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Opinions
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12/8/2002 10:32:48 AM
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Local event shows the power of peace
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Don Huebscher
Leader-Telegram Staff
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It didn't solve the world's problems. In fact, it went unnoticed by most people,
but an event held this past Wednesday night offered a glimpse, however fleeting, of what the world could be if we all used our religious faiths
to unite rather than to divide.
The event was a joint celebration of Ramadan and Hanukkah at UW-Eau Claire this past Wednesday. It was organized by Temple Sholom, the
Islamic Center and Mosque, the Jewish Student Association, UW-Eau Claire's Student Activities and Programs, and the Center for International
Education.
Ramadan is Islam's holiest month, and is a time of fasting, prayer and charity for Muslims. Hanukkah is an eight-day commemoration of the
rededication of Jerusalem's temple more than 2,000 years ago. The two observances overlap on the calendar this year.
The event included music, dancing, traditional food. It was part celebration, part education. It was open to people of all faiths.
The education part is important. We spend a lot of time in this country debating whether this is a "Christian nation." Of course, a founding
principle of the United States is that there will be no "state" religion, and that all religions will be respected.
That's important to remember during the Christian holiday season. Not all faiths celebrate Christmas. Non-Christians don't sing "Silent Night,"
not because they want to antagonize Christians, but it's not what they believe. That shouldn't be hard for Christians to understand and
respect.
Another valuable lesson from last Wednesday's event was summarized in a simple quote from Mahmoud Taman, an elder with the Islamic
Center and Mosque in Altoona: "Human beings are human beings," he told Leader-Telegram reporter Tom Giffey. "and we need to respect
each other's religion and support each other."
Many non-Muslims are confused about what's going on in the world. Terrorists use their version of Islam to kill "nonbelievers." They are, in
fact, trying to hijack the Islamic faith to start a world war.
The voices of Taman and the millions and millions of others like him have to rise above the voices and actions of Osama bin Laden and a
relatively small but powerful group of lunatics who have given Islam a bad name.
Wednesday's event shows that true Muslims don't want to harm people of other faiths. But this message has to get out, and Muslims have to
lead the way in projecting it to the rest of the world. Otherwise, non-Muslims are left to wonder how many people bin Laden represents.
World history has shown the power of religion to trigger warfare, but last Wednesday's event at Davies Center also showed the power of
religion to heal and unite. If Muslims and Jews and break bread and celebrate together in Eau Claire, why not everywhere?
If Muslims and Jews united in a coalition for peace in the Mideast and demanded that their political leaders do the same, why couldn't it
happen?
Reality and history tell us otherwise. There's too much hate, too much thirsting for revenge and too little effort to compromise.
It doesn't have to be this way. A relatively obscure event at UW-Eau Claire last week proves it.
-- Don Huebscher, editor
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