Armed protesters in Texas stand outside a Richardson mosque. (Photo: CBSDFW 11 screenshot)

A post by my friend Hadi Jawad of the Dallas Peace Center called my attention this week. It involved the threatening presence of armed people in front of a Richardson Mosque. Only after looking it up, I found more information. It appears that only CBS 11 and a Dallas Morning News blog had mentioned the incident. The DMN blog describes the worries of federal officials about a "Global Rally for Humanity" on October 10^th. that consisted mainly in provocations in front of mosques nationwide. Some of the targeted mosques were one in Dallas, and the other one in Richardson, not far from where I live.

To make things worse, all of this happened within the context of "open carry" laws. These agitators had actually brought assault weapons with them. A catastrophe waiting to happen.

The first image that came to my mind after watching this posse, was of the Reconstruction days, KKK branding their weapons near the polling sites. Then I let my imagination run and literally saw armed mobs in front of clinics where abortions are performed.  

I paused for a minute and decided to gather some more information on what went on. I found a small editorial from the DMN dated October 12^th  titled “When hatred fails”. An interesting title that I interpreted as “See? Nothing happened!”. No catastrophe. Just a "showdown at the O.K. Corral"

The editorial sums it up when it says that “In Richardson, about a dozen people managed to muster up for the global rally. They were met by counter-protestors. Unlike several of the anti-Islam protestors, none of the counter-protestors carried arms” (DMN 10/12/15). It is interesting how they stress that “none of the counter-protestors (Islamic people) carried arms”. It reminds me of the Lind’s article “Why don’t you act your color?”. Muslims ARE supposed to carry weapons? What about the real threat of having right wing crazy people armed with assault weapons?

As we have learned through the principle of cultivation, not only we read and watch news from the media, but we actually learn. It shapes our beliefs on certain groups and perpetuates stereotypes.

By making it appear as it nothing has happened, by normalizing an act of harassment and intimidation (an actual threat involving weapons) the DMN contributes to stigmatize Muslim groups as terrorists, while failing to address the dangers of right wing groups like the one that organized the rally.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20151008-arlington-mosque-among-locations-targeted-in-nationwide-push-for-anti-islam-rallies.ece

http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20151012-editorial-when-hatred-fails..ece

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/10/11/protesters-supporters-stand-off-outside-texas-mosque/