Recently, approximately 28 million people received a copy of "Obsession," a film that addresses the issue of "radical" Islam in the world and its goal to rid the earth of "infidels." Unfortunately, the Clarion Fund -- the right-wing distributor of "Obsession" -- wasted its postage.
This propaganda does a disservice to Muslims here and abroad by implicating that Muslim terrorists are lurking around every corner, posing as mild-mannered civilians, while secretly harboring violent feelings toward non-Muslims.
This film also could undermine American decision making during election season. If nothing else, the film has high production values often associated with top-quality work. Still, carping about "radical Islam" is so 2001.
For more than seven years, the image of the Muslim in the public eye has gone through a lengthy development. Introduced forcefully into the American consciousness on Sept. 11, 2001, as bloodthirsty holy warriors, the Islamic image in American consciousness has -- thanks to the pushback of groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the gradual erosion of the epically flawed stereotypes that emerged after 9/11 -- gradually approached something close to acceptance. This film, however, teaches Americans to be suspicious of fellow citizens.
Fostering a culture of paranoia does little to encourage cooperation and understanding of cultural and religious differences. By relying on a cleverly edited "documentary"-style film for information on the Muslim faith, many are misinformed and continue to harbor hatred and distrust of Muslims who, as members of all other religious groups the world over, run the gamut of personalities and inclinations from downright despicable to highly humane.
In this final stretch before Election Day, voters should consider the sources of the information they use to select their candidate. They should also carefully consider for whom they vote based on their own cognitions and independent research. They should not rely on cleverly packaged, convenient morsels of half-truths and convincing lies to inform them, but they should seek answers for themselves from reliable sources.
The editorial board is composed of David Grant, Laurel Colella, David McIlroy, Sally Bull and Jackie Peters