“Tear down this wall!” then US President Ronald Reagan told Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, demanding he tear down the infamous Berlin wall. Two years later, on 9 November 1989, media around the world broadcast images of crowds of Germans from both the east and the west climbing atop the barrier and tearing down large sections of the wall. For many, the event was highly symbolic as it was perceived as the end of the Cold War and the start of a period when the world was headed in a more just and peaceful direction, free of walls keeping peoples apart. However, two decades later, walls of separation still exist throughout the world. Israel's wall in the West Bank is much bigger than the Berlin wall ever was, as it encloses more than two million Palestinians inside the occupied West Bank. This wall separates Palestinians from their families, land, natural resources and communities. For years Palestinians in various West Bank villages, along with Israeli and international supporters, have led regular nonviolent demonstrations protesting the wall. In Nilin village, located near the West Bank city of Ramallah, protesters decided to do something different on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. In a symbolic action, the protesters in Nilin on 6 November were able to knock down a section of the wall before the Israeli army arrived and fired tear gas at the crowd. – electronicintifada.net Two terms Like the rest of the America, I was disheartened and shocked by Thursday's events in which a US serviceman, identified as Nidal Malik Hasan, perpetrated a terrible act upon his fellow servicemen. That night I was glued to as many news sources as one person could handle: simultaneously monitoring local AM talk radio, websites, Cable TV news and statements from American Muslim organizations. My frustrations were exacerbated, both by some of the news coverage (though I have something positive to say about their initial reporting) and by the Muslim community's reactions. In contrast to the initial reporting and punditry, I believe that Muslim community's handling of the issue leaves much to be desired. Clearly, condemning the killing of unarmed people in a non-combat situation is the right thing to do. However, why do we have to do it as Muslims? This is an issue of common humanity. Condemning these and similar events can serve to strengthen the association with Islam. If we learn conclusively that Maj. Hasan believed he had religious justifications for his actions, our condemnations as Muslims actually reinforce those making that connection instead of refuting it. Muslims and non-Muslims alike have to separate the actions of Muslims from the religion of Islam. A great resource outlining the logic of this can be found in the Freedom and Justice Foundation's landmark position paper titled the Triumph over Terror, Interfaith Statement. Understanding this separation of terms for the religion and the follower – that is unique to Islam – would lead to a better strategy like offering condolences to the families who lost loved ones and focusing on the loss of life.
