In pursuit of funniness

Comedians find what is ironic in life and make it comical. If the true artist is one who can bridge cultures in a way that audiences respond with laughter rather than by taking offense, then Rehman Akhtar is a true artist.

The Pakistani-born, British-educated comedian is 46 years old and performs his comedy wherever and whenever he can — which has recently included Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Dubai. He has been honing his art for a decade and has performed on BBC Television several times with such notables as Russell Peters. In 2008, he was chosen to be one of the opening acts at the “Axis of Evil” comedy show in Bahrain by Arab-American comedians, Ahmed Ahmed and Maz Jobrani.

Akhtar uses his acting, mimicry and linguistic skills to bring a wide range of characters to life on stage and has become a firm favorite with audiences all over the Gulf. Arab News caught up with him recently to find out his views on life, love and the pursuit of funniness.

“For creative people there are no boundaries, but then this is Saudi Arabia, and one has to be politically correct,” said Akhtar. “In any case, an artist has to respect his audience. This is challenging, and it makes me that much sharper. It would be stupid of me to stand in front of the audience and start doing vulgar stuff and the kind of comedy that is, perhaps, acceptable in the West. This is Saudi Arabia. I live here. I respect this country. I want to introduce a form of entertainment that does not exist at the moment and it is just kind of lifting off the ground.”

By day, Akhtar is a communications team leader at Saudi Aramco in Dhahran. He met a kindred spirit in another company employee, Fahad Albutairi. Together, the two men resolved to get the Gulf region chuckling. Soon they found they were not alone.

“I feel this whole movement that you see began only a few months ago,” Akhtar said. “One of the kickstarts for interest in comedy was the ‘Axis of Evil’ show in Bahrain. Suddenly people saw Fahad Albutairi and me in action. Using standup comedy to shed light on the main stereotypes the world has about Arabs and Muslims in this day and age, ‘Axis of Evil’ brought together the talents of first-generation Arab-American comedians, Maz Jobrani, Ahmed Ahmed and Aron Kader, in an authentic humorous take on Middle Eastern culture. This ‘Axis of Evil’ grew out of the whole post-9/11 period when former US President George W. Bush named certain countries as the ‘axis of evil.’”

He said in this case comedy was not simply a laughing matter. “The show really aimed at building bridges. When Ahmed Ahmed and Maz Jobrani came to Bahrain, the organizers decided not just to put these two guys up on the pedestal. They decided to have local artists performing with them on stage,” Akhtar said. “The idea was to demonstrate that we too have local talent. That comedy tour in Bahrain was in a sense the mood shifter — it was like a tipping point. It was a huge success. Over two nights, more than 5,000 enjoyed the event at the Al-Ahli Club Sports Center. A lot of them were from Saudi Arabia. That gave us a lot of exposure. People said, ‘Wow, we have people like Fahad Albutairi and Rehman Akhtar among us.’ It opened up a whole new avenue for us.”

When you talk to people in show business, they dread a cold audience. Akhtar explained how he used comedy in his formative years to break the ice — and break down barriers of prejudice and misunderstanding. “I grew up in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s, which in some ways was a pretty depressing time,” he said. “There was a lot of racism around in those days. Those were the days I was in school and college. We happened to live on a housing estate where we were initially the only brown family. So it kind of exacerbated the whole thing. I used to get picked on the most. I used to be bullied a lot. I hope it does not sound too arrogant but I was a fairly bright child, and this made things even more difficult for me. So not only was I a ‘brown Paki’ but I was also a ‘brown Paki with great grades.’ That made me a huge target in many, many senses.”

