The Western Media: Biased against Muslims?

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   When I moved from Africa to the west, I thought I was to see a world of
equality and democracy. After five years, I am shocked by the
inequality and discrimination that prevails in the Western society.
That is why I am parking my bags. I will like to comment on one topic
only, the western Media.

I just have a simple truth that has been prevailing on the news headlines on the western media. 

When a crime is committed by a person who claims to be a Muslim,
the media will identify such a person as a "Muslim man/woman has done
so and so". 
On the other hand, if the same crime is committed by a Christian
or Jew, the media says,"a man/woman has done so and so" ( no religion
mentioned in second case) 
Is there any justification for this? 

Is it racism coupled with Islamophobia?
Is it part of the cool religious war (Non Muslims versus Muslims)?

To Support my feelings, I have added some of the worst shooting and snipers as reported by CNN,BBC,ABC, FOX News etc below. 

 "Muhammad a Gulf War vet, Islam convert" (head lines is convert to Islam. Compare with the cases of none Muslim)

"(CNN) - John Allen Muhammad, one of the two suspects in the
Washington, D.C.-area sniper attacks, is a twice-divorced, 41-year-old
Gulf War veteran who converted to Islam 17 years ago and earned an
expert marksmanship badge in the U.S. Army". 
Story of another sniper like John Muhammad who killed 14 happened
on 1 August 1966 - Sniper Charles Whitman kills 14 people and injures
dozens at University of TexasAll what the media says about Charles
Whitman (his profile) is below. Nothing about his religion!

"Charles Joseph Whitman was born on 24th June 1941 into a wealthy,
prominent family with a home that was the envy of the neighborhood.
Young Charlie was a gifted all-rounder, good at both sports and school,
a talented pianist and Eagle Scout."

As concerns the worst school shootings in the history of the USA, see what the Media says about him. The head lines is; 

 "The Tragedy" 

"During the early morning hours of April 16, a gunman went on a
rampage on the Virginia Tech campus. By the time he was done, more than
30 students and faculty members were dead."

What about the recent Melbourne shooting. The Media has it as follows;

"Melbourne shooting suspect held

A man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in the Australian
city of Melbourne has handed himself in after a massive manhunt, police
say. Christopher Wayne Hudson, 29, described as a Hells Angel biker,
surrendered at a police station north of Melbourne." 
We have more examples like those below;

"Man charged over St Kilda shooting

Posted Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:46pm AEDT 

Victorian police have charged a 26-year-old man ( no religion
mentioned) with attempted murder in relation to a shooting at St Kilda
yesterday.

The man, ( no religion mentioned) of no fixed address, was also charged with a number of assault, firearms and drug offenses.

The charges relate to the shooting of two men in Jackson Street early yesterday morning.

A 25-year-old man is still being treated in hospital for stomach injuries.

The charged man will return to court in April."

20 April 1999 - Two teenagers at Columbine High School, Colorado, kill 13 before killing themselves

21 March 2005 - A teenager ( not religion mentioned) on an Indian reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota, kills nine

The deadliest mass US shooting prior to the Virginia attack was in
Texas in 1991 when George Hennard ( no religion mentioned) killed 23
people and himself in a cafeteria.

A British man ( no religion mentioned)whose wife and child were
found shot dead in the US is released after being questioned by
detectives.. They married in 2003 and moved to the US shortly after
their daughter was born.
(BBC) 15 February, 2008
					Gunman kills six at US university. A gunman has opened fire on students at a university near Chicago in the United States, killing six people.

The shooting took place at Northern Illinois University, in De Kalb, 65 miles (100km) west of Chicago.  

(CNN) -- A 19-year-old gunman (no religion mentioned) who killed eight people and then
himself Wednesday at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, left a
suicide note, police said.
From the above points can someone tell me why the West claims to practice democracy and yet we are still dreaming for Democracy?

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
raqibatu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Starter Joined: 13 April 2008 Location: Cameroon Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote raqibatu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: The Western Media: Biased against Muslims? Posted: 14 April 2008 at 8:56am
	When I moved from Africa to the west, I thought I was to see a world of equality and democracy. After five years, I am shocked by the inequality and discrimination that prevails in the Western society. That is why I am parking my bags. I will like to comment on one topic only, the western Media. I just have a simple truth that has been prevailing on the news headlines on the western media. When a crime is committed by a person who claims to be a Muslim, the media will identify such a person as a "Muslim man/woman has done so and so". On the other hand, if the same crime is committed by a Christian or Jew, the media says,"a man/woman has done so and so" ( no religion mentioned in second case) Is there any justification for this? Is it racism coupled with Islamophobia? Is it part of the cool religious war (Non Muslims versus Muslims)? To Support my feelings, I have added some of the worst shooting and snipers as reported by CNN,BBC,ABC, FOX News etc below. "Muhammad a Gulf War vet, Islam convert" (head lines is convert to Islam. Compare with the cases of none Muslim) "(CNN) - John Allen Muhammad, one of the two suspects in the Washington, D.C.-area sniper attacks, is a twice-divorced, 41-year-old Gulf War veteran who converted to Islam 17 years ago and earned an expert marksmanship badge in the U.S. Army". Story of another sniper like John Muhammad who killed 14 happened on 1 August 1966 - Sniper Charles Whitman kills 14 people and injures dozens at University of TexasAll what the media says about Charles Whitman (his profile) is below. Nothing about his religion! "Charles Joseph Whitman was born on 24th June 1941 into a wealthy, prominent family with a home that was the envy of the neighborhood. Young Charlie was a gifted all-rounder, good at both sports and school, a talented pianist and Eagle Scout." As concerns the worst school shootings in the history of the USA, see what the Media says about him. The head lines is; "The Tragedy" "During the early morning hours of April 16, a gunman went on a rampage on the Virginia Tech campus. By the time he was done, more than 30 students and faculty members were dead." What about the recent Melbourne shooting. The Media has it as follows; "Melbourne shooting suspect held A man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in the Australian city of Melbourne has handed himself in after a massive manhunt, police say. Christopher Wayne Hudson, 29, described as a Hells Angel biker, surrendered at a police station north of Melbourne." We have more examples like those below; "Man charged over St Kilda shooting Posted Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:46pm AEDT Victorian police have charged a 26-year-old man ( no religion mentioned) with attempted murder in relation to a shooting at St Kilda yesterday. The man, ( no religion mentioned) of no fixed address, was also charged with a number of assault, firearms and drug offenses. The charges relate to the shooting of two men in Jackson Street early yesterday morning. A 25-year-old man is still being treated in hospital for stomach injuries. The charged man will return to court in April." 20 April 1999 - Two teenagers at Columbine High School, Colorado, kill 13 before killing themselves 21 March 2005 - A teenager ( not religion mentioned) on an Indian reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota, kills nine The deadliest mass US shooting prior to the Virginia attack was in Texas in 1991 when George Hennard ( no religion mentioned) killed 23 people and himself in a cafeteria. A British man ( no religion mentioned)whose wife and child were found shot dead in the US is released after being questioned by detectives.. They married in 2003 and moved to the US shortly after their daughter was born. (BBC) 15 February, 2008 Gunman kills six at US university. A gunman has opened fire on students at a university near Chicago in the United States, killing six people. The shooting took place at Northern Illinois University, in De Kalb, 65 miles (100km) west of Chicago. (CNN) -- A 19-year-old gunman (no religion mentioned) who killed eight people and then himself Wednesday at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, left a suicide note, police said. From the above points can someone tell me why the West claims to practice democracy and yet we are still dreaming for Democracy?