This article may be longer than other articles, however, I guarantee it will open your eyes to something you have not thought about. Just as advertisers are aware of the superiority of subliminal suggestion, there is another potent technique. What I am about to reveal is far more dangerous than subliminal suggestion. Why? Unlike subliminal suggestion, this technique is legal and openly used to vilify a section of the community – Muslims. This “Vilification Machine” is running; this article will inform you of how this machine works.

I went to business school to study a MBA. I thought that I would learn about the many different aspects of business and management. Little did I realise how applicable and powerful these tactics and strategies were. In this article I will give an insight to the reader. Once you read it all, I ask that you think and reflect. Top-level businessmen and, more worryingly, politicians are fully aware of the framework I will reveal.

You will have noticed the beliefs of the man in the street have changed. Ten years ago Muslims were fellow citizens with an eastern culture that mingled nicely. Muslims were known for being obedient law-abiding citizens, different but accepted and encouraged. This all changed. It did not happen overnight. It was based on several different factors. In isolation, each factor will have little effect in shaping core values or beliefs. If all factors are brought together, the effects can be devastating. Changing the beliefs of the masses, inciting them to fear or hatred of another group, and in extreme cases, open massacre.

This framework, by the academic Jerry Johnson (1992), was named the “Cultural Web”. This involves six different aspects, which, when brought together are subtle enough to be overlooked by the vast majority of people. Each aspect is discussed below.

Symbols

Lets start with using association to bring the point home. Think about a crucifix, you will associate Christianity, Jesus. If you were given a picture of the Star of David, you would think Judaism. Think of a star and crescent moon and you will think Islam. Skull and cross-bones  - pirates, poison. A green cross outside a shop means it is a pharmacy. Wherever we go, we cannot escape symbols. Symbolism is not only limited to actual items, it can be linked to other things also. If you were to imagine blue flashing lights and a siren, you would link this to emergency services. There is also word association. Intel and XP would make you immediately picture a PC.

A symbol acts like a trigger to any of your senses to bring in certain thoughts to the forefront – an invisible link. Take a piece of paper and write down words that you link with the following. World Trade Centre. 9/11. 7/7. Ricin. Osama bin Laden. WMD. The last word is an odd one. Before the invasion of Iraq, one might have thought of Iraq, now one might connect this to political lies.

Take a look at the words you have written down on your piece of paper. There will be words such as “Terrorism” and “atrocity”. That’s 100% right. Now take it from the frame of reference of a non-Muslim. What do you think he will have written down? My bets are on the words Islam, Muslim, extremist. They have been programmed to associate these words together. Only the Muslims will associate Islam with “peace”, though factually incorrect as it means “submission”.

Stories and Myths

All belief systems have stories and myths. We all know the story of Moses (peace be upon him). The way he confronted the Pharaoh and eventually became victorious with the help of Allah. In the same way we have Darwinist believe that all life emerged from chance. Single-celled organisms developed out of nowhere, eventually becoming humans. People will debate with each other believing and promoting their own story. The key is to get people to believe the story. Show me a Muslim who does not believe in Allah, his Angels, his Books, his Messengers, the Day of Judgement and Pre-destination. It is just not possible to be Muslim and deny one of these articles of faith.

In the current climate we have many myths and stories surrounding Muslims and Islam. Take a moment and think about the various stories and myths that are out there about Muslims. Did anyone hear of Al-Qaeeda before 9/11? Were all Muslims suicide bombers, ready to take down passenger jets? Are all Muslims striving to create a caliphate in the UK? Read the press. These myths are widely distributed. An ex-Israeli leader once said that if you tell a lie often, and it is believed all, it becomes a fact that few can deny.

These myths and stories are designed to create an atmosphere of mistrust, fear and division. These three elements are a pre-requisite to gaining trust and control of the masses. Members of the emergency services are given training on how to handle people in such situations. Be assertive and command them, they (the masses) will obey. It is a human instinct to obey someone in authority whom you would expect is in a position to help you escape from danger. The mistrust and division is used to create a “us” versus “them” mentality. It is easier to control people who believe themselves to be on the same side as you.

Rituals and Routines

Before praying the Muslims will ritually purify himself. One of the purposes of Wudu is to get us mentally prepared for worship. It is a conditioning for us. In normal life there are also rituals and routines that are the accepted norms of behaviour. If you have ever used public transport, you will have noticed a certain type of behaviour followed by everyone. No one will acknowledge another traveller. No one will speak to a fellow traveller. No one will smile at another traveller. For all intents and purposes, they do not exist. To break a ritual or routine is something very odd indeed. Try it when you use public transport next time. See if you can bring yourself to talk to the person either side of you. Introduce yourself. Ask the person their name and what they do. You will most likely not do this. Why? It breaks norms.