Akhtar is not sure if it was infernal optimism or eternal optimism that made the difference for him. “I could have reacted to the situation in many ways,” he said. “I could have become a mass murderer or something; however, I really wanted to find a humorous side and give a positive slant to this victimization. On the housing estate where we lived, there was a youth club that announced a talent contest. I said, ‘I am going to take part in this talent contest.’ Everybody was aghast. ‘What are you going to do on stage?’ What I did was put on this mask ... a mask that I could hide behind. And then I put on my father’s big overcoat, and I became this character called ‘Professor Potty.’ I was 11 at the time. There were around 350 people in the audience. All of them were white, and there I was standing — a little brown kid. I went up on stage with a microphone and started telling jokes. I immediately felt a sense of relief coursing through my veins. Here I was making fun of them and not being the kid being beaten up anymore. The whole exercise was pretty cathartic for me. I felt out of this world that night. To be in control of that entire audience was a great feeling. These people were eating out of my hands. They were laughing their heads off. All six judges gave me 10 out of 10. “Raymond Akhtar Wins First Prize,” screamed the local newspapers the next day. They could never pronounce Rehman, so I became Raymond for them. I won 10 pounds that night — it was a fortune in those days. I was in tears because neither of my parents was there to witness my moment of glory. My father was doing the night shift; my mother was in Pakistan. When I remember that night, I still get very emotional. It was a pinnacle in my life.”

Akhtar paid rich tributes to earlier funnymen who used wit and slapstick to get people through the Great Depression of the 1930s. “I had lot of comedy influences in my early years. Those were not the days of Nintendo and PlayStation. Our only form of entertainment was television,” he said. “I grew up watching diverse comedy, from Laurel & Hardy and The Three Stooges to Billy Connelly and Monty Python classics. Comedy has always been a part of my life. In retrospect, I think all that helped me in my later life.”

They say that next to most successful men there is a good woman, and Akhtar is no exception. “I got married to Shaafia at 27,” he said. “We would go to comedy shows, and I would tell her, ‘I can be funnier than that guy.’ At one such show, she threw a challenge at me, ‘Why don’t you go up there and do it and prove yourself?’ I took up the challenge and approached one of the organizers of comedy shows in London. He was Hardayal, an Asian. He liked my demo and told me, ‘I am going to give you an open mic slot’ — which means a slot meant for someone who just wants to try comedy for the first time. When the veteran comedians turned up for the show and asked me, ‘How long do you intend to be on stage?’ I said 20 minutes. They laughed with a smirk, ‘If you last more than 5 minutes, consider yourself lucky.’ I did not know what they meant. I was an instant hit and lasted much more than five minutes. My journey as a standup comedian had well and truly begun.”

So how does a standup comedian find material? “I get my ideas from life. I collect the nuggets of life rather like a poet,” Akhtar said. “I read a lot. I have always been a very observant person. Just like poets, I keep Post-It notes. I am never without a pen. If something triggers a thought and makes me laugh I immediately make a note of it.”

Having given great thought to the greatest question all funnymen must answer for themselves, Akhtar graciously shared the secret of comedy. “Making people laugh is always a challenge,” he said. “The secret is you do not focus on one person. I laugh at myself. If you indulge in bashing a particular community, naturally it will get offended. The art is to make fun of your victims without making them feel victimized. To point out a cultural difference is not victimizing someone. The challenge is to make someone laugh without making them feel offended.”

Rehman Akhtar will be bringing his comedy show “Rehman & Friends” to Riyadh on March 10. Details can be obtained by sending an email to info@smileksa.com.

By Siraj Wahab
sirajwahab@arabnews.com

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=132727&d=14&m=2&y=2010

Maths now and 30 years ago

Pupils are no better at maths now than they were 30 years ago - despite a rise in exam grades, a study suggests.

Tests showed pupils are now more
familiar with decimals than fractions

Researchers asked 3,000 11 to 14-year- olds in England to sit maths exams taken by pupils in 1976, and compared their scores with the earlier results.

Analysis suggested there was little difference between the two generations.

But among pupils from the previous generation taking O-level maths, less than a quarter gained a C or above, compared to 55% in GCSEs last year.

'Teaching to the test'

Dr Jeremy Hodgen, of King's College, London, who led the research team, suggested the disparity between unchanged ability and the increase in grades was partly down to schools' obsession with Sats results and league table positions.

