Religion and Theology

In my view, the information presented in this media article indeed represents issues of racism. The article represents Muslims in an awkward context, particularly the Muslims who were involved in the Swiss referendum. The article presents the reason of the referendum as though the Muslims were posing a threat to the entire Swiss population. Although the author expresses wonder of a majority 57 voting to ban the symbol of the Muslim residents, this referendum presents a lot of prejudice and racist themes against the community of Islam. Matters of religion have taken a center stage in the entire article where different groups have been presented as independent entities within the same locality due to religion and the faith of each and every person. The Swiss referendum is a very painful irony and more in particular to the Muslim community (Sener, par. 1-3).

Everything related to Islam was set as a target n the Swiss referendum. The context in which this article is set highlights the negativities in the Islamic faith. We can never know the reason as to why the author of the article slightly touches on other religions like the Roman Catholic Church, the Buddhists and concentrate more about the Islamic community. Bosnia by being independent in this context is considered not natural just because there are fears that it would be the only country with Muslims in the entire Europe. The European officials though in a painful way were devoted in restoring Christianity in Europe. The feelings which come by reading this article do not provoke any feeling of sympathy to the Muslim community. There is a reason given for the way things have turned out for the Muslims and thus justifies the reason for the kind of suffering they have been found to go through (Sener, par. 22-5).  This is especially in matters of arms possession as discussed concerning Bosnia. The European officials are convicted that an increased arms possession in such Muslim environments will only lead to bloodshed.

The current president of France in the article does not really seem to care much about the Swiss referendum but instead is in the fore front of promoting Christian culture in what for some time now can be termed as a democratic state. The agony continues when the chief mosque in town is damaged with graffiti. This is a great insult to the honor and pride that the Muslim community has for its worship center. The people protest by writing on the mosque that the nation of France is solely for the French. The anti-Muslim movement apparently is being allowed and supported all through as the reported in the article. Obamas campaign for presidency as well as the use of the identity of Muslim is represented as an insult also. There is a feeling that there is a war of the Muslim against all. There is a problem in the relationship between the Americans and Islam that is evident in the article. This has shown negative feelings towards the Muslim community where the young Americans of the Muslim faith are not accepted to serve in Congress as interns (Sener, par. 3-4).

Sarah Palin in the article refers to Muslim as those opposed to Christ and that the alliance between neo-conservatives and affiliates of the Evangelical churches of the south is termed as unholy. There is a perception held that the Christian faith is more superior that the Muslim faith. The matter is so serious and has seen the inclusion of these struggles in the political arena. This is how racism has become serious as we read down the article. Calls have been made from reverend Franklin Graham and his associate to ban the religion of Islam as they claim it is violent as preaching goes on against them similar to the ones of the ancient times against the blacks, the Asians among others in the United States of America (Sener, par. 5).

Racism in British Newspapers
The newspapers read in England today portray particular British Muslims in situations that emphasize problems (Poole, par. 1-3). These are more in particular like in the case of the bombing in 2005. Those that declare publicly that they are Muslims have been termed as a threat to the society. There is a problem that is shown in the purpose for which British newspapers can encode implications to arguments designed to bring out preferred meanings. The press in Britain makes use of such words like Islam and Muslim in the same meaning as terrorism to identify criminals through affiliations of religion (Allen, pp. 23 -33). This entirely gives a misrepresentation of culture even though reading is entirely an individual as well as an isolated endeavor.

There have been cries inside and outside the Muslim community to urge reporters in newspapers to enforce and make an adaptation of a higher commitment of fairness as well as balance in commentaries together with reportage (Said, pp. 138 - 213). The press in England however should not be regarded as the reason for the conflict that has amounted to racism but has indeed played a significant duty in propagating the emotional rhetoric as well as hatred.  When the audience identifies with the person or the source of information, there is a likelihood of an identification made with the message consequently. In fact, this is a misconception as well as a lack of knowledge of the culture of an individual as well as religion that produces ignorance due to prejudice held by people (Aisha, pp. 46-66). The society in which we live is a multi-cultural as well as multi-racial although it is very imperative not to easily agree with the notion. It is therefore of great importance if people could learn more about the beliefs, cultures and ways of life of each other.

