June 1, 2007
Source: SALDEF
It was a consciousness-raising game of free association.
The question: “What do you think when you see a Muslim?”
Among the answers by a group of mostly police, airport security and corrections officers: “terrorist,” “prayer,” “monotheism,” “mystique” and “unknown.”
The exercise was part of a cultural training session Thursday morning at MU for local and state public safety officials to help increase awareness and understanding of Arab, Muslim and Sikh cultures. The objective of the training, organized by the Department of Justice, was to “dispel misconceptions, to build relationships with the community,” said Aftab Ahmad, a trainer from St. Louis who talked about Arab and Muslim cultures.