He said: "There's a great deal of teaching to the test, so that in trying to increase scores, schools develop an understandable focus on the test, so there's a narrowing of the curriculum."

He also said mainstream schools today had a higher proportion of lower-achieving pupils, whereas in the 1970s many of these pupils would have been in special schools.

The researchers found some differences in the abilities of the two groups of pupils in different areas of mathematics.

Today's secondary school pupils were much more familiar with decimals than they were 30 years ago. On the other hand, fractions appeared to be much harder for today's pupils, the study suggested.

'Hard work'

Thirty years ago, pupils would sometimes convert decimals into fractions to solve a problem, but those taking the tests now did the reverse, researchers found.

Schools Minister Diana Johnson said another independent report showed pupils in England making real progress in maths and that GCSE standards were rigorously monitored.

"We do not think that research based on tests in a small number of specific topics taken in 11 schools by 11 to 14-year-olds is a good way to judge standards in the maths GCSE - an exam which tests the full breadth of the curriculum and that is taken by older pupils from all schools in the country.

"Improved mathematics attainment is down to pupils' hard work and excellent teaching. This is further reflected by the fact that more and more young people are going on to study mathematics and further mathematics at AS-level and A-level."

The research is being presented at the British Educational Research Association conference in Manchester on Saturday.

Source & Photo : news.bbc.co.uk

Puasa beri kekuatan psikologi hentikan tabiat merokok

Fasting give strength in psychological to stop smoking


Puasa beri kekuatan psikologi hentikan tabiat merokok
Oleh Lokman Ismail

RAMADAN adalah peluang terbaik untuk menjayakan misi berhenti merokok. Kekuatan iman dan takwa yang dijana melalui ibadat puasa dapat mengatasi mengatasi rasa ketagih. Bagi individu dalam kategori ketagih rokok, sukar untuk berpisah daripada rokok. Pada kebiasaannya perokok tidak senang duduk jika tidak merokok dalam tempoh tiga atau empat jam.

Jika ditahan keinginan itu akan menyebabkan perasaan tidak tenteram dan tidak dapat melakukan tugasan lain. Perkara ini disebabkan tubuh perokok telah terbiasa dengan nikotin. Bagaimanapun, pada Ramadan, perokok yang ketagih sekalipun boleh berhenti merokok sekitar 12 jam bermula dari sahur hingga berbuka. Perkara ini tidak dapat dijawab dengan ilmu sains, melainkan mengakui itulah keberkesanan puasa meningkatkan ketakwaan.

Ini membuktikan ketagih merokok dapat diatasi sekiranya minda kita menguasai mengatakan tidak boleh merokok kerana ia perbuatan yang membatalkan puasa. Hakikat bahawa perokok boleh menahan diri daripada merokok dalam tempoh masa kira-kira 12 jam adalah satu kejayaan besar. Kebiasaannya perokok 'mesti' merokok setiap selang dua atau tiga jam.
Source :bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Saturday/Agama
Photo :noktahhitam.com/ramadhan

H1N1 : Serious matter and take care of ourselves

Tun Mahathir: take H1N1 as a serious matter and take care of ourselves



H1N1: Disabled child latest death

2009/08/16

SERDANG, sun: A six-year-old child with Down's Syndrome and a hole in the heart is the latest of three deaths resulting from complications due to influenza A (H1N1).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the child who died on Thursday of "pneumonia with underlying Down's Syndrome and Pulmonary Hypertension" was admitted to the hospital on Aug 9 after suffering for two days of H1N1 symptoms.

He said another three-year-old also succumbed to H1N1 complications after being admitted to the hospital on Aug 1 for fever and cough and suffering breathing difficulties for five days.

"The child died on Friday due to severe pneumonia," he said after launching the Serdang Lifelong Health Carnival at SRJK (C) Serdang Baru 1 here.


Liow said the third death was a 50-year-old man who died on Friday after he was warded on Aug 3 due to fever, diarrhea, vomiting and breathing difficulty.

