Article strayed from Ramadan focus

Upon opening the Daily Herald Aug. 1, I was disheartened to see writer Madhu Krishnamurthy’s choice of language and focus in the interfaith piece, “Reflection on decade of progress for Ramadan.” While I commend the Herald’s attempt to raise awareness, Krishnamurthy’s article focused very little on the actual celebration, history, tradition and practice of Ramadan, and instead chose to bring the connection between Islam and the tragedy of 9/11 back into the limelight.

The following quote creates a subtle though immediate connection between Islam and terror, “This Ramadan, however, many suburban Muslims are reflecting on how far they have come as a community in the 10 years since the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attacks sullied the image of the religion practiced by nearly 1.3 billion people worldwide.” The paragraph following discusses the details and death tolls of 9/11, making me question why the headline would feature the word Ramadan.

It is vital, especially during this time, to facilitate an accurate perception of the Muslim community in all media, whether print or online. It is my impression that Krishnamurthy meant not disrespect and did not intentionally stray from focus, yet the verbiage not only facilitated inaccurate perceptions of Muslims but further fused the connection between the Muslim community and 9/11.

Jenn Schanz

Chicago