Last week, I attended a media training course run by a recognized university in Melbourne. Two experienced academics were running the course and both had extensive hands-on experience in the media. One of them insisted that we should always treat Journalists as “raptors” and that we should never trust them. She said “We (journalists) don’t treat our own friends as friends” if they stand in the way of a story and that the moto of many journalists is never to let the truth ruin a good story. While this is not news to me, it was an eye opener to come from someone within the industry.
“O People who Believe! If any miscreant (afasiq) brings you some tidings (some news), verify it, lest you unknowingly cause suffering to some people, and then remain repenting for what you did.”[Hujurat 49:6]. And a miscreant indeed is Richard Kerbaj who published the article about Sh Hilali and just two weeks ago published an article titled "Prophet not perfect, says Islamic scholar".
I now compare this to the official response made by the Islamic Council of Victoria as well as radio and press responses from members of the ICV and also members of the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria (IWWCV). The ICV were quick to attack Sh Hilali and requested his immediate resignation. IWWCV were quoted on the Age saying "The average Muslim realises that these are not comments that represents Islam, and certainly don't represent Muslim Australia,". How quick were we to accept the opinion of Richard Kerbaj and attack one of the most knowledgeable Muslim scholars in this country. If Sh Hilali’s comments do not represent Islam, then what does????
The ICV’s response to Sh Hilali’s comments was ill considered and sought a short term exit from an immediate attack with no consideration for the future. I now wonder, how will the ICV respond when Hijab is banned in public schools!
John Howard says that it is the responsibility of men to control their sexual urges and not the responsibility of women. It is indeed the responsibility of men to control their urges and Islam advocates that. But this is not the full story. Islam asks men and women to lower their gaze. Islam asks men and women not look or listen at things that they are not entitled to see or hear. Islam also prescribes a heavy punishment for rape and adultery. In other words, Islam advocates for you to drive carefully but also to put your seat belt on.
Islam has a principal of demonizing sin. It is a principle of building communities with high morals and values. How do you ensure that all men can control their urges? There will always be the odd few who, for some reason, can not; possibly for a mental disability or the like. It is a matter of closing all gaps. It is fasting the seat belt as well as driving carefully. The Werribee incident is an example of that and I would like to note here that the perpetrators were not Muslims (when some media hoped it was).
Sh Hilali was simply demonising a sinful act to the Muslim community and encouraging modesty within this same community. He did not enforce it on anyone else. While, the delivery was questionable and probably irresponsible, the intent of the message is on good moral grounds and is worthy of support from anyone who opposes promiscuity within our society.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
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3 comments:
I've got 20 years experience as a reporter and have been a media trainer before becoming a media trainer. Your "trainers" were wrong. Not to be unkind, but it sounds like your trainers were not speaking from any first hand knowledge, having only been close to the process, not in it. No professional reporter I know or have known would ever agree with the statement that the "truth" can't get in the way of a story--but it's become the pervasive, cyncial outside view of how others think reporters operate. Of course the story is important--reporters don't work for you and they're not interested in helping you polish your image, "spin" the truth, or otherwise falsify what's going on. That DOESN'T mean reporters aren't there to dig and to find out what their readers, viewers and listeners need to know. Are there bad apples out there? You bet--but your "trainers" have done no service to anyone with their cynical and misguided attempts to get their audience to understand that reporters are not there to help you look good. Shame on them for feeding the cycnical misperception that reporters are all tabloid miscreants to be avoided at all costs. That's not media training--that's just gossip mongering.
Apincus,
Thanks for your feedback. Although, I think there are PLENTY of bad apples. Look at this link to see the very very low ethics that someone like Richard Kerbaj adopts. Total fabrications:
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1701906.htm
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