He said the man died of "septicemia with severe pneumonia".

He said the three deaths raised the H1N1 death toll in the country to 62, while 238 new cases brought the number of H1N1 infections to 3,857 cases, so far.

Liow said to date, 213 patients were being treated at the normal wards while 33 more were at the Intensive Care Unit, 16 of whom had risk factors such as chronic illnesses (7), asthma (3), obesity (2), mental illness (2), pregnancy (1) and post-delivery (1).

He said the Health Ministry found many of those infected with H1N1 did not cooperate well in controlling the pandemic.

He reminded the public to promptly seek treatment at nearby clinics or hospitals if they had H1N1 symptoms and reminded doctors to not postpone antiviral treatments to patients.

He said under Section 12 (1) of the Infectious Diseases Control Act 1988, anyone who knows of a disease that can spread to the public and purposely ignore quarantine warnings and infect others will be fined RM2,000 or a maximum penalty of RM10,000 or two years of imprisonment or both. -- BERNAMA

Islamic morality and today’s world

Islamic morality and today’s world

Islamic morality and today’s world

IN case you hadn’t noticed, we live in very dangerous times. No doubt there are many areas where this statement applies. The proliferation of wars, civil strife, economic sanction, takeovers and forced expulsion, genocide, natural disaster, environmental pollution, political oppression, street crime, you name it.

At this time however, we would like to offer a few words on a dangerous situation regarding one of the most fundamental aspects of human behaviour that if abused can lead to an insidious form of genocide. Namely,the destruction of people through immoral sexual relationships. This is a vast topic indeed, so we will not in any way attempt to give it a full treatment. We hope now only to make several points by looking at what the situation is today and how Islam and Muslims are viewed with regards to it.

It can neither be denied that any given society may undergo trends nor that these trends usually have an underlying cause or source and they don’t just suddenly “turn up” but rather develop over time. In the West in particular, sexual relationships are generally viewed as the private preference of each individual. No one has the right to determine with whom, or how one conducts one’s sex life. What occurs between consenting adults, no matter what sex or how many, is usually condoned. We believe that these beliefs and principles (along with others) have chiefly contributed to the following realities of today’s world.

The current reality

Premarital sex between heterosexuals is considered quite acceptable, normal, well within the bounds of morality, and indeed desirable. It has been this way for a long time and could honestly be said to be part of the “American Way”. Dating begins at a very young age and every socially well-adjusted youngster is expected to have several girlfriends and boyfriends by a certain age. Couples are expected to live together and getting married has long ceased to be considered as a major aim in life.

Those who grow up in the West are weaned on sex in both subtle and not so subtle ways. It is quickly learned through TV shows, commercials, movies, advertisements, songs, you name it, that being sexy is a desired goal and aim in life. Even comic books abound with superheroes and heroines with fantastically well-proportioned bodies and they lead sexually active private lives where little is left to the imagination. Animated cartoon characters from Betty Boop to Jessica Rabbit make the message crystal clear about what makes a female desirable. The top selling video and computer games feature female characters with sexy bodies whose biggest audiences are adolescent boys and young men.

Females are intensely focused on being sexually attractive and are conditioned to be so from the time they get their first Barbie. This is what makes the fashion, cosmetic and entertainment industries thrive. Countless young girls admire and aspire to be ‘superstar’ beauty queens, models, singers, or actresses.

There is a phenomenal proliferation of ‘fan’ or entertainment magazines that feature the hottest entertainment stars who are known precisely for their sex appeal. Romance novels (some affectionately termed “bodice rippers”) are the number one sellers among young women around the world and have made many a writer rich even before they have sold the film rights.

The most popular “rap artistes” regularly feature sexually explicit ‘lyrics’ in their ‘songs’ that would disgust some of the crooners of love songs in the ‘old days’ (the 70’s & 80’s). The highest rated TV talk shows are those that commonly feature people who expose their most intimate and outlandish sexual behaviour.

