It’s always an experience to get an insight into what those around us know about Muslims and Islam. “I was more ignorant of the Muslim community and Islam than I thought.”That’s how one attendee bluntly summed up her feelings, after a screening we did recently of Inside Islam, which accompanied a panel discussion at the U.S. Department of Justice. Alongside myself, the panel featured Daniel Tutt, along with Luby Ismail from Connecting Cultures. Almost 150 officials attended, from The U.S. Attorney General’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and several other agencies.
Over 85% of participants gave the film and event positive reviews. When they were asked, “What was the most important thing you learned from the film and presentation?” there were a number of different responses. One participant said, “I always thought the extremists were very religious (albeit had warped Islam for their own ends). It was interesting to learn that their grievances were more political.” Another stated, “U.S. law enforcement, especially local agencies, need more effective training and support for understanding Islam and their local communities.” It was interesting to hear the positive impact that the film had, when one participant said, “Terrorism is not based in the religious beliefs of Islam.” With thoughts like, “Some American hostilities against Muslims may be rooted in xenophobia,” it gives me hope that we will continue to create a positive impact amongst government officials. Beyond combating stereotypes, some participants noted that there was “Very interesting data and information that I was unaware of: such as, more Muslims die from terrorism than Westerners.”
As a result of the event, we have scheduled over 15 additional screenings. A snippet of further feedback from the attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice includes: “The Muslim religion is diverse and requires a far more complex analysis than it’s often given... The United States Government needs more interaction on that topic.” “I came to the event to gain knowledge, and my objective was met.” “I learned the differences between Arabs and Muslims.” “It is important that we learn about Muslims. We have much in common and many of our current impressions are wrong.” “I learned that Sharia can be a positive force.” Image source