Oprah, The New Voice for Islamophobia in America

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Just read it…

=================================================

                                               Friday, February 16, 2001

OPRAH: THE NEW FEMALE VOICE FOR ISLAMOPHOBIA IN AMERICA http://www.muslimcivilrights.org/cgi-bin/newspub/viewnews.cgi?&id=982360664

During yesterday’s Oprah Show, which focused on the upcoming NBC television
movie “The Princess and the Marine,” Oprah Winfrey made several remarks and
gestures seen as insulting, offensive, and defamatory to Muslim women and
Islam in general.

It was reported to Muslim Civil Rights News & Issues that Oprah expressed
her disgust at Islamic traditions in the Middle East, especially in Iran,
and acted horrified at the custom of arranged marriages. Oprah was also said
to have expressed disbelief in the idea that women are not allowed to freely
date, as most women do in America, and said that women who wear niqab, the
facial veil, “don’t have an identity.”

Oprah also included in this show the author of the book “Not Without My
Daughter,” which was made into a popular television movie about an American
woman’s escape from Iran in the 1980s. In the book, the author details honor
killings and discrimination against women in the Gulf countries.

“While certainly there are many injustices done to women in the Middle East,
Oprah did nothing but fan the flames of ignorance and prejudice against
Muslim women,” said Hebah Abdalla, editor and writer for iViews.com, an
Islamic news portal. “Oprah and her producers need to be aware that there
are Muslim women who choose to cover themselves and that Islam is a religion
which elevates the status of women.”

Oprah Winfrey, which is said to be the most influential women on television,
is also said to have aired other anti-Islam and anti-Muslim shows recently,
possibly in preparation for the “Princess and the Marine” segment. One
recent show was so disturbing to a recent convert to Islam that it brought
her to tears.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has been issuing alerts regarding
the upcoming NBC television movie “The Princess and the Marine” which has
received criticism about previews in commercials shown to the public. CAIR
is encouraging people to watch the program, take notes and send comments to
NBC executives.

Oprah’s senior supervising producer, Dana Newton, can be reached at (312)
633-0808 or (312) 633-1955.

2

Yeah.. that's not right. I haven't seen any of these Oprah shows dealing with Islam but that's pretty disappointing. Her show's usually really good and helps a lot of women and their families with all sorts of issues. So yeah with a reputation like that she's gonna mislead people whether her ignorance is intentional or not.

She should make it clear that it is these kind of negative incidents that.. no doubt do happen & which are wrongly done in the name of Islam and hence earning the religion a bad name.

It the think the best thing to do is get some real muslims on her show (not the typical bigots) and let them speak for themselves and educate everyone on what Islam is really about. This would be an awesome opportunity to set the record straight once and for all!

If you can not change it, get over it already!

3

This is burning me up inside as i'm reading it.

Frankly, it's all..scaring me in the sense of what others can make of it...with what she's said,
since many women in general basically agree with everything she says.

4

I know Kohal :-/

5

i think it is misunderstanding of other culture. oprah may be simplistic and superficial knowledge of other cultures.
even the black culture where she grew up is different from the mainstream of american culture.

6

Well, GFQ and Kohal, I'm coming to the conclusion that Americans diss muslims because they need to feel good about themselves, as I said in a thread about Bahraini princess in Shor Sharaba.

But I think this is strictly business. Talk shows are always racy, let's not forget that Oprah claimed to have suffered child abuse from family members at one time.

It makes for good ratings ppl and that's what it's really all about.

7

Oprah also included in this show the author of the book "Not Without My
Daughter," which was made into a popular television movie about an American
woman's escape from Iran in the 1980s. In the book, the author details honor
killings and discrimination against women in the Gulf countries.

I have read the book and also watched the movie. The book is a personal account of how writer was treated by her muslim husband and his family. According to the Iranian society and laws she was a pocession of her husband. As a wife of a muslim man, she had no rights and being beaten almost everyday was part of the culture and nobody raised an eyebrow or thought anything of it.

