While the world watched the news coverage of Osama bin Laden’s death, I was thinking about a talk I heard on Friday at the City Club of Cleveland given by Dr. William A. Graham, who asked “How Do Islam & Civil Society Intersect?”
Introducing his lecture, Dr. Graham stressed how there is a large and prevailing myth of a monolithic Christian culture that is at war with a monolithic Islamic culture, which is false. For almost the last 10 years, here in the United States, that myth has been personified by the image of a group of militant Muslims who attacked the country.
It was only after the death of Osama bin Laden and the following words spoken by President Obama after the incident that gave me hope that we can break free from this hurtful myth.
“…we must also reaffirm that the United States is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.”
Muslim-Americans, who have been stereotyped and grouped together with these militants, including Osama bin Laden, following the 9/11 attacks, are also hoping that the social persecution of them in this country will lessen in the upcoming years.
All of this leads to a nice reminder posted online today by the HR Reporter on religion in workplace and how we should respect one another, especially our Muslim co-workers!
