When the aim of the television station you founded is to combat negative stereotypes about Muslims, perhaps you shouldn’t get arrested for beheading your wife.
According to CNN, Muzzammil Hassan is accused in the beheading death of his wife, Aasiya Hassan. Here’s the catch: Mr. Hassan is the founder of Bridges TV – a television station aimed at Muslims inside the United States and designed to combat negative stereotypes about the Islamic faith and Muslim people.
Still don’t grasp what’s wrong with this situation? Ok, I’ll lay it out. Do a Google search using the terms “Muslim” and “beheading.” You’ll find about 844,000 entries. A quick scan of the top results indicates that after the story about Mr. Hassan, most of them are talking about incidents where Islamic terrorists beheaded people or planned to decapitate people in the name of Allah. Naturally, when such a barbaric act is so often associated with a group (and I don’t just mean associated with the lunatic fringe of that group. I mean associated with the whole of the group.), a lot of people are going to get the idea that Muslims are America-hating killers. It didn’t help that before and during the Iraq war, the Bush administration launched a fear campaign trying to convince Americans that the Muslim extremists behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York were the norm.
Bridges TV was trying to combat those stereotypes. It was trying to show its viewers that Muslims are generally good people. But you set your cause back when you get arrested for beheading your wife. In fact, Mr. Hassan completely killed the cause of Bridges TV by getting arrested.
Even if he’s not guilty of beheading his wife, I’m afraid the damage is done. His name and faith will forever be tied to the decapitation of his wife.
The mission of Bridges TV is a noble one. Someone had to combat the lies the Bush administration and its cohorts at Fox Noise (as Keith Olbermann so eloquently puts it) spread about the Islamic faith and its practicioners. But all the work the station since its founding in 2004 has been undone, simply because Mr. Hassan APPEARS to be associated with the beheading of his wife.
And that’s a goddamn shame.
1 Comment
February 18, 2009 at 6:36 am
This is very most challenging; in fact challenge is not the word; it is very difficult to express or what to say, really this is one of the very difficult moments of our lifetime to have this happening
I just don’t have any words to say since I am truly at a loss of words completely; I sincerely hope my perspective is understood for why I am unable to express any words
I am overcome by profound sadness and experience grief and lament with a sense of extreme sorrow
Sometimes, I wonder where is Humanity heading? How could this ever happen?
How could these things ever happen?
All our sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with the Aasiya Hassan’s Children and Family
May God give them the strength to face this challenging time with courage; Peace
Sympathy and Sincere Condolences
With extreme sadness and distress;
Vashi