Fashion, health, and women’s magazines must feature tips on how to be a master of all things. In Middle Eastern countries, newsstands and bookstores are filled with magazines with covers featuring the faces of gorgeous Arab (dare we say Muslim) women in the latest fashions, not to mention what is within the pages.

In the US alone, pornography of all types and levels is a multi-billion dollar industry having increased in leaps and bounds within just the last decade. The amount of sexual activity that the average person, including children, may view on prime time national television is far above that which one may have had to search for less than a decade or two ago.

Sexual innuendo or titillating banter is ever present in situation comedies and other dramas and films. Daytime soap operas make their ratings on the number of affairs the characters are having and how sexually bold the beautiful, young and restless co-stars are on screen. Cable television is full of sexually explicit programming that can be seen at nearly all times.

Video stores are stocked with plenty of films. The latest compact disks are easily available, as are satellite dish transmissions of the same fare in many Muslim countries. Indeed, satellite broadcasts feature music videos, films, models and everything else from Hollywood to Bollywood that sends a clear message that being desirable, attractive and sexy is of paramount importance.

The destructive consequences

After all that liberation, a woman’s worth is still tied to her level of physical beauty which is still considered her greatest asset and one to be exploited in the worst way. Males are increasingly judged in this way but not to the degree as are females. Even the modern ‘super-woman power-executive’ who is supposed to be respected for her intellect and authority still wears a mid-thigh skirt. She expects... no demands, to be viewed as absolutely equal to her male counterpart, yet does she really believe that when dressed this way her worth is not at all being judged based on her looks by even the unemployed vagrant she passes by on the way to work? Indeed, it is commonplace, normal and in no way embarrassing for a woman to wear the tightest and most revealing clothing in public and walk virtually nude at public beaches and swimming pools.

People are not at all embarrassed or inhibited with public displays of sexual passion. Prostitution in all its forms is increasingly open and given a “blind eye” by law enforcement who have their hands full with “real” crimes. It is even legal in some countries despite what would seem the relative easy availability of sex otherwise.

There are places that are world famous for their open markets of female, male and child prostitutes. Legal statutes forbidding sex between minors, or certain other sexual practices are often not applied until and unless a formal complaint is brought against one party by another and may then even be found to be so outdated that they are wiped out completely.

Adultery and fornication are no longer viewed as the deadly crimes and sins they really are and are in fact commonplace. Married men are expected to have several mistresses in some places. Condoms are being handed out for free in several public school systems. A heavy price is being paid in unwanted unmarried teenage pregnancies, ‘fatherless’ children and resultant economic, health and psychological problems.

Homosexuality has now become accepted by a large number of people particularly in the West as well as in other circles that are “Westernised”. An indication of this changed attitude is the fact that homosexuals are no longer portrayed as they stereotypically were in past Hollywood films and television as ‘flaming faggots’ who were silly, lisping, cowardly weaklings or sexually promiscuous. That is and was considered offensive by homosexuals and is now ‘politically incorrect’ among the ‘mainstream’ heterosexual populace. Recent portrayals are now often of the homosexual as sensitive, level-headed and responsible members of society. Perhaps it could be accurately stated that homosexuality is accepted by a majority of Americans and Europeans even if they personally do not practice it. Accepted in so much as no one will report or condemn or discriminate against a homosexual in most areas unless they are flagrantly offensive in their mannerisms and behaviour.

This in no way implies that there aren’t many people who still find homosexuality abhorrent and even react violently to it. However, it is considered absolutely politically incorrect in ‘mainstream’ circles to imply that homosexuals are any less moral and have any less right to practise what they practice than any heterosexual.

Even worse are reports in recent years that it has been statistically proven that a staggeringly high percentage of American females have been and can expect to be not only harassed but sexually assaulted in their lifetimes - even by family members! Violent sexual crimes are no longer shocking and rapists are given relatively light sentences if convicted. Child sexual abuse and “date rape” is a major problem and who knows how many incidences go unreported?

