In this article Irshad Manji points to how Americans are posing questions about the Fort Hood shootings, demonstrating that they are far from rushing to judgment. If an alleged criminal merely happens to be a Muslim, then religion may well be immaterial. But if his crime is committed in the name of Islam, then religion serves to motivate. In that case, the suspect’s Muslim identity absolutely matters. Words, gestures and images should be analyzed – fully, openly and honestly, says Manji. She compares this instance to the arrests of the Toronto 18 on terrorism charges in 2006, and how police refused to use to use the words “Muslim” in their press releases, even though the group can coined their organization, “Operation Badr.” She claims that while journalists must not reduce the story to Islam, they should not to erase Islam altogether. Understanding, she concludes, is served by analyzing, not sanitizing.
