YESSS! (arm pump)
A while back, PBS created a documentary about moderate Muslims and their outright rejection of Islamist and extremist ideas. Then they said, “Never mind, we’re too scared to show you.” Long story short, PBS thought they would offend various Muslims in some way or another and decided not to air something that could be politically incorrect.
But you can say a little thanks to Allah today. Oregon Public Broadcasting will be airing the show in a variety of cities. Check out this article to see if your city is included. (Those of us in Champaign probably won’t make the list.)
This triggers an entire discussion that would take up much more than this blog space. But just to get your brain going…isn’t it better to have discussions that might breed understanding and peace than to allow fear to keep us from ending negativity and (perhaps) terrorism? If no one ever spoke up about civil rights, if conversations on race were never initiated, where would we be today? Isn’t it better to risk political incorrectness (gasp!) than to ignore opinions, beliefs, and (in some cases) behaviors that risk lives? Should we all just ignore one another and retain prejudices against various religions, or should we take the time to understand varied opinions and work toward peace? As the Quran (49:13) says, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other.”
Transcend will work to obtain a copy of the film PBS doesn’t want you to see. In the meantime, I’m in the midst of a book called The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism about the spread of Saudi Wahhabism. So rest assured I will have a few things to say about Muslim extremists, even if PBS wins and I don’t get to see their film.