Why bother with bigots?
On The Beat
By WONG CHUN WAI
For the first time ever, media organisations are asking themselves whether religious extremists deserve space and air time in their newspapers, online portals and television.IT’S a lesson for media organisations all over the world: Does a pastor of a tiny church who threatens to burn copies of the Quran deserve the kind of coverage that has now provoked so much anger?
The unheard of pastor, who is said to make a living selling furniture online, has achieved international notoriety because he was given the soapbox by the media.
He has cleverly, if not deviously, played the media with his well-crafted statements. He has now decided to call off the burning.
But the damage has been done. Pastor Terry Jones has stoked up enough emotions, especially among radical Muslims in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have seized the opportunity to stage riots.
Now, some news organisations are saying they would not cover Jones if he decides to proceed with his original plan. Even CNN commentators have said that this rabble-rouser does not deserve media coverage.
They have described him as an idiot and a jerk and that they (the media) should simply switch off the microphones and lighting outside his church. Well said.
Jones’ hysterical plan has placed minority Christians in many countries in a precarious position. Their lives are in danger if the government in their countries remain indifferent to angry Muslims who lump any Christian in the same category as Jones.
President Barack Obama is right in saying that the plan by Jones has been a “recruitment bonanza” for al-Qaeda.
In Malaysia, we have our fair share of extremists who fan racial emotions with their hurtful words and statements.
Obviously, these egomaniacs enjoy reading about themselves in newspapers and online portals but the question is whether the media need to encourage these communal champions by giving them the platform.
Some would say that they are entitled to express their views, no matter how much we disagree with them, in the name of freedom of speech. It’s a tough call to make, some leaders admit, when it comes to question of expression.
That was precisely the initial argument forwarded by many on the position of Jones. Even the US president was totally helpless in dealing with the situation since the right to freedom of expression is clearly stipulated in the US Constitution.
The consequences of Jones’ actions were never thought of until angry reactions broke out worldwide. Only then did the Americans realise that their lives could be in danger if there was a backlash from Muslims.
In short, terrible things could happen and the thought of standing up for an idiot’s right of expression no longer seemed so noble and practical.
Suddenly, it dawned on the media that the idea of giving Jones the platform wasn’t so clever after all, no matter how good his sound bites have been, particularly in giving the annual Sept 11 anniversary coverage a fresh spin.
For sure, Jones has made good copy for the media and right-wing politicians have also been quick to jump on the bandwagon. But the point is that extremists, religious fanatics and racial bigots must never be allowed to hijack the platform.
No level-headed Christian would agree with the Florida pastor. It is good that the majority of Christian groups have spoken up clearly and strongly against him.
We must stand together to speak for what we believe in. There is no need to be apologetic even if those that we speak up against could be members of our faith or race. There is only right and wrong.
The extremists in Malaysia are the same. We need to dissociate ourselves unequivocally from those who preach hatred and trample on goodwill instead of building bridges to bring Malaysians together.
It is encouraging to hear top leaders from Umno openly saying “no” to Perkasa on the eve of Hari Raya. It is the strongest ever statement from Umno leaders in distancing themselves from the group that has caused much concern among Malaysians.
Malaysia was built on the politics of moderation and accommodation. It has kept the nation glued even during times that we seem so flawed.
But we have managed race relations reasonably well and Malaysians live amicably together, taking better care of this themselves than politicians and the self-appointed champions of our races.
Similarly, it is good to hear the majority of Christians saying that they would not condone Quran-burning pastors and churches.
And certainly, for the first time ever, media organisations are asking themselves whether religious extremists deserve space and air time in their newspapers, online portals and television.
Most of us would agree – don’t encourage them.
9/11 Koran burning: pastor exploited freedoms his countrymen are fighting to protect
As far as David Gergen, a former adviser to Ronald Reagan was concerned, Pastor Terry Jones was worse than a mere publicity seeker.
Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla Photo: AP
“He’s a jerk for putting his country through this,” Mr Gergen said on television as news broke that the book-burning had been cancelled.
There will have been many agreeing in the corridors of power. The administration watched dismayed as a nobody from a tiny church in Florida threatened to further endanger the lives of US troops and indeed Americans everywhere.
In the flames of a few burning books, the pastor could have extinguished what little progress President Barack Obama had made in building bridges with the Muslim world. Though the sigh of relief in Washington at the pastor’s climb-down was almost audible, he has already caused enough damage to keep American forces and embassies on heightened alert for some time.
To enemies of the United States, it was a gift. In the age of the internet, the fact that it was a gift provided by a pastor who cannot pay his mortgage and had a congregation of only a few dozen was irrelevant. It was a controversy that could only happen in United States. There are few, if any, countries in the world with constitutional protections that allow someone to burn holy books, or the American flag for that matter.
There are few if any countries with sufficient ease of assembly to allow thousands of fire-breathing pastors to preach across the nation. Mr Jones endangered the lives of his countrymen by exploiting the freedoms they are striving to preserve on the battlefield.
It must be puzzling for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps in the bazaars of Kabul and Kandahar his actions may start a debate on the limits of free speech. We can only hope.
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To enemies of the United States, it was a gift. In the age of the internet, the fact that it was a gift provided by a pastor who cannot pay his mortgage and had a congregation of only a few dozen was irrelevant. It was a controversy that could only happen in United States. There are few, if any, countries in the world with constitutional protections that allow someone to burn holy books, or the American flag for that matter.
There are few if any countries with sufficient ease of assembly to allow thousands of fire-breathing pastors to preach across the nation. Mr Jones endangered the lives of his countrymen by exploiting the freedoms they are striving to preserve on the battlefield.
It must be puzzling for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps in the bazaars of Kabul and Kandahar his actions may start a debate on the limits of free speech. We can only hope.
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Don’t give face to bigots who go too far
September 14, 2010
I WISH to commend Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai and The Star for the enlightening article, “ Why bother with bigots?” (Sunday Star, Sept 12) which argues that rabble rousers do not deserve media coverage.
True Malaysians and indeed all right thinking people all over the world will support a new global mindset that will discourage the mass media from highlighting radical and inflammatory views of bigots such as non-entities like Pastor Terry Jones.
Indeed, our mass media should not put our own racists and religious bigots on a soap box. They should not be seen to glorify bigots. The mass media should instead condemn and the public should castigate them for posing serious threats to national security and national unity.
Such people are dangerous and governments all over the world should not condone their extremist views by remaining silent and not taking punitive action to protect the rights of the majority of the people.
Fortunately for Malaysia, our Government’s main political party Umno has courageously, although somewhat belatedly, disassociated itself from a disruptive rightist group in our country. Similarly, it is hoped that the mass media will adopt or include in a code of ethics, a new principle of disdain and non coverage, in regard to individuals and groups that preach racism and religious bigotry.
And, Malaysians should similarly isolate these extremists who spread hatred and disunity by boycotting the news media that sensationalise these extremist views that can destroy our well-being and national unity, security and stability.
The Christian Church in Malaysia has taken an inspiring lead in condemning the likes of ugly American Terry Jones. It is hoped that more religious and civic groups will unite in isolating this callous behaviour of extremists even at home.
It is hoped that all true Malaysians will reject these extremists and identify them as ugly Malaysians, who must be regarded as enemies of and detrimental to, a united 1Malaysia. And only then can Malaysia prosper and progress to benefit all its citizens.
TAN SRI RAMON NAVARATNAM,
Chairman,
Asli Centre of Public Policy Studies.
