Two weeks ago, US ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens was killed in Benghazi after the US consulate where he was staying was stormed. At about the same time protests were beginning to form across the Middle East in reaction to a crude, offensive US film called "Innocence of Muslims". Immediately the world's media jumped to the conclusion that the two events were connected (myself included). We were wrong. It has now emerged that the reason for the attack was very different, it coincided with the anniversary of 9/11 and was supposed to be revenge for the killing of a high profile Libyan member of Al-Qaeda. Immediately after the attack Republicans in the US called for all aid to Libya to be suspended.
The protests have since subsided, but whilst most of the Arab World was in turmoil due to the video, Benghazi was in turmoil for a very different reason. Recognising that the death of Stevens was nothing to do with the crude and offensive video, the people of Benghazi began to protest the murder of him and his fellow diplomats. The militia believed to be responsible for the attack had its base in Benghazi stormed by civilians and the police, counter protests emerged with protesters holding signs such as "Christopher Stevens was a friend to all Libyans" and "Thugs and killers don't represent Benghazi nor [sic] Islam". I think this is an image we need to see more of in the West, we need to recognise that although there are terrorist groups in the Middle East, most Arabs just want peace. Arabs are just another race of people, they're no different to us here in the West. The sooner we recognise that fact, the sooner peace will come. How can we call for peace in the middle east when there is so much Islamophobia in the press and media, when the majority of coverage of Muslims is extremely negative. Terrorists don't represent Islam, just like Anders Breivik, Pastor Terry Jones and Fred Phelps don't represent Christianity.
The protests have since subsided, but whilst most of the Arab World was in turmoil due to the video, Benghazi was in turmoil for a very different reason. Recognising that the death of Stevens was nothing to do with the crude and offensive video, the people of Benghazi began to protest the murder of him and his fellow diplomats. The militia believed to be responsible for the attack had its base in Benghazi stormed by civilians and the police, counter protests emerged with protesters holding signs such as "Christopher Stevens was a friend to all Libyans" and "Thugs and killers don't represent Benghazi nor [sic] Islam". I think this is an image we need to see more of in the West, we need to recognise that although there are terrorist groups in the Middle East, most Arabs just want peace. Arabs are just another race of people, they're no different to us here in the West. The sooner we recognise that fact, the sooner peace will come. How can we call for peace in the middle east when there is so much Islamophobia in the press and media, when the majority of coverage of Muslims is extremely negative. Terrorists don't represent Islam, just like Anders Breivik, Pastor Terry Jones and Fred Phelps don't represent Christianity.
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