Annotated Bibliography
Aisha Ijaz a Tahir Abbas (2010), (Re) turn to religion and radical Islam From Abbas T (eds), Muslim Britain, Communities under pressure, London  Zed books, 2010, pp. 46 - 73

The author presents the results of a research of the changes in attitude that parents have had in the learning and education of the young Muslims in England. There are a lot of differences that are evident through this research work concerning the education of Muslims and other matters pertinent to marriage. The author presents very difficult matters of religion and identity amidst the Muslim communities as perceived in the entire land of Britain.

There is a picture of racist activities occurring in the report that is presented by the author in this case. This research work is very crucial in understanding how the general public in England views the Islamic world by making sure that they have limited chances to learning and education more specifically as seen with the young women Muslims.

Allen, Chris, From race to religion  The new face of discrimination in Abbas T (eds), Muslim Britain, Communities under pressure, London  Zed books, 2005 pp. 23-33

Allen is a writer in academics, commentator as well as a blogger and at times can be found in the broadcast house. In this piece of work, the author shows how the degree of discrimination has become very high through the making of preferred meaning in the British resources. The Muslim faith here has been connected to terrorism and security threats as the media presents through newspaper articles.

This is a very good piece of work that can be used to state out clearly how transition goes through from the messenger and the reader to the message and the reader. The implications made in the media sources have been propagated into the mind of the reader which takes this as the true picture of the Islam community.

Krueger, Joachim, Personal Beliefs and Cultural stereotypes about racial characteristics, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1996, 71, 536-546

Krueger presents the beliefs that people have towards others what he refers to as social stereotypes. This is the beliefs held concerning the culture and practice of a particular group of people by others. The author indicates the possibility of either having the wrong or right impression about a particular person or group is depended on the source of information which led to that conclusion.

People tend to take to their culture and orientation as the best or superior compared to others. The beliefs and convictions that an individual has towards another may be strongly attached to that person to a point where they cannot be revoked no matter what effort is applied. This could be a dangerous aspect if the belief is not true.
  
Poole, Elizabeth, Media representation and British Muslims (April 2000). 19 Oct. 2005. 13th Apr. 2010 httpwww.al-bab.commediaarticlespoole0005.htm

Poole lecturers in the area of Media as well as Cultural Studies in the Humanities together with the school of Social Science, in the UKs Staffordshire University. He presents the debates that have been there concerning how the media has given Muslim a negative image. He asserts that the various experiences of oppression and colonialism have led to political Islam. The west has therefore made Islam an enemy as a result according to Poole. The media as presented here seem to take over the story that Islam is a threat to the West.

The representation of Islam is consequently seen as predominantly negative as well as reductive. The image put across is that the mention of the word Islam or Muslim implies terrorism or a threat.  There is increased fear of the Muslim community that the media has impacted into the society and the people have essentially held convictions in that as concluded in this work.

Said, Edward.  HYPERLINK httpwww.amazon.co.ukCovering-Islam-Media-Experts-Determinedp009959501Xrefcm_cr_pr_orig_subj Covering Islam How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World  USA Vintage 1981, pp. 138-213

Basically, Said has covered the manner in which the West views Islam. The western writers and the media in general have propagated a certain notion that Muslim is not trustworthy in matters of peace and harmonious existence. This is a very valuable piece of work for any individual with the desire to establish how the West and Islam relate. It gives light into the matters that have led to the false allegations that have been made towards the Muslim community

The writers as Said presents them apparently have a pre-judgment sort of spirit that guides their way in coming up with any information concerning the Islam. In conclusion, Said says that the culture of Muslims has therefore been judged through false misrepresentations by the media.
ener, Aktrk  Mujeeb, R. Khan, How Western Anti-Muslim Bigotry became Respectable The Historic Roots of a Newly Resilient Ideology 03 Jan. 2010. 13th Apr. 2010.httpwww.todayszaman.comtz-webnews-197361-109-centerhow-western-anti-muslim-bigotry-became-respectable-the-historic-roots-of-a-newly-resilient-ideologybr-i-by-i-brsener-akturk-mujeeb-r-khancenter.html

As a postdoctoral fellow, in Davis Center for Russian as well as Eurasian Studies, Sener has really focused on the challenges and suffering that the Muslim community has faced in the politics as well as societies of Europe. The author captures the image portrayed by all leaders in Europe from one generation to another and how the entire Muslim community has been regarded as a threat to peace all over Europe.

The work here is very comprehensive giving detailed information that can be useful in determining the origin of the plight of Muslims  and how hatred has been propagated all through towards the Muslim community.