“Stalking” is another type of crime that an amazingly high number of women have experienced and more can expect. Even wealthy and powerful men face being sexually assaulted or threatened. Every man, no matter how rich or powerful faces a high risk of being accused of being a perpetrator of sexual harassment or even assault. Literally millions of people, especially women, are victims each year of sexually related disasters from rape and assault to divorces and crimes of passion, and from sexually transmitted diseases to psychological and emotional disorders.

Refusal to face the need for change

Even in the face of this staggering toll in human suffering and degradation, the disbelievers and doubters in Islam still incredulously ask: You Muslims say that Islam wants women to be all covered up?! They can’t wear whatever they please shouldn’t go out perfumed?! The opposite sex shouldn’t even shake hands with those who are not their close relatives or spouses nor should an unrelated man and a woman be in a room alone together even if they are engaged?! You’re not supposed to go out on dates? You shouldn’t listen to music, especially the romantic, sexy, and sexually explicit songs? No swimming or visiting the public beaches in the summer?! Not even the same sex should see each other in scanty, skin-tight, or see-through clothing or even shower together at the gym?! You’re against co-educational institutions?! You’re supposed to lower your gaze when the opposite sex comes along and if you must speak to them it should be in a no-nonsense tone?! You really place great value on chastity, modesty and virgin until marriage?! You encourage that men be jealous for and protective of their wives?! Premarital sex is a punishable crime and adultery is a capital offence?! No sex unless you are married to your partner?! You can marry up to four women?!!!

They call the genuine, devout, practising Muslims extremists (equating them with terrorists in the mind of the average person), yet they don’t (or refuse to) recognise the ugly realities described earlier as outrageous and extreme!

They label Muslims fundamentalists, but they don’t admit that the present situation calls for a major and fundamental revision of their principles!

They say we are strange but we don’t mind. As the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

Islam began as something strange and it will again become something strange. Therefore, may Allah bless the strangers!

Source http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/

Haze - related illnesses soar among children

By Annie Freeda Cruez

KUALA LUMPUR: The haze has brought about an increase in the number of children seeking treatment for respiratory problems and chest infections especially in the Klang Valley.

According to Kuala Lumpur Hospital consultant pulmonary and critical care physician Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai, the situation was still manageable but could worsen if the haze worsened.

He said those with underlying respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis should not forget their medication.

He added that if the illness worsened, they should seek immediate medical attention.

"The haze can cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis or 'red eye' and sore throat. This is due to dust particles and the presence of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide."


He said both coarse and fine particles could irritate the eyes and respiratory tract, causing runny nose, phlegm, coughing and wheezing.

"Air pollution can lead to a runny nose. Throats get dry and itchy and mucus develops. It could end up clogging the respiratory tract, leading to infection."

Serdang Hospital head of paediatric department Dr Norrashidah Abd Wahab said the hospital had seen an increase in the number of children aged 5 and below coming in with upper and lower respiratory tract infection since early this month.

She said their two paediatric wards, each with 28 beds, were now fully occupied, with 80 to 90 per cent of admissions due to haze- related problems.

"We are seeing a 20 to 30 per cent increase in admissions since the second week of the month."

Paediatric neurologist Dr Malinee A.Thambyayah of Pantai Hospital said she had handled children coming in with complaints of allergic rhinitis, tightness in the chest, clogged noses and dust allergy.

"My own daughter is suffering from throat irritation," she added.

The doctors advised Malaysians not to stay outdoors for long periods and to wash their hands and face as soon as they came indoors.

The public should also:

- bathe regularly to get the dust out of the face and body;

- reduce outdoor activities, including physical exercise; and,

- drink plenty of fluids.

Source :http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/7haze/Article/
Photo by rb

ER nurses have been assaulted

By Erin Thompson, USA TODAY
More than half of nurses who work in emergency departments report they've been physically assaulted on the job, according to an online survey of more than 3,000 ER nurses by the Emergency Nurses Association.

