Times Change but Same Focus!
November 1, 2009
Times Change but Same Focus – William G. Gepford, American-Arab Relations
As I was reading through some materials in preparation for a public gathering, I came across some rather sage advice from one of our nation’s leaders.
He cautioned the nation to be neutral, and particularly to “observe good faith and justice toward all nations,” and to “cultivate peace and harmony with all.” He particularly admonished all Americans to avoid “permanent, inveterate antipathies” against particular nations and “passionate attachments” for others. A passionate attachment toward a favored nation produces, he pointed out, “a variety of evils”; sympathy for the favored nation facilitates “the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists.”
“By infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter,” without justification. Then, we were in the process of divesting ourselves from the authority of the British Crown. And it should be noted that in the annals of the founding of our country there is no mention of a Muslim presence, although some 10% of the plantation slaves were Muslim at that time.
This advice was given by George Washington in his Farewell Address published on September 19, 1796. This could have been said by almost any wise leader over the past 100 years in regard to our relationships in the world of Islam. And we have yet to fully understand and appreciate Islamic culture.
Several studies on the now global Muslim population have crossed my desk over the past month. All of them point to its consistent growth. Although all claim to have done the most complete study, none of them agree on the size of this global population. And depending upon which report one reads, the U.S. Muslim population ranges from 1.6 to 9 million, including Asians and African Americans. What they do agree on is that the Muslim epicenter is in Asia rather than the Middle East! But, regardless of the numbers, we need to take our Muslim presence seriously.
Pope Benedict once said that the work of justice in a free society is the work of politics. In our country that means a coalition of believers of all faiths and nonbelievers who would work together for justice. For this to happen we must abandon the sectarian and ideological divisions of recent decades and emphasize the hope and creativity of coalitions.
As Christians, we need to follow the teachings of Jesus who gave up his life in the effort to lift up the poor, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and care for the sick. He was passionate in challenging injustice in the civil as well as the religious communities.
Are we as able to maintain this focus in the 21st century, proclaiming “good news to the poor?” (Luke 4:18).
