The media has been so caught up in the fallout from Sept. 11 that they have often sidelined the multi-faith gatherings and efforts undertaken to promote tolerance and understanding, said Raheel Raza at the Islamic Colloquium for Peace held this past Tuesday at OISE.
Raza, along with Farhan Khokhar and Mirza Mohammed Afzel, was one of three speakers lecturing on Islam and the struggle of Muslims to assert the faith as an egalitarian and peace-loving religion in the wake of widespread misrepresentation in the media. “War begins in the minds of men… and the media plays a powerful role in shaping attitudes,” the media consultant and freelance journalist said, adding that the media have a responsibility to society to present a fair and balanced story.
Claiming that the media has engaged in “propaganda,” Raza stated that the long-standing Canadian tradition of free press has become an outlet for jingoism instead of journalism.
The media, Raza claimed, are influenced by profit-seeking corporations. By hyping up conflict, Raza said the international media has dealt the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims a staggering blow by portraying them all as extremists promoting jihad. Raza recalled the publicity surrounding Jerry Falwell’s recent interview, in which he called the Prophet Muhammad a terrorist.
Raza encouraged the Muslim community to get involved in discussions and debates about religion and to join hands with other faiths toward the common goal of peace. She also encouraged young Muslims to get involved in the media and ensure that their voices are heard. After all, Raza said, “in the rhetoric of peace, a single peaceful word is better than thousands [of negative words].”