You will fear what people will think of you. On the other extreme, imagine you were at a gathering of people and getting to know others. Someone approaches you and introduces himself. Do you stare blankly in reply? Not smile? Not answer him in a kind courteous manner? This highlights the power of social norms and how they can change or alter our behaviour.

I think most readers will agree that we have now approached a stage where it has become socially acceptable and the norm to be able to single out the Muslim community. We can get stopped at a tube station and asked for a quick search in our bags. We can get stopped in any airport and searched. Did you know that recently a Muslim man was taking photographs of buildings in Canary Wharf and was arrested? Can you imagine how humiliated he must have felt after being strip-searched? The non-Muslim will not see anything extreme in this. He has accepted it as a norm. Perhaps you will understand their reaction when we as Muslims complain about our treatment. 

Control Systems

In religion, the control systems are the set laws that subscribers of the religion will follow. A good follower will follow all these rules to the letter. Similarly in corporations, there will be rules, policies and procedures that employees will follow to do their job properly. As and when corporations move into different markets and adjust to the external environment, they will make changes to these rules and policies. This tends to be met with stiff resistance. People do not like to change their routine. It has become ingrained. To change a routine takes something big, something cataclysmic – a massive upset or setback. The reader will agree that the easiest way to change the behaviour of employees is by the threat of loss of employment. The fear of losing a job. All of a sudden, this employee is not going to complain about small distractions. They are going to do something to stop the fear, stop the threat. They are going to comply. For non-Muslims, the cataclysmic event was 9/11.

Draconian laws were passed soon after. In America we have the Patriot Act. Government organisations were given a free hand to do whatever needed to be done. You will agree that this is very dangerous. Yet we did not hear many voices of dissent. Those that did speak up were labelled as being people who did not care about security and safety of its citizens. We saw basic freedoms of speech taken away. It is not common knowledge that Americans are no longer allowed to demonstrate anywhere they wish. In the UK it is no longer legal to demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament.

Laws that specifically target Muslims have now become commonly accepted. The paradigm of “political correctness” has been smashed and replaced with “you are either with us, or with the terrorists”. The Ricin plot was found to be totally false and baseless. Those individuals who were accused were found to be not guilty in a court of law. It is these same people who are put under strict control orders. Their freedoms are limited. Do not forget they were found to be innocent by a court of law. They know it. The government knows it. In stark contrast, lets compare the arms cache found in Lancashire, UK a few weeks ago. It did not make headline news. Remember the cache included a rocket launcher. Anti-terrorism laws may not be fully utilised against these individuals. They were not Muslims. They were only linked to the BNP so it is not really a threat is it?

Organisation Structures

You may have noticed that when a new government is selected or when a new leader is selected, they will do a cabinet shuffle. People get hired and fired. This links in with the other aspects of The Paradigm. Ministers will now feel the threat to either comply with this new belief system or be removed from office. There will also be a “Jockeying for Position” among the aspiring junior ministers to obtain that goal of cabinet position. Put yourself in the position of a minister with a threat from above and below. Add the financial factor of pay into the equation and we see how most ministers will sell out their moral stance.

Those who side with Muslims are looked down upon. They are viewed as traitors. George Galloway, Ken Livingstone, Claire Short and the late Robin Cook all showed support for Muslims to the detriment of their careers. They made a sacrifice of their careers for their beliefs. At the other end of the spectrum we see certain government ministers competing as to who can cause more upset and isolation of Muslims. John Reid, once a hard line “Commie” has sold out his beliefs for career. The same is also true for certain Muslim MPs.

There is also the issue of a double-whammy. Not only does the career of non-conformist individuals suffer, they must also run the gauntlet of smears. After her resignation, Clair Short was symbolically driven through the mud. George Galloway had to go in front of some US senators. The press tried to take away his stature by constantly reminding people of Big Brother. Ken Livingstone was falsely attacked as an anti-Semite.

Power Structures

In a democracy there should be a government for the people by the people. The ultimate power is with the voter. In these times however, we are witnessing an erosion of this ideology. I sometimes do wonder what the founding fathers of the American constitution would have thought about George W Bush et al. Power is usually based on popularity or consensus. It is usually spread widely. This tends not to be the case where there has been a Paradigm shift.

