2008 Woodie Awards
Graham event a poor decision and an affront to Islam
Vernon Schubel
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Opinion
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There are many of us in the Kenyon community who have real concerns about the October 2007 event in the KAC sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). Franklin Graham, the CEO of the BGEA, in the wake of the horrific events of September 11, 2001 called Islam "a very evil and wicked religion." He subsequently said, "the persecution or elimination of non-Muslims has been a cornerstone of Islamic conquests and rule for centuries" and that the Qur'an "provides ample evidence that Islam encourages violence in order to win converts and to reach the ultimate goal of an Islamic world." Asked on ABC's Nightline in March of 2006 if he had changed his mind he said, "No." He continued: "I know about Islam. I don't need an education from Islam. If you think Islam is such a wonderful religion, I mean, go and live under the Taliban somewhere. I mean, you're free to do that." Unlike the Rev. Billy Graham himself and many other evangelical Christians who have bravely refused to accept Franklin Graham's woefully inaccurate and dangerous depiction of Islam, the BGEA has not distanced itself from these statements.
Mr. Graham has emerged as a central figure in the movement to convince people that the problem of Islamic extremism isn't extremism-it is Islam itself. The tactics are simple, but effective. Point to the worst aspects of behavior by Muslims-9/11, the Taliban, the killing of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh-and imply, or say directly, that this is normative Muslim behavior. Then choose verses of the Qur'an or hadith out of context to "prove" Islam is inherently violent and wicked. (To be honest, similar and equally ugly tactics have been used to attack Jews, Catholics and Christian evangelicals as well.)
Franklin Graham has been very effective; in fact, he has become a hero in the anti-Islam movement. Go to Beliefnet and look at the comments on articles about him by people praising his courage to speak "the truth" about Islam. There are many people like him who are spreading fear of Muslims, a virulent disease some have called "Islamophobia" and whose closest analogue is anti-Semitism. It is a disease that has spread into the centers of power and policy-making, as is evidenced by the enthusiastic applause recently received by Bernard Lewis at the American Enterprise Institute as he received their Irving Kristol Award when he defended the Crusades as "a late, limited, and unsuccessful imitation of the jihad." There are numerous organizations and think tanks who are promoting fear of Islam and Muslims for their own political ends. Franklin Graham is at the center of that discourse.
Mr. Graham has emerged as a central figure in the movement to convince people that the problem of Islamic extremism isn't extremism-it is Islam itself. The tactics are simple, but effective. Point to the worst aspects of behavior by Muslims-9/11, the Taliban, the killing of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh-and imply, or say directly, that this is normative Muslim behavior. Then choose verses of the Qur'an or hadith out of context to "prove" Islam is inherently violent and wicked. (To be honest, similar and equally ugly tactics have been used to attack Jews, Catholics and Christian evangelicals as well.)
Franklin Graham has been very effective; in fact, he has become a hero in the anti-Islam movement. Go to Beliefnet and look at the comments on articles about him by people praising his courage to speak "the truth" about Islam. There are many people like him who are spreading fear of Muslims, a virulent disease some have called "Islamophobia" and whose closest analogue is anti-Semitism. It is a disease that has spread into the centers of power and policy-making, as is evidenced by the enthusiastic applause recently received by Bernard Lewis at the American Enterprise Institute as he received their Irving Kristol Award when he defended the Crusades as "a late, limited, and unsuccessful imitation of the jihad." There are numerous organizations and think tanks who are promoting fear of Islam and Muslims for their own political ends. Franklin Graham is at the center of that discourse.