Assalaam alaiykum,
Last December, Latina Muslim sisters began an online petition against an anti-Muslim Christina episode. Many Latino Muslims were deeply offended by the Christina episode. Learn more about the Christina episode in LADO’s January 2002 online LADO newsletter:
http://www.latinodawah.org/newsletter/jan2k2newletter.html#6

The online petition currently shows 652 signatures. You are strongly encouraged to sign the petition. Below, you will find the original petition followed by some comments written by people who signed the petition.

You can sign the online petition by visiting:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Muslimah/petition.html.

~~~The Letter by Latina Muslimahs:

To: Spanish Media
PETITION ON LINE

Petition to protest the defamation by the Spanish Communication media against Muslim Women and Islam.

We the Hispanic Muslim women of the USA are rightfully indignated at the negative views presented on Islam and Muslim woman, broadcast on Spanish Radio and Television. As an example let us draw attention to the airing on December 17, 2002 of “El show de Cristina” on Univision with “Behind the Veil” . This program used people who had bad experiences with “Muslims” and in a “Muslim” country where things did not go well.

It is unjustifiable to judge a religion and its congregates using a so called Religion Expert as Khalid Duran. This man is an Islamaphobic due to his passionate aversion to Islam. His goal is widespread defamation of Islam.

This show was not a fair representation of our Beliefs or allowed for a rebuttal. Unfortunately, Television ratings WERE the priority. No one took into account that there are over 7 million Muslims in America and among them several thousand Latino Muslims who merely want to live in peace and harmony. It is unjust to generalize a minority group, another word for this type of stereotyping is called “Discrimination” . This only creates resentment among TV viewers and an atmosphere of hostility against Muslims in general.

Your programming is always suggesting that the Mid East mistreats women. Don’t you realize that you are also mistreating and slandering our dignity. We demand respect towards our Religion and Muslim women. Therefore we request airtime to expose the misinformation that is being broadcast. Or rebuttal time to answer the allegations.

~~~Some signatures along with comments:

Nidal Diaz – “Viva Islam!!”

Tiffany Garcia – “Unidos Latinos Musulman!”

Lee Ali – “Hysteria against Muslims sells. That’s why they do it.”

valentina Eden – “my god protect all muslims around the word from every evil”

Amir Habib bhatti – “No other religion or a culture has the elevated status of women as islam does!”

Antonio Silva – “Let`s give peace a chance”

Sherrel A. Johnson – “BRAVO!!! Excellent points! Like cream, the truth will rise to the top.”

A. Hammad – “Ever wonder why nuns cover their heads, and no one question it!”

Jacqueline Welden – “Alhamdulilah for Islam! Subhanallah !”

valentina Eden – “my god protect all muslims around the word from every evil”

Vilma Avila – “Please end racism”

Mansoor – “Islam is a religion of peace and tolerant to every other religions.”

Noushad – “Why people are islamophobic? Spend some time to learn the facts.”

Juan Alvarado – “The ‘Cristina’ show is nothing more than the Hispanic version of Jerry Springer which is why I never bother to see it. It is a shame, though, that this show would bend to this level all for ratings. It is not surprising at all though.”

Rafael Miranda – “it’s quite sad to see christina do something akin to this- and it deserves, at the absolute least, an apology”

Maria Victoria De Bernard – “Pobre Cristina ella es totalmente una mediocre,que ni en su tierra puede vivir porque de alli sacamos a todos los que como ella son.”

Mohammed Chavez – “I saw the show. It did not show the truth. It was one sided. By the way, I found some one the things said hard to believe, and others that totally wrong. I think the only thing Cristina wants are ratings, even if she has to step over her dignity.”

Beatrice Layla Durrani (formerly, Martinez) – “Ms. Cristina, you would do right by your profession as a journalist to allow Hispanic Muslims equal time on your program.”

Rajab Alkhazmi – “Enlightenment and light are there, but the blind can not see them. Some are determined to remain ignorant!”

Amatullah – “The Muslim Women are the BEST examples of who a WOMAN really is and how she should be treated by others. Those who won’t understand will never Believe.”

AbuMaya Gomez – “No otro digno de adoración más que Dios y Muhammad es el último Profeta de Dios”

Mahmood Al-Sabbagh – “We call ourselves the civilized world, let those who call themselves civil apply the term in its full content”

Nisrine Cabani – “Islam is a religion of peace, love, and justice for all. But most are too ignorant to educate themselves about the truth. They will always be the losers. May Allah, the Almighty, unveil their hearts so that they may finally see the light.”

Lisa Regalado – “Its unfortunate that the spanish media is jumping on the bandwagon of misconceptions about Islam. God willing, we can educate these people from all over the world including the spanish, and show them what Islam is truly about, not what the western media is portraying.”

M. Ziny – “Before you slander us, please read about Islam from the source not from a tainted media like yourselves. No only are you defaming Muslims, some of which are hispanic, you are also lying to your viewers; where is your integrity? Who is paying you to do this?”

Mariam Alvi – “Sad… Very sad…. Its the Muslims who’ve brought culture and civilization to Spain…Nice way of saying thanks… A little bit of tolerance would do, u know…. May Allah guide us all… Ameen.”

