An Egypt story more readers will, uh, read

January 8, 2012 By

The journalistic equation goes something like this.

The sad truth is that modern Americans are just not that interested in international news. Knock down the twin towers and we might pay attention for a few weeks, but otherwise we’re just not that concerned about world affairs. But Kardashian affairs? That’s another matter.

Meanwhile, mainstream news editors — I’ve been studying the subject for 30 years — are not that interested in religion news, unless it is directly linked to politics and, thus, religion can be turned into politics.

I’ll say it again: Religion news gives way too many journalists sweaty palms.

Thus, one would be hard pressed to find a news topic that would harder to push for improved coverage than religion news on the other side of the world.

GetReligion readers are not typical news consumers, of course. Still, if your GetReligionistas want to write a story that draws few, if any, comments, all we need to do is write about, oh, mainstream news coverage of moderate Muslims and religious minorities in some tense and bloody corner of the world.

It’s enough to make you want to write about Justin Bieber or something like that.

Or how about this? How about a real religion story that contains a hot search-engine term? Here’s a story that, for rather obvious reasons, is getting some, uh, coverage at the moment. Take it away Agence France-Presse:

SHARM EL-SHEIKH – On a barren hill in Sharm El-Sheikh, not far from the famous beach resorts with their bikini-clad patrons, Islamist activist Ahmed Saber ponders the fate of revealing swimwear if his party comes to power.

The swimsuit has been at the center of a growing debate over the Islamists’ plans for tourism, one of Egypt’s key currency earners.

Speaking to AFP at a voting station, Saber seeks to present a liberal outline of his party’s position on the bikini. “You’re free to do as you please as long as you don’t harm me,” he says. The Sharm El-Sheikh tour guide then goes on to explain that: “Some sights might harm me. For example, women wearing bikinis on the street. There are special places for bikinis.”

After decades of repression by a secular police state, the Muslim Brotherhood finds itself fending off questions about its plans for beach resort mainstays like bikinis and alcohol —- considered un-Islamic by some.

This is a valid story to cover and, as always when covering Islam, the pivotal word is “some.”

However, this is precisely why this particular article is so disappointing.

It focuses on the fact that the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood appears — repeat appears — to have moderated it stance on enforcement of laws about female modesty. The story also stresses that there are Muslims to the doctrinal right of the Brotherhood and their power is on the rise. Thus, we read:

But along the beaches, hotel workers said they were worried, particularly about ultra-conservative Salafis who won more than 20 percent of the votes in the election’s first two rounds.

You see, the Muslim Brotherhood used to be the party for those seeking a powerful role for Sharia law in Egyptian life — something that a vast majority of Egyptians favor. Now, the Salafis are to the doctrinal right of the Brotherhood.

This story, however, never even mentions Sharia and never asks any of these believers to discuss or explain their beliefs. In other words, where is the religious content in this story? Where are the actual facts about the religious laws that are being debated?

In other words, what does Islam teach about female modesty and how do Egypt’s competing groups — liberals, so-called “moderates,” Brotherhood leaders, the Salafis — think on this topic? What are their leaders telling their people about how they would interpret and enforce Sharia?

In other words, where is the heart of the story?

And now, back to bikinis and beaches.

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Filed Under: Islam, Middle East, Sex, Web/Tech
About TMatt

Terry Mattingly directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. He writes a weekly column for the Scripps Howard News Service.

  • Jerry

    In other words, what does Islam teach about female modesty and how do these competing groups of believers — so-called “moderates,” the Brotherhood leaders, the Salafis — think on this topic? What are they telling their people about how they would interpret and enforce Sharia?

    There is, of course, a story that could be told about why all religions enjoin modesty in one form or another for men and women and how theological differences play out amongst religions.

    Even in the permissive USA, there are laws against total nudity so another question is the role of government should be in enforcing community standards of modesty.

    I suspect the story that is of most interest is the one about where Egypt and other Muslim nations that have thrown off dictatorships come down on what the government should enforce and how they enforce it.

    Given the trench warfare in the US about the church/state boundary, that question should have real resonance as it plays out in Egypt and elsewhere.

  • http://www.tmatt.net tmatt

    JERRY:

    But would you agree that it’s strange — as journalism — that the story never tells us what these competing groups believe on this point in terms of applying Sharia?

    I know there are different stances. That’s the point. Where are the facts on that?

  • sari

    The impression is that the journalists asked and that the interviewees refused to be pinned down. How can we learn what they believe or how they will act if they refuse to answer relevant questions? The only thing that’s really clear is that some (many?) people feel that constraints will be placed on alcohol consumption and dress.

  • http://www.tmatt.net tmatt

    Language is so important. You know the clerics are addressing many of these issues IN ARABIC in sermons, etc. That’s why I stressed:

    In other words, what does Islam teach about female modesty and how do Egypt’s competing groups — liberals, so-called “moderates,” Brotherhood leaders, the Salafis — think on this topic? What are their leaders telling their people about how they would interpret and enforce Sharia?

    What are they saying to the Egyptian people? Not reporters.

  • sari

    Should we assume that the reporters are fluent in Arabic? If so, can they blend into the mosque crowd? Is it possible that, fearing unrest, the Salafists and Muslim Brotherhood have chosen to wait on the specifics until after the elections? The problem of inappropriately dressed, inebriated tourists offending the natives on religious or other grounds is not unique to Egypt (says the Miami native).

  • Harold

    as always when covering Islam, the pivotal word is “some.”

    “Some” is not only pivotal, it is vague. In fact, its definition is “unspecified number”. It does not mean “all” but it also never means “most”. It implies a minor number.

    Who would like to argue that only a minority of Muslims find bikinis –to say nothing of the universally banned alcohol– un-Islamic?

    What I detect here is the reflexive PC fear of universalizing or even generalizing anything about Islam that Westerners might read as negative or uncomplimentary.

  • http://www.tmatt.net tmatt

    We should assume that the major bureaus include Arabic speakers in their staffs. Otherwise, what are they doing there?

    Many of the major mosques broadcast their sermons or have them on outdoor speakers for crowds. You can also assume that major bureaus have Egyptian staffers or research assistants. Translators. Guides.

  • Jerry

    JERRY:

    But would you agree that it’s strange — as journalism — that the story never tells us what these competing groups believe on this point in terms of applying Sharia?

    I know there are different stances. That’s the point. Where are the facts on that?

    Certainly what they say they believe should be reported. But also, if they’re anything like politicians in the US, what they say is not what they mean nor what they would really do.