c. 1997 Religion News Service

(Hassan Hathout is director of outreach for the Islamic Center of Southern California in Los Angeles and author of”Reading the Muslim Mind”(American Trust Publications).)

UNDATED _ Nearly two centuries ago, Czarist Russia offered to be the protector of Egypt’s Christian Copts, a common practice of the big powers active in the territories of the ailing Ottoman Empire.

The Copts, however, were too wise to accept the offer. First, they were an integral part of Egypt, generally living in peace and harmony among their Muslim compatriots. Second, they wisely asked themselves, how would it look in the eyes of the majority if the minority would say we are the protectorate of a foreign country?

As the example of the Copts shows, there is nothing new about the desire to violate a country’s sovereignty under the pretext of protecting religious minorities.

That was how Britain invaded Egypt in 1882.

There was a rebellion against the monarch, and during the riots in the city of Alexandria, a Maltese Christian was killed. Within hours, British troops landed from waiting ships under the pretext of protecting Egypt’s minorities. It led to a colonialist occupation that took 70 years to shake off, thanks to the joint struggle of both Muslims and Copts.

Does this mean that religious freedom is not a vital component of human rights? Of course not. But it is important to take as wide a look as possible at the full picture of what we are doing.

Religious prejudice is a horrible thing. But when we single out Christians to be protected, isn’t this also prejudice?

Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., are the chief sponsors of legislation now before Congress that would impose economic penalties on countries found to be persecuting people on the basis of their religion.

The bill was largely prompted by the efforts of evangelical Christians concerned with protecting their co-religionists. Wolf and Specter have tried to make it look less so by voicing concern for the safety of Baha’is, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews in some countries.

Belatedly, concern has also been expressed for the persecution of Muslims in China. But why does the Congress not focus on the persecution of Muslims, despite the problems they have encountered in Bosnia, Chechnya, Germany, Kashmir and the Philippines.

What about the situation in France, where the political establishment recently threatened with expulsion two Muslims girls who wore religious headscarves to public school. And what about the situation in many Middle East countries, where Muslim majorities suffer under secular dictatorships, some of which, such as Egypt, are supported by the United States?

There is also the silence about Israel. Under Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem, the Christian community there has been decimated, and the lot of Muslims is no better.

The existence of violent splinter groups calling themselves Islamic _ in Egypt, for example _ is a sad fact. But it is also a fact that Muslims are among the loudest voices denouncing this violence, which has claimed far more Muslim victims than Christians.

This point of view was shared recently by the leader of Egypt’s Copts, Pope Shenouda III, when he visited a mosque in the United States.

In truth, a legislative focus on the persecution of Muslims would be just as wrong as the current focus on Christians.

Why, then, the current congressional campaign? Is it fueled by love or hatred?

Sadly, I believe hatred of Islam rather than concern for people of faith is at the heart of the campaign. The religious persecution issue has been a bonanza for political and ideological agendas that care only about faith when it serves their myopic interests.

The only remedy for this is to remove entirely the issue of religious persecution from the political arena. Politicians cannot be entrusted to deal sensitively with such a complex issue.

Instead, a firm stand in support of protecting human rights _ all human rights _ asserted universally without being selective is the correct action to take.

The general public needs to be more informed and better educated about religious persecution. It does not need to be stirred up to create more bitterness and hysteria. It’s time for more dialogue, not division.

MJP END HATHOUT