Juan Suquillo. Imam of the Islamic Center of Ecuador – “I am a spanish speaking muslim. I got to know (the first week of December 2001- through a muslim brother in New Jersey), that the famous show de Cristina, was requiring a Spanish speaking Muslim. Next day the show’s secretary call me and addressed me the question how did I became muslim and how long?. After hearing the nice story how Islam gave me the statu of a true human beeing, and not only that, but that I studied in the Islamic University in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and further more that my wife and myself founded the first Islamic Center in Ecuador. The lady said they will call me back if they will consider my case to be exposed. She never called me back, but she gaved me her telephones. The next week I saw the show, I just realized why I was not invited?. The whole show was purposely built up to discredit Islam. We are ready anytime to go convey the bases of Islam (in Spanish) in public. Juan”

Sakinah Gutierrez (Colombia) – “Asalamu Alaikum – if only they knew what this phrase meant and realize that we empliment it 24-7, then just maybe they would think twice. Allah (swt) knows best and may He (swt) reward everyone for their efforts Insha-Allah, Ameen. Lets not forget that we know Islam will always be the most misunderstood religion but only because the truth is scarey to the average person and if they don’t understand it they will hate it. Let us ask Allah (swt) the give us patience and try our best to give dawah. After all they are our people.”

Imy – “Islam showed Spain, as well as the rest of the world, the essence of peaceful co-existence. You know that even the Muslims’ worst enemies, the Jews, enjoyed civil liberties and freedom of all kinds during the glorious age of Islaam in Spain. Many jewish people were given high posts under Islamic Moorish Spain. The golden age for Islaam was also the golden age for the jews.”

Martin Brigitte – “I’m a European Muslim woman practising my relgion, and I’m proud to be Muslim. I’m ready to answer to any questions you may have , to make you understand what the REAL Islam is. Islam gives more rights to the women than any other religion.”

Abdul Haadi Umar Boyd – “I agree 100% with this petition and I am deeply offended and hurt that my some of my Latino brothers and sisters who not Muslim would slander,attack & denigrate those of us who are Muslims.To portray Muslims as backwards and oppressive without anyone to rebut this obivious misrepresention is down right dirty and WRONG!!!!! May Allah send peace & blessings on all those who support this petiton and may Allah send the light of understanding and remorse upon those to who this petition is directed to. Ameen”

Veronica Barazi – “Considering how many women in this country are abused at the hands of a man, they are worried about women who have to cover their bodies. They do not worry about the fact that women in this country are paid less than men for the same work. The Spanish media, especially – most shows (besides novelas) are targeted toward men (hence the women walking around with hardly any clothes). Why is it a nun covered? People obviously see her as special and thus respect her for covering up. All muslimahs want is that same treatment – respect.”

Mashukur Rahman – “Islam is the religion to attain peace which is practised by over a billion people of this earth. There are about 7 million muslims in USA who are hard working and peace loving people like anybody else. There can be some bad apples as it is true with any other religious groups. If you read the Islamic scripture carefully you would notice Islam liberated women from the shackles of men and gave women their right in the society. If someone had bad experience in marriage you can not blame Islam for that. The blame goes to the person/s and the tradiotion he/she is in not Islamic tradition. In America about 50% of the marriages end up in divorce and many children are born from unwed couples, for that we can not blame chritianity or their religion. I protest in the strongest term the defamation of islam and muslim women.”

Diana Mercado – “Islam no es violencia ni odio. Islam es amor, es paz. Ojala que el morbo y la desesperada busqueda de raitings no siga destruyendo la imagen del verddero Islam. Por que en ves d dar al publico esa imagen escandalos, y tan vendible, de mujees humilladas, fanaticos erroristas, y todo eso que nos han quedido enseñar, ´por que no mejor dedican uno de sus programas a mostrar la imagen verdadera, Y UNICA, del Islam. en America exisen miles de fieles que estarian dispuestos a acudir a su programa para hablarles mas del Islam. Que Allah este con ustedes y habra sus corazones.”

Saajidah Mahmood – “I am an African American Muslim woman that LOVES Islam! I converted about 8yrs ago, and I am proud that Allah god, led me to this way of life! I use to live the filthy lives of our non muslim counterparts, but I thank God everyday I was brought away from the filth of this world! I wear a face veil, and I completley cover my body, and I have never been to the middle east! As a matter of fact I have never been out of this country, the U.S! Spanish wake up! Except Islam, your culture and American Culture only exploits you like a piece of meat that you are not! ISLAM will save you from this!”

Elmurad Kandimov – “Nowadays, media has become a window to millions of people to see and know the world. Let us not distort the reality having wrong misrepresentations of sensitive issues such as religious beliefs. Media should stay objective and try to look at any issue from both sides to make it a fair representation and leave the conclusion upto the people’s consciousness. Journalists give their oath to show the truth, so let’s stay loyal to your promises. Let the truth be known, whether it’s bad or good. After all, truth prevails.”

Moon Goldberg – “To the media organizers: To produce a successful talk show or a debate if you will, you need to be fair to the viewers by inviting two sides. I am not a Muslim and I will never rate a TV show like that. Do you know statistics on Spanish man who beats and abuses women? Are they Muslims? Or should we say Spanish countries or Christians are bad. It is only fair if you invited one that had a bad experience and one that has a normal life and a Muslim scholar “a pacifist” than I will be honored to watch and support your show. Since then I have never watch the Spanish channels again.”