The book has nothing to do with honor killing. I wonder how accurate the rest of the article is...

[This message has been edited by Rani (edited February 20, 2001).]

8

damn! i need cable.

9

Hain so whats the point ?

Arranged marriages take place in our culture/religion
Honor killings take place in Muslim Society

While it may be O K with us ...to her it doesnt seem right and she expressed her opnions

Just like dating is considered a sin in our religion/culture and we express our disgust/opinion regarding it

One more thing ..where in the book Not without My Daughter, does Betty Mehmoody mention anything bout Honor killings?
and Since when has Iran become a 'Gulf Country'?

Face veil is not mandatory in Islam so her statement that women who are made to wear face veil 'dont have an identity' is true

10

Rani:

[quote]
According to the Iranian society and laws she was a pocession of her husband. As a wife of a muslim man, she had no rights and being beaten almost everyday was part of the culture and nobody raised an eyebrow or thought anything of it.
[/quote]

Rani, I wasn't aware that as a wife of a muslim man, a woman has no rights and expects to be beaten every day - or that it is an accepted part of Iranian culture.

Maybe this is why muslim women wear burqas - to cover up their bruises.

11

Anchal, technically one can include Iran as a Gulf nation. The biggest debate is what to call the Gulf. The Iranians call it the Persian Gulf and the Arabs think of it as the Arab Gulf. The majority of geographic opinions list the Gulf as the Persian.

But carry on the debate. I wonder why it upsets Muslims so much when the West portrays Islam in not so much different light than the West is portrayed in the Islamic countries. I think it is the clash of cultures and nothing more.

12

While I was watching the episode in question, I noticed that whenever the camara panned the audience, you could tell that everyone was eating up everything that was being said. This just tells you, how influencial Oprah is.

The part about the "cultural veil" really got my blood boiling. I mean honestly...ITZ NOT CULTURE..ITZ RELIGION!!! How many times do we, as muslims, have to say that???

About honour killings, I think the American society needs to realize that it is not allowed in ISLAM. In fact..itz a cultural issue that needs to be addressed. It seems to me that culture and religion are interchangeable in the West. But we, as an ummah, know differently.

[This message has been edited by Hinna (edited February 21, 2001).]

13

[quote]
Originally posted by Mr Xtreme:
**Rani:

Rani, I wasn't aware that as a wife of a muslim man, a woman has no rights and expects to be beaten every day - or that it is an accepted part of Iranian culture

Maybe this is why muslim women wear burqas - to cover up their bruises. **
[/quote]

In most muslim countries women cannot get passport without permission of their husband or father (if not married).

Women cannot buy airline ticket without husband's permission

Women have no right over children if there is a divorce.

Mrs Mahmood couldn't even pick up her child from school without her husband's permission.

She was routinely beaten many times in the hearing distance of other family members and locked up in a room for whole day and nobody came to her rescue or even raised an eyebrow at this inhuman treatment. Mr. Mahmood nephew's wives confided in her that they are are beaten by their husband if they happen to annoy them in any way and according to her most Iranian women are treated in this fashion.

In Iran during Mrs Mahmood stay there was cultural police on the roads to see that women don't expose any part of their body or wear any make up.

II think u should read the book.

14

books.. among other things.. are written thru different perspectives. just like history is always "someone's" history. u dont know what she might have done that the men resorted to that kind of treatment. also, u dont know if that family was very religious, or not. if culture influenced their lives day to day, or religion. u just dont know. for a whole nation to take what happens in the Iranian households from 1 perspective is so ridiculous. so if i write a book on how women in america are beaten day to day and sell it in pakistan, every paki will think that ALL women in america are beaten and there is no say in it whatsoever.

think about it.

-mehndi

15

Mehdi,

I am talking the about the laws of the land that effect all Iranian women. If i am not wrong most of muslim countries have similar laws.

A man can get a divorce by saying Taliq three times but women cannot do the same. Also, a man can have four wives at one time if he so desires and women can only have one husband are another examples of inequality among sexes, in a completely male dominated society.

