The Dreaded Backlash Against Muslims

 
Are University of Oklahoma Muslims concerned that some of their community, in association with Joel Hinrichs, may have been planning to blow up a crowd of football spectators?

Not if you believe Hossam Barakat, an OU Arabic instructor. His concern is — wait for it — a backlash against Muslims. People might just get the wrong idea.

According to The Oklahoma Daily:

	Now, after the public has seen Hinrichs’ picture and heard that Muslims were questioned by law enforcement agencies, Barakat is more concerned that some people are connecting dots that aren’t there.
	“Of course [I’m afraid] of the social reaction,” Barakat said… “I believe everyone is so worried now about what is going to happen.”
	Adeel Khan, former Muslim Student Association president and psychology and mathematics junior, said he comes to the mosque “pretty often” and also said he had never heard of Hinrichs or seen him at the mosque.
	Khan also said he is worried about people connecting bits of information to establish a false relationship between Hinrichs and Muslims because stereotyping is already so prevalent.

“Stereotyping is so prevalent”??? When a particular religion is so over-represented among explosive-makers, beheaders, killers of children, and suicide bombers, what can you do to stereotype it any further?

How many Christian suicide bombers have you heard of? But, then again, perhaps there is a media conspiracy to keep silent about them.

	Ashraf Hussein, president of Muslim Student Association and petroleum and electrical engineering junior, said he is disturbed by the media’s focus.
	“(Hinrichs) had a Muslim roommate; he had a Muslim roommate — that’s all they’re mentioning,” Hussein said.
	Barakat agreed, saying people are afraid of the media because it appears they take information and change it for their purposes. He said the event’s specific social dynamics worsen the situation.
	“It’s considered very Middle Eastern, the way (Hinrichs) killed himself or tried to kill others,” he said. “It’s different from someone taking a machine gun and killing everyone.”

Well, duh. It is a very Middle Eastern thing to do. And suicide bombing is a very Muslim thing to do. There’s simply nobody else doing it.

He’s right about one thing: the media do take information and change it for their purposes. But their purpose is usually to convince us that Muslims are peace-loving folks who mean us no harm.

Nothing to see here, folks. Just move along.