Responding to the 69-question survey, the nurses said they have been spit on, hit, pushed, shoved, scratched or kicked by patients while on duty.

The incidents are partly a result of the nature of the job and the fact that emergency rooms accept all comers, association president Bill Briggs says.

"It's the safety net when you can't get help anywhere else," Briggs says. "Every type of patient comes to the emergency department.

"We accept patients under the influence of drugs and alcohol, (and) psychiatric patients. … It's very unpredictable."

Other precipitating factors: a shortage of ER nurses, patient crowding and prolonged wait times. One in four nurses reported experiencing assaults more than 20 times in the past three years, and one in five said they had experienced verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period.

The incidents have led one in three nurses to consider leaving their department.

"The public wants a safe place to go and get help in an emergency, and that's what we want," Briggs says. "The Emergency Nurses Association wants to promote a safe working environment … safe for patients and visitors and staff members, and we're looking for ways to do that."

Laws protecting emergency department nurses vary widely by state, and some states have no laws. The nurses association plans to work with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make safety precautions a requirement in all states.

"Every emergency department should have its own plan in place," Briggs says. To start, he says, hospitals should have more security available, alarm buttons and a security committee to assess the ER and create a plan for a safe environment.

"I've had bumps and bruises and, certainly, it has an emotional impact," says Briggs, a nurse for 30 years. "I've wondered, do I want to stay? How often do I want this to happen?

"Most people enter the profession to help people, not to get beat up and not to see your co-workers get beat up."

The survey's findings are reported in the current issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration.

Source :http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-04-nurses-assault_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Americans 'negative' about Muslims

By Rob Reynolds, senior Washington correspondent

As Barack Obama, the US president, seeks to mend the image of the US in the Muslim world, a new survey indicates almost half of Americans have a negative opinion about Muslim countries.

The 46 per cent of respondents who held an unfavourable view of Islamic nations was up five per cent from 2002, while just 20 per cent said they held a positive opinion.

In depth
"It's pretty difficult to think much about folks that are seriously trying to kill us or kill anybody who doesn't believe the way they do; so, I am not very happy with those folks," Chuck Hauptman, a Billings, Montana resident, told Al Jazeera recently.

Greg Smith, a researcher with the Pew Forum on Religion in Washington, says most Americans' views of Muslims are heavily influenced by what they see on television and read in newspapers.

"The number one answer people give us when we ask them what's most important in shaping their views on Islam is the media," Smith says.

"It's people who have a negative view of Muslims and Islam in particular who are most likely to say their opinion is shaped largely by what they see in the media."

US opinion of the Muslim world:
Favourable: 20%
Unfavourable: 46%

Believe that Islam encourages violence:
Agree: 45%
Disagree: 39%

Source: CNN/Opinion Research, Pew Forum on Religion

Linked with violence
About 60 per cent of Americans feel that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the US, and there is a widespread impression that Islam encourages violence - 45 per cent of respondents in a 2007 poll associated the religion with violent attacks.

"A lot of people, because of 9/11 and the terrorist era we seem to be in, have generalised all Middle Eastern people as devils," comments Marty Connolly of the Billings research institute.

On the other side, surveys of Muslim countries show only about 25 per cent of people approve of US leadership.

Smith says negative views are most common among Americans who are older, do not have college degrees, and who have never met a Muslim.

"People who say they personally know a Muslim are much more likely to express favourable views of Muslims," he says.

Entrenched attitudes

While Obama has made dialogue with Muslim countries a priority for his foreign policy, polls indicate many Americans do not particularly care what Muslims think of the US, or they feel that Muslim opinions do not matter.

A recent trip to the US state of Montana appeared to confirm some of these entrenched attitudes towards Muslims.

"I don't care about co-existence," Montana resident Carroll Broch told Al Jazeera.

"I don't want to co-exist with them. They either accept us or they don't accept us."
Source: Al Jazeera