However, I think lectures can be really valuable. Sure, sometimes it's hit-or-miss, whether that lecture really captures my interest, but when it does, I am glad I went.

Yesterday's Islamophobia lecture by American Muslim journalist Stephen Schwartz certainly caught my interest.

Lectures about religion are really interesting to me--especially ones about how people of different religions interact. Interfaith relationships and communication are very important to me. I really appreciated Schwartz's take on what this interfaith interaction should be. He said that he expects people of other faiths to hold to and defend their religions. He also said most Muslims are fine, and expect, people to be critical towards Islam. The problem comes not in criticisms of Islam or religious defense; rather, the problem is when someone slams Islam based on false, fear-based propoganda.

Schwartz described the different facets of Islamopobia as well as its role as an industry. Islamophobes are people who think Islam is neccesarily hateful, evil, and extremist and discount the existence of a moderate Muslim majority. These people tend to think that Islam is a force that must be defeated. He believes Islamophobia is an industry--a shameful one, but one that's almost sensible, in the way that it utilizes the fear that is so abundant, especially during this time of financial crisis. In terms of media coverage, for instance, Muslim extremists are much more grabbing than Muslim moderates.

A quick Google search on Islamophobia shows what a problem it really is. The first four links seem to explain what Islamopobia is. The fifth result promotes Islamophobe as a term of pride for people who  think they're actually in the know about the religion!

Personally, I have to wonder what these Islamophobes think they are accomplishing. There seems to be something to Schwartz's point that Islamophobes thrive off conflict. Particularly interesting was his point that Islamophobes and radical Muslims fuel each other. They're in a relationship where both needs the other to exist--radicals need Islamophobes to point out the evil stance others take toward their religion and encourage action against them, Islamophobes need radicals' extreme actions to justify their fear or vitrol.

I would really have liked people who consider themsleves Islamophobes to hear this lecture. I wonder how they would respond to Schwartz's challenging words--if maybe it would sow a seed of doubt. This makes me ponder an even bigger question then--what would we all be like if we sought out lectures, or more generally, the points of view, that challenge us and oppose us?

Robert Putnam Lecture--Learning About Religion in America

As a religion minor and a religious person, yesterday's lecture by Robert Putnam was definitely of interest to me. Robert Putnam, Harvard professor and author of many books including American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unite Us, was brought to Susquehanna for the annual Alice Pope Shade Lecture. These Shade lectures typically cover the intersection of religion and public life. Putnam's lecture did just this, outline the ways in which religion impacts American social life as well as the changing religious landscape.

Putnam talked a lot about younger people and their views towards the religion. More and more, young people are falling under the category of "nones." This does not mean they are atheist. Many "nones" believe in God and pray regularly. They just do not affiliate themselves with a religion. To put this drastic change in perspective, historical levels of "nones" in America have been 5%. 31% of people under 30 are now classified as "nones."

Putnam looked at some recent history to explain the events. Basically, religion was at an all-time high at the 1950s. Then the 60s came along and there was tremendous social shifting, especially regarding sexual norms. Another group in the 70s and 80s didn't find this liberating but appalling and swung towards evangelical Protestantism. This conservative group became increasing politicized so that, now, religion often becomes identified with conservative Republican politics. A backlash against this began in 1990, with "nones" steadily increasing.

According to Putnam, this dramatic shift by younger people away from organized religion will certainly impact American public life.

I think it's always interesting to realize that you, in the present, are inside a time of history and change. This current trend away from organized religion didn't start long before I was born--it's so recent, really--but I've been living in it my entire life. It's become defining to my generation. Where we go from here is unknown, but it will alter America, maybe forever.

During the Q&A, Putnam brought up that he didn't think young people were going to change but religious offerings would. He believes that there is a large pool of people who would go to church if they didn't think that mean being Republican or homophobic; I have witnessed these conceptions and think this is true. Putnam predicts that a church may adapt to attract them--a contemporary one that is not necessarily liberal but at least apolitical, one that focuses less on issues of sex.

If Putnam is right, that means the future I'll inhabit will have a very different religious landscape than the one I've seen growing up. Or maybe the religious offerings won't adapt and "nones" will continue their rise. We simply don't know. I may have certain hopes about what might happen, but whatever does happen, Putnam suggests that America will be changed for it--as well as American democracy. This lecture made me mull over those hopes and the ramifications my generation, and the decades to come, may have.

"The Most Important Era in American History You Never Heard of, And Why It's So Important"

James Loewen has a habit of turning “common knowledge” on its head—revealing facts to be nothing more than oft-told fables.  His most popular book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, does just that, exposing outright inaccuracies as well what gets glossed over in order to provide a biased and bland historical narrative.  The summer before my senior year of high school, I was assigned the book in preparation for my AP U.S. History course.  More so than the falsehoods Loewen used as examples, I was struck by his desire to overhaul the teaching of history as a whole.  To make it less about memorizing and more about doing, students investigating and interpreting, and most importantly, discovering that history is not a definitive subject in the least.

When I visited my high school over Fall Break, I saw my AP U.S. History teacher and was excited to tell him that James Loewen was scheduled to speak at Susquehanna.   He asked if I planned to attend. 

Honestly, I hadn’t at the time, but I’m glad I went.

James Loewen’s lecture, “The Most Important Era in American History You Never Heard of, And Why It’s So Important,” focused on the nadir period of race relations from 1890 to 1940, a time of the Ku Klux Klan, lynching, construction of Confederate monuments, and most interesting to Loewen, sundown towns. 

Sundown towns were towns that purposely kept themselves all-white; minorities were restricted from the towns after nightfall.  Loewen shared with us his investigation on sundown towns, which to me seemed pretty extensive.  However, Loewen requires more research if he hopes to find sundown towns across the country—he requires us, college students and everyday citizens, to open our eyes and explore.   He asked the audience in attendance to try to find sundown towns on their own, an intimidating proposition.  What I classify as an impossibility Loewen views as my own capability—and the capability of all my fellow attendees. 

In person, Loewen proved to be of the same passion and philosophy Lies My Teacher Told Me espoused.  Perhaps this lecture shows one of the main differences between college and high school.  In high school, I read this man’s words.  He was a book, a summer assignment.  In college, he stood in front of me.  He was a person.  And just like his book, he had a lot to say and just as much to ask of us.