Islam-American relations have not improved since Sept. 11, and they are only getting worse, said John Esposito, an author and Georgetown professor, during a speech Tuesday night at the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom.
Unless government officials make drastic changes to U.S. foreign policy, a peaceful solution between Islamic nations and America will not come for a long time, Esposito said.
He spoke to a crowd of about 250 students and addressed whether Islam represents a threat to the United States.
"Islam is no more a threat than any mainstream religion is a threat," he said.
Esposito addressed topics such as Sept. 11, U.S. foreign policy and media perceptions of Islam.
The prevailing U.S. perceptions of Islam are unfairly skewed because Sept. 11 caused some Americans to judge all Muslims based on the actions of a few extremists, he said.
This is akin to judging all Catholics by the Spanish Inquisition, Esposito said.
"All religions have a transcendent side and a dark side," he said. "Any religion can be translated darkly."
Only 7 percent of worldwide Muslims are potential extremists, he said, but unless the U.S. changes its policies toward Islamic countries, the number of potential extremists could increase.
The problems created by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are persisting and getting worse, he said.
The American forces in the Middle East are inciting anti-American sentiment instead of winning the hearts and minds of Muslims, Esposito said.
"American military presence needs to be pulled out as fast as it can occur," he said.
But America should not distance itself entirely from these regions, Esposito said. The U.S. should play an integral part in bringing civil rights to Islamic nations without the use of force, Esposito said.
Even if America removes the troops and takes a less interventionist approach, Esposito said, a modernized, extremist-free Islamic world would still be years away.
"The tunnel is long" he said. "And the light is still way in the distance."
Esposito's speech was the second lecture in the Islam Awareness Month series sponsored by Accent, the UF Department of Religion, Islam on Campus and the UF Student Government Department of Activities and Involvement. Accent paid Esposito $8,500 for the lecture.