Here is where leaders take advantage of the fear and hysteria. They offer a solution, but at a price. It involves giving more power to the leader. It involves buying in to some new laws. It involves some form of symbolism. This symbolism can take the form of many different guises. A middle-east war. A Cuban prison. An isolation and attack of a sub-section of the community.

Muslims and The New Paradigm

I hope to have given the reader an overview of this framework known as the Paradigm. This framework has been used throughout history to change a culture, a set of beliefs or norms. As individuals we will always filter information from the environment in relation to our perceptions, beliefs, norms and culture. It is not easy to control a population or to make them go against their beliefs. It is far easier to change their beliefs and allow them to follow.

The attack on the world trade centre in New York was the catalyst required to bring all six of the above factors into play. It smashed the old Paradigm that Muslims were part of a multi-cultural west. The non-Muslims were taught to fear Muslims. To them we are all possible killers, possible terrorists. It is natural to want to neutralise a threat. So why not have specific laws to neutralise Muslims? Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and Iraq are all symbols of this fight against the mythical Al-Qaeeda. It is the norm to be suspicious of the Muslims. Men with beards and women with niqaabs are the new clear and present danger. Ministers are trying to outdo one another, attacking Muslims to gain that respect and kudos needed to replace the outgoing Blair. They point to people like Abu Izadeen, a symbol of extremism. They try to make him seem like the average Muslim. The media writes ever more outlandish headlines and stories.

A Paradigm of History

In 1930’s Germany, it was common to hear anti-semitic voices on the radio. Newspapers would publish anti-semitic literature and cartoons. It became commonly accepted. The jews were asleep. The Nazi party did not have a clear majority and thus did not wield true power. This was all set to change from one dramatic event. The Reichstag fire was set ablaze. The communists were isolated and blamed. The Reichstag fire was the catalyst needed to provide absolute power to the Nazis. A law was passed that nullified a number of laws pertaining to civil liberties. Opponents of Nazis were imprisoned without trial. Minorities such as jews and communists were blamed for all the social ills.

The state became a dictatorship. Power was held by a few individuals. Draconian laws were passed. The masses were given venom through the media. It became the norm to be able to brutalise jews, communists and various other groups with anti-nazi tendencies. To be in power, one needed to be a firm believer in the nazi ideology. To keep the race pure. The Aryan masses were given a sense of superiority, empowerment and the free reign to oppress and brutalise minorities. Russians, Poles, Jews, gypsies and disabled people were an easy target. It became the norm. It became the culture to purify the race. What happened next was one of the most inhuman episodes of modern European history. Ignore the lesson at your peril.

Conclusion

I hope that you will be able to draw some parallels between these two paradigms. The historical one ended in a heinous conclusion. The New Paradigm has yet to be concluded. Hitler took over a decade to conclude his despicable act. This would not have occurred had it not been for the lack of action and unity of the victims. There is wisdom in learning from the mistakes of others. At the moment, Muslims tend not to care about people such as Babar Ahmed or the inmates of Guantanamo. Perhaps it has not affected their personal lives. Maybe, like me, they must have to witness at first hand the tears of children whose father is in prison or a tearful mother begging for the release of her son. Maybe you need to go away and ask yourself the question. What will it take for you to act? Or will you opt for inaction and walk on that lonely, silent path to a gas chamber?

When the reality of the Islamophobic Paradigm first hit me, I lost sleep. It worried me. I constantly saw news items and pigeon-holed them in at least one of the six criteria mentioned above. Perform this exercise when you read the news or see the TV. After a while it will disturb you a lot, as it disturbed me a lot. It would be interesting to see the experiences of readers in the light of this framework. I would be grateful if you would leave a comment on your perceptions now and also in a few days time. Until then, ask yourself the question, will you act now or wait for that walk to the chamber? The choice is yours.

Note from the author: Please feel free to distribute this article or link to all your family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances - Better still, make it a chain E-mail and ask recipients to pass it onwards to every muslim they know. MPACUK is working hard to break this Paradigm of Islamophobia. Join us in our good work. E-mail info@mpacuk.org and join us. If you cannot spend the time to volunteer, then why not set up a standing order and donate financially? You will agree it is a good and noble cause. All of us have well-off relatives and friends. Ask them to see if they will support our cause. Large funders can contact MPACUK at funding@mpacuk.org Print out the standing order forms and fill them out. It takes a few minutes. Less, if you use online banking. For the price of two cinema tickets monthly, you can help fight against the opression and injustice against the Ummah. Wasalaam.

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