[This message has been edited by Rani (edited February 21, 2001).]

16

A man can get a divorce by saying Taliq three times but women cannot do the same. Also, a man can have four wives at one time if he so desires and women can only have one husband are another examples of inequality among sexes, in a completely male dominated society.<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Rani

Sat Sri Akal

I agree with the points you are making but I'm sorry to point it out to you that your calculations are wrong.

Yes, It's correct that a man can have four wives. But a woman in that case will only get one quarter of a husband and not one husband. Therefore a man having four wives actually have 1600% ( 0ne thousand and six hundred per cent) more partners than any of his wives have.

Now could someone please enlighten me, how one partner having 1600% more than each of his other partners can be called an equal partnership and a fair play?

Banta Singh

17

[quote]
Originally posted by Hinna:
It seems to me that culture and religion are interchangeable in the West. But we, as an ummah, know differently.
[/quote]

That’s because they don’t have a culture or any kind of faith.
They don’t know what to believe in, that’s why there are more then 70 versions of bible out there.

One of the most important things in their ‘culture’ is getting laid before graduating high school.
That says a lot about what these people know about religion or culture.
All they do is read books and watch TV and listen to what other have to say instead of finding the truth for them selves.

Majority of their families are like the BUNDIES…..From love and marriage (show)…. No wonder….

We are the Taleban-Resistance is Futile
Sin: Osama Bin Junior

18

Rani:

[quote]
According to the Iranian society and laws she was a pocession of her husband. As a wife of a muslim man, she had no rights and being beaten almost everyday was part of the culture and nobody raised an eyebrow or thought anything of it.
[/quote]

That statement made by you is factually incorrect. Muslim women do have rights, so you shouldn't say that they don't. There are no laws in Iranian society which make a woman the posession of a man, So that was another false statement.

Being beaten every day is not part of the culture, so again that statement is wrong.

I think before we address any other issues, you need to distance yourself from these misleading statements if you want to have a meaningful discussion. Your other points can be addressed as well, but first either justify your above quote, or amend it please.

We have girls who are married to muslim men here and it is disturbing to think that they are being thrashed on a daily basis if what you are saying is true.

19

[quote]
Originally posted by Anchal:
*Arranged marriages take place in our culture/religion
Honor killings take place in Muslim Society *
[/quote]

Yeah i agree, arranged marriages aren't a crime, forced marriages are, and there IS a difference.

Just wanted to clarify something. Yes honour killing do take place in so called muslim societies, but they take place in christan societies as well. Its not the religion thats to blame, its the culture.

20

[quote]
Originally posted by Mr Xtreme:
**Rani:

That statement made by you is factually incorrect. Muslim women do have rights, so you shouldn't say that they don't. There are no laws in Iranian society which make a woman the posession of a man, So that was another false statement.

Being beaten every day is not part of the culture, so again that statement is wrong.

I think before we address any other issues, you need to distance yourself from these misleading statements if you want to have a meaningful discussion. Your other points can be addressed as well, but first either justify your above quote, or amend it please.

We have girls who are married to muslim men here and it is disturbing to think that they are being thrashed on a daily basis if what you are saying is true.**
[/quote]

I agree with u buddy...RAni u dont have lot of information about islam so plz dont make lame statements,, i agree with u that some people in iran beat their wifes... to tell u the truth its not alowed in islam...its against islam and i know wat u r pointing at....that islam has all these strict laws for women and they r not treated equal to men,,,,ur wrong...islam doesnt support the beating of women,,,watever they r doing in iran about beating women is wrong,,u know islam is the right and the most easiest religion,,but some people .....have made it reallly hard people like maulviz in pakistan ,,if u do some research on it,,,u will find that everything in islam makes clear sense,,,but u need to think fairly,,,not like u ,,,always speaking against islam....about the rights of women...they r there for the good of women...and good for the families and generations.....so that they can live happliy together all of their life