Pakistan

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Muslims share values with the wider community

A survey by the Greater London Authority shows that London’s Muslims share values with the wider community repudiating the image created by the Western media. “Nearly all Muslim Londoners surveyed - 96 per cent - think that everyone should respect the law in Britain, virtually the same as the number of Londoners as a whole at 97 per cent” ,according to the survey.

This survey raises concerns about the role of the Western media, which is responsible for creating stereotypical images of Muslims. However, it is unwise to believe that the Western media will stop humiliating Muslims after this survey. The Western media knows the truth but it will never reveal it because, it will damage its vested interests.

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said, “There has been much discussion about how to engage politically and socially with the Muslim community, but this survey shows that the vast majority of Muslims hold views in common with the rest of London about respect for the law, the value of democracy, the importance of mutual respect and equal opportunities, and debunking myths that are so readily perpetuated by some commentators and in certain sections of the media. The view that the Muslim community as a whole holds fundamentally different views to the rest of Londoners is shown by these figures to be totally untrue.”

It is time for the Western media to take a close look at its attitude towards Muslims. The West would be better of by mending relations with Muslims.