[NYC-L] Re: Anti-Muslim/Anti-Albanian Symbols in MBA!

[Besnik Pula]

Dear friends,

I think our focus on Isa's call to Muslims is misdirected and is overlooking
the more important issue in this case. If you read the letter Isa sent to
the NBA, it does not address the issue of Divac's behavior as a Muslim or
Albanian one, but a moral one.

What is more important in this case is our community's utter lack of any
organized and institutional means to counter disparaging media
representations of ourselves, and the manifestation of offensive behavior
against us. The matter did not begin nor does it end with the NBA tolerating
Divac's behavior. It is the constant characterization in the mainstream
Western media of Albanians as drug runners, pimps, prone to violence,
operating in "mafia-like clan organizations", and sometimes even as "Muslim
fundamentalists". It is Yugoslav ministers' and international officials
shamelessly justifying the recent attempt at genocide against Kosovar
Albanians in Washington Post and New York Times' articles. It is things like
this that, beyond occassional letters of protest sent on an individual
basis, we are incapable of countering with any serious and sustained protest
campaign.

Hence, I do not find it at all surprising that Isa resorted to trying to
mobilize support from American Muslim communities, some of which are much
better organized and capable of countering and modifying the media's
behavior.

But then, perhaps opposing media representations of certain groups and
communities and standing up for ourselves is not something we are apt to do.
As someone else noted, if Isa's call was directed to the pope or to American
Catholics, many of us would have probably not reacted so vehemently against
Isa's letter...

Besnik