An Open Letter About Divisive Media Coverage Following Paris Tragedy:We are civil rights advocates and aith leaders writing to e!press deep concern about recent "edia coverage that e!ploits the tragic acts o terror in Paris to "isrepresent #sla" and call or "ore proiling o Musli"s$ This sensationalist coverage and co""entary% i continued% will har"ully divide A"ericans on alse pretenses at a ti"e when we need to be united$ Further"ore%we believe such divisive rhetoric i"pedes our ability to have a "uch&needed act&driven debate about responding to terroris" on all ronts$The proble"atic coverage has been pervasive: one Fo! 'ews host and progra" ater another has alsely suggested
that Musli" leaders and organi(ations have not ta)en a stand against the violence in Paris$ 'ews Corp$ Chair"an *upert Murdoch tweeted% +Maybe "ost Mosle"s
peaceul% but until they recogni(e and destroy their growing ,ihadist cancer they "ust be held responsible$- *adio hosts ollowed suit% clai"ing that si"ilar terror attac)s wouldn.t occur i
+"ost Musli"s were against what was happening$-
Real Time
that +hundreds o "illions- o Musli"s support the "assacre and even a C'' anchor as)ed his
guest% a Musli" hu"an rights lawyer% whether or not he supports #0#0$For Mr$ Murdoch% Fo! 'ews% and others to suggest that 1$2 billion Musli"s% or nearly a ourth o the world.s population% does not conde"n% and "ay even support% the violence in Paris is not only blatant "isinor"ation% it disregards the hundreds o "illions o Musli"s who ight or the cause o reedo" and de"ocracy every day$Arab and Musli" leaders and groups throughout the world and here in the 3nited 0tates have roundly and elo4uently conde"ned the violence enacted by the terrorists in Paris% including organi(ations such as% The Arab League% Musli" Council O /ritain% French Musli" Council% Al&A(har% 3nion o #sla"ic Organi(ations o France% The #sla"ic Cooperation Organi(ation% The 'ational Council o Canadian Musli"s% and the oreign "inistries o 5atar% 0audi Arabia% 6gypt%Tur)ey% Morocco% and #ndonesia$Further% the e!pectation that the entire Musli" co""unity should spea) out against every act o violence co""itted by a s"all "inority o Musli" perpetrators has a aulty pre"ise7it un,ustly places bla"e on an entire co""unity or the violent actions o a ew and creates a alse assu"ption that every Musli" sides with violence$#t is e!tre"ely concerning that countless public oicials and "edia personalities e!ploiting the tragedy have used their "edia clout to call or "ore discri"inatory proiling o A"erican Musli"s% including or"er 'ew 8or) City "ayor *udy 9iuliani
who ater calling or "ore surveillance said on Fo! 'ews% # you;re unco"ortable with police oicers at your service% you"ust be saying things that are dangerous$
Discri"inatory targeting o A"erican Musli"s has been widespread throughout the country% and it has ailed to )eep our co""unities sae$ /lan)et surveillance based on ethnicity% race or religion is ineective% diverts resources and erodes trust in law enorce"ent that the public should have$ An
Associated Press
investigation into the activities o the 'ew 8or) Police Depart"ent.s De"ographics 3nit dedicated to wholesale spying on A"erican Musli"s in the city and northeast revealed that it ailed to help produce a single lead or terroris" case% instead increasing distrust between the police and the co""unities they serve$Law enorce"ent agencies have engaged in data gathering and "apping o Musli" co""unities based solely on religion% race% and ethnicity without any evidence o wrongdoing% while conducting surveillance o co""unity organi(ations and using inor"ants and undercover agents$ These practices are contrary to our nation.s pro"ise o e4ual protection and e4ual treat"ent under the law$Failing to provide accurate "edia coverage o the nu"erous individuals and groups opposing this violence% while also providing a public plator" to those who are e!ploiting the tragedy to call or "ore proiling has a troubling i"pact on the daily lives o A"erican Musli"s$ 'ot only does this type o rhetoric reinorce alse representations o co""unities around the world% but it also creates an environ"ent in which hostility towards Musli"s is ,ustiied$ As Male) Merabet% the brother o Ah"ed Merabet% one o the police oicers )illed in the attac) <a Musli"=% said% +#t.s not two terrorists% two "ad"en who are going to represent all Musli"s$-To those who are responsible or the divisive rhetoric we detail above% we% the undersigned% urge you to pursue "ore truthul% less sensationalist coverage and co""entary$ 8our viewers and ollowers depend on you or an honest debate about acts o terror and ways to respond relying onhistorical conte!t and "ultiple perspectives% including those ro" Musli"% Arab% and 0outh Asian co""unities here in the 3$0$ and abroad$ We can help identiy a diverse set o resources such as A"ericans who would be able to add conte!t and provide "uch&needed nuance to i"portant news events ta)ing place$ To those hosts and ,ournalists who have responsibly coveredthe terror attac) relying on "ultiple perspectives and the acts% we than) you and as) that you continue doing so$>ery respectully%A"erican&Arab Anti&Discri"ination Co""itteeA"erican Center or Outreach A"erican Musli" Advisory Council A"nesty #nternational 30A Arab A"erican #nstitute Asian A"ericans Advancing ?ustice @ AA?CCenter or Constitutional *ights