Media and politics fuel the clash of civilizations

We are familiar in Turkey with the reactions to the terrorist acts in Paris. From official declarations to pro-government media, the emphasis was overwhelmingly on the perils of Islamophobia. There was an unmistakable sense of "they had it coming" in such viewpoints. On the other hand, the populist media in the West did not prove any better. Most outlets reacted to the tragedy with typical alarmism about Islam.  Mirroring their counterparts in the Islamic world, in the eyes of outlets like Murdoch's Fox TV, the real problem in Europe is the presence of an intolerant, barbaric, violent religion called Islam. Echoing the xenophobic extreme right, such voices believe that the only solution is to limit the presence of this perverse faith in Europe. In their eyes Islam is beyond salvation because most Muslims are oblivious to the problem.

Such European bias against Islam quickly finds self-validation and a mirror image in the Islamic world when conservative Muslims see Islamophobia as the main problem in Europe. This focus on what is wrong with Europe without any hint of self-criticism provides ammunition to anti-Muslims. As a result, we have a vicious cycle of polarization in both camps, with the populist media as the main driver. In the context of the United States, where the potential for misunderstanding the world is a constant fact of life, a clear example has been the usual suspect. Fox TV continues to wrestle with the unfolding crisis because of its stunning claim that large parts of Europe have become Islamic “no-go zones” for non-Muslims, including for law enforcement.

The misstep became an international punchline, with more objective observers in Europe mocking Fox News’ trademark ignorance. Thankfully, the political leadership of Europe knows better. “When I heard this, frankly, I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool’s Day,” British Prime Minister David Cameron told ITV News in reaction to Fox TV's allegations that Birmingham is a Muslim majority city and a no-go zone for non-Muslims. “This guy is clearly a complete idiot,” he said, referring to Steve Emerson, who Fox news had hosted to discuss recent terror attacks in Paris. In a rare move, Fox apologized for its “no-go zone” blunder. Yet the story continues to haunt the network: Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo announced  that the city might sue Fox News over the bogus claim that portions of Paris remain cordoned off from non-Muslims. “The image of Paris has been prejudiced, and the honor of Paris has been prejudiced,” Hidalgo told CNN.

One need not go too far to find the mirror image of FOX news in the Islamic world. In Turkey, where one would expect a more nuanced viewpoint given the fact the country is a candidate for EU membership, the government and its media had no qualms resorting to the most banal conspiracy theories. My favorite was Ankara mayor Melih Gökçek who brilliantly asserted  that Israeli intelligence is behind the Paris attacks. It did not take much to convince the mayor that Israel wanted to punish France after the French parliament voted for the recognition of a Palestinian state. According to the semi-official Anadolu news agency, Gökçek told the AKP youth branch congress last  Sunday: “Israel certainly doesn't want this sentiment to expand in Europe. That's why it is certain that Mossad is behind these kinds of incidents. Mossad inflames Islamophobia by causing such incidents.” The mayor would be funnier if he were just a marginal figure and not in charge of the capital of Turkey. His words also reflect how the pro-government media interpreted the Paris attacks. This conspiracy prone mindset is also the same one that the omnipresent president Erdogan displayed by referring to "games being played by Western powers targeting the Muslim world" in his own creative interpretation of the attacks. So much for Turkish solidarity with the West in the face of Jihadist terrorism.

Luckily, the conservatives are not the only voices in Europe and the Islamic world. The conservatives are often countered by progressives willing to offer a more nuanced picture. The socialist government of Hollande emphasized all the right points in pointing out that the terrorists did not represent Islam. In addition to the left, the powerful green parties of Europe are also much more concerned about a vicious cycle of violence unless we stop blaming Islam as a religion.

Similarly, progressive intellectuals in the Muslim world were quick to point out that this is no the time to talk about Islamophobia and showed no ambiguity in condemning the heinous act of terror. Herein lies the main difference between the conservatives and progressives: while the former tend to see religion as the source of the conflict, the latter see it merely as the instrument that mobilizes masses. The progressives, in that sense, are much more focused and concerned about the social, economic, political roots of the problem.

Ultimately, this is why both the Islamic world and the West need to go beyond the absurdity of Fox TV and its Muslim mirror image in the words of Ankara's mayor. It is time to realize that the clash of civilizations is not fueled by religion. Instead it is the populist media and politicians who are to blame.
 
 

Tags: NULL