“Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife” the CNN headline reads; “Muslim Television Channel Founder Charged With Beheading His Wife”, reads Fox News.
Bridges TV was set up by Muzzammil Hassan who “came to America from Pakistan 25 years ago and became a successful banker”. His wife, Aasiya Zubair played, “an instrumental role in the creation of Bridges TV since she came up with the idea for the network”. One of the CNN story-highlights states, “Bridges TV was founded with aim of countering negative portrayals of Muslims” and the Bridges TV website states, in its Mission Statement,
Bridges TV aims to foster a greater understanding among many cultures and diverse populations. Through our high-quality, informative, 24x7 programming in English; we seek to become a unifying force that can help people understand our diverse world through education and entertainment.
A Los Angeles Times opinion piece makes the following observation of initial reactions to the story,
Speaking of beheading, have you heard about the founder of a television network in upstate New York dedicated to showing Muslims as peace-loving and political moderates? You might have when he started his enterprise in 2004, as the venture received lavish attention. But when Muzzammil Hassan allegedly cut off his estranged wife’s head this month, coverage not only was muted, but the media bent over backward to dispel any notion that religion had anything to do with it. After all, isn't wife-beheading an ecumenical practice?
Furthermore, the LA Times opinion piece well punctuates what is happening when it reports,
Just look at Britain. It is currently harboring a gaggle of non-British Muslim preachers who call for, among other things, the slaughter of Jews and the imposition of Sharia law in Britain. These people are accepted, sometimes even given welfare benefits, in the name of pluralism, multiculturalism and tolerance.
But when Geert Wilders, a documentary maker and member of the Dutch parliament, was invited by British members of Parliament to screen his documentary critical of the Koran in London, the government said, in effect: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! We can’t tolerate that.” Wilders has been barred from the country because his ideas “threaten community harmony.”
If only Wilders’ supporters beheaded people or thronged outside embassies spewing various “death to” chants, he might have been invited to have tea with the queen.
But the stereotype that Mr Hassan desired to dispel with his TV company comes to the fore when one considers the stereotypical Islamic attitude to women, especially in relation to Qur'anic perspectives and the degree in which women are to be submissive to men in regard to sex, marriage, divorce, etc. And when one takes into consideration, reports that:
...one has to question claims that Assiay Hassan's murder wasn't an honour killing. But such suggestions have brought the ire of Islamic leaders.
The gruesome death of Ms. Hassan prompted outrage from Muslim leaders after suggestions that it had been some kind of “honour killing” based on religious or cultural beliefs.
Dr. Sawsan Tabbaa, a Muslim community leader who teaches orthodontia at the State University at Buffalo, said, “This is not an honour killing, no way.”
Dr. Tabbaa added, “It has nothing to do with his faith.”
In spite of the denials, one can see mirrored in this brutal killing the practices which seem not uncommon in Islamic countries, communities and cultures. Practices which are becoming more common in Western, non-Islamic countries, as the Islamic population increases. Coincidence?
