"The technology that promises to bring the diversity of the world to
our very doorsteps can also be used to divide us if we are not careful. It
will be essential for us to continue to look for common values, common
interests, and common endeavors and to avoid simplistic stereotypes and
labels," the Ambassador said in a speech on "Islam in America"
October 9 at the opening session of the American Studies Conference in
Islamabad.
Islam is one of the fastest growing faiths in the U.S. today, Milam said,
noting that there are over 1,200 mosques and Islamic centers in the United
States, and the number is rapidly increasing. He cited as evidence of the
growing influence of Islam "the conversion to Islam by some of our
popular athletes, for example the great boxer Mohammad Ali or Hall of Fame
basketball player Kareem Abdul Jabbar."
"Muslims also occupy positions of importance in some of our nation's
top policy making institutions," he said, pointing out Shirin Tahir-Kheli,
who has served on the State Department's Policy Planning Staff and the
National Security Council, and Zalmay Khalilzad, who was just appointed by
President Clinton to the Board of Directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace.
"The United States thrives on the variety of talents our multi-ethnic
population has to offer, and we in turn share those gifts with our friends and
partners overseas," he said. For example, through educational exchanges,
"upwards of 10,000 Pakistanis study every year in the U.S., and a number
of American scholars come to Pakistan to teach and do research under the aegis
of the Fulbright program."
Milam also announced that the American Center in Islamabad in early 1999 is
planning to bring an exhibition to Pakistan "that beautifully illustrates
the variety of mosques one can find throughout the U.S. This project --
coordinated by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- is a wonderful example of the fruits
of collaboration between Pakistani and American organizations," he said.
In order to promote better understanding between the people of Pakistan and
the United States, the Ambassador said it is worthwhile to look at the basic
political and social institutions of America. He suggested three
"fundamental" starting points: rule of law, which guarantees a fair
hearing and uniform punishment for the rich and poor alike; equality, a
concept which continues to evolve, and civil society.
"It seems to me that a nation rooted in the rule of law, continually
expanding the concept of equality, whose citizens have a deep sense of civic
responsibility, can be confident that its political and social institutions
will remain strong and relevant," he said.
Following is the text of Ambassador Milam's remarks:
(Begin text)
"ISLAM IN AMERICA" A SPEECH BY U.S. AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN,
WILLIAM B. MILAM AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE
AREA STUDIES CENTER, QUAID-IAZAM UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN OCTOBER 9,
1998
Introduction
Dr. Rais, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much
for the invitation to speak to you today. The American Studies Conference
unites us all -- academics and diplomats -- in the pursuit of a common goal:
making the United States better understood to the citizens of Pakistan. I am
most pleased to have the opportunity to make your acquaintance so early in my
tenure in Pakistan, and hope that we will have the occasion to explore
together ways to deepen the Pakistani-American relationship in the years
ahead.
Although we have different professional perspectives on that relationship,
we both know how crucial it is for the well-being and prosperity of both our
nations and for the larger South Asian community of which Pakistan is a
member. The events of the past months have made it abundantly clear how
important it is for our two nations to cooperate to control the nuclear
menace, and while less publicized, to continue our work in controlling the
scourge of narcotics, developing free markets and promoting democracy and
human rights is no less important. For reasons of time I do not intend to
review those aspects of our relationship with you today, but would like to
focus instead on something that I believe is a common misconception of many
Pakistanis: the role of Islam in America.
A TRADITION OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
Our nation is very proud of the tradition we have established for religious
tolerance, a tradition you are certainly well aware of. The United States was
settled in large part by immigrants who were fleeing religious persecution in
their homeland. These early statesmen felt strongly enough about their
new-found freedoms that they enshrined religious tolerance in our
constitution, proclaiming a separation of church and state as fundamental to
our Nation.
ISLAM IN AMERICA
The religious tolerance provided by our constitution is enjoyed not only by
Christians, but by Jews, Muslims, and adherents of many other faiths as well.
In fact, it might surprise you to know that Islam is one of the fastest
growing faiths in the U.S. today: there are over 1,200 mosques and Islamic
centers in the United States, and the number is rapidly increasing. The six
million Americans who worship there would be surprised to hear of the kind of
"anti-Islamic" bent to American policy that is occasionally
speculated about here. They would be the first to tell you that Americans
respect and honor Islam.
In fact, I share the belief that President Clinton articulated in his
recent speech before the UN General Assembly, "that Americans and Muslims
share the same hopes and aspirations: to live in peace and security, to
provide for our children, to follow the faith of our choosing, to build a
better life than our parents knew and pass on brighter possibilities to our
own children."
I would imagine that just about everyone in this room has a friend or
relative who has settled down in the U.S. and is living the American dream, a
dream that Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike build together in their
communities. Americans who are practicing Muslims have made great
contributions at every level of American society. Like many of my fellow
citizens, I think I was first struck by the growing influence of Islam with
the conversion to Islam by some of our popular athletes, for example the great
boxer Mohammad Ali or Hall of Fame basketball player Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Muslims also occupy positions of importance in some of our nation's top policy
making institutions. Shirin Tahir-Kheli, for example, has served on the State
Department Policy Planning Staff and the National Security Council, while
Zalmay Khalilzad, who was just appointed by President Clinton to the Board of
Directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace, earned the Defense Department's
Medal for Outstanding Public Service for his work on shaping defense in the
post-Cold War era.
The United States thrives on the variety of talents our multi-ethnic
population has to offer, and we in turn share those gifts with our friends and
partners overseas. One example of this rich give-and-take that you are surely
familiar with is educational exchanges. Upwards of 10,000 Pakistanis study
every year in the U.S., and a number of American scholars come to Pakistan to
teach and do research under the aegis of the Fulbright program.
I am pleased to note that your conference has included a panel on
"Muslims in America," and expect that this will give you an
opportunity to explore in greater depth the many contributions that Islam has
made to American culture. I hope that you will be able in your work to pay
attention to this important aspect of American life.
Through the public arm of the Embassy -- The American Center -- we are
doing our best to shed light on the role of Islam in America. In early 1999 we
are planning to bring an exhibition to Pakistan that beautifully illustrates
the variety of mosques one can find throughout the U.S. This project --
coordinated by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- is a wonderful example of the fruits
of collaboration between Pakistani and American organizations. For those of
you at ease using the Internet, our Embassy home page features links of
interest on Pakistani-American relations and Islam.
Of course, you cannot discuss Islam in America in just the past tense. It
is the future of Islam in America that is important, and my belief is that
future is a one of growth and prosperity. It will be part and parcel of
America's future, a subject I want to turn to now.
THE MILLENNIUM
The millennium is just a little over a year away now. While it is just an
arbitrary date, it provides cause to reflect on what we have accomplished in
the past century and on what lies ahead.
Historians will differ with regard to the most important achievement of the
latter half of the 20th century. Some will opt for the end of the cold war and
the liberation of broad swathes of territory from the communist yoke; others
will choose the economic, and eventual political, integration of Europe, a
phenomenon that has virtually eliminated the possibility or war among the
European nations which have fought each other -- and been the cradle of
numerous wider wars -- for several hundred years; others will select the
decolonization and liberation of vast numbers of people and the advent of many
new nations; a few may argue for the rapid globalization of the world economy
prompted by swift technological advance, with deep political implications for
all countries. In my view, they will all be right. All of those changes
contribute to exciting -- and also worrisome -- prospects for our future. They
lead us to look to the future with hope, yet also trepidation -- for even its
outlines are indistinct. We must be confident of our institutions, and
especially of the fundamental strength of our societies (for, after all,
institutions can change), if we are to control this future.
I believe that the greatest challenges we will face in the years ahead will
be of a social nature. The technology that promises to bring the diversity of
the world to our very doorsteps can also be used to divide us if we are not
careful. It will be essential for us to continue to look for common values,
common interests, and common endeavors and to avoid simplistic stereotypes and
labels.
This is why I believe it is worthwhile to look at the basic political and
social institutions of America. Let me suggest three starting points for you
which I believe are fundamental.
America is a country and people governed by the ideal of the rule of law.
Do we have crime in America? Yes. Do we have shady business people? Yes. Do we
have corrupt public officials? Yes. But the rule of laws sets a very low level
of tolerance for this kind of human behavior, and the rule of law guarantees a
fair hearing and uniform punishment for the rich and poor alike.
Another vital point is equality. This concept continues to evolve; equality
expands and deepens as we are continually confronted by Lincoln's admonition
that America was and should always be "... dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal ..." America constantly reinvents itself
to confront and to ameliorate conditions of inequality. In the third quarter
of this century, great strides were taken toward racial equality; in the
fourth quarter of the century there has been much progress toward equality for
women. There remains some way to go on both.
Finally, I believe America is characterized by its vibrant civil society.
American citizens take responsibility for ensuring that their government
provides the services it should and that its businesses are generally honest
and fair. America has thousands and thousands of grassroots organizations,
non-governmental organizations, in which citizens work together to ensure that
their legitimate needs are met and that their rights are not abused.
It seems to me that a nation rooted in the rule of law, continually
expanding the concept of equality, whose citizens have a deep sense of civic
responsibility, can be confident that its political and social institutions
will remain strong and relevant.
I hope that sense of strength, with your assistance, can continue to
eliminate any real or imagined divides between Pakistanis and Americans. That
is why you have important work ahead of you. Your role as educators is key, as
you will be responsible for informing and influencing the next generation. I
sincerely hope that by promoting a better understanding of America, you will
be able to strengthen the intellectual, cultural, and social ties that bind
us.
Thank you.
Source: United States Information Service, American Embassy,
Bucharest Romania
