Friday, November 24, 2007
By Rick Joslin
OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Despite its
disadvantages — including a depressed economy, high crime rate and an
unfavorable image — Pine Bluff is among “the many blessings” that Dr. Omar T.
Atiq counts as he observed the Thanksgiving holiday.
Atiq, medical director of the Arkansas Cancer Institute, believes it’s the
“negatives” of his adopted home town that provide the city a possibility to
become the center of what he hopes will be an international positive.
“From some of our worst circumstances come our best opportunities,” said the
46-year-old Atiq, a Pakistan native who became an American citizen in 1989.
Grounded in that philosophy is the American Muslim Peace Initiative, which Atiq
founded in June and serves as chairman. A lifelong Muslim, Atiq aspires to help
bring accord to Pine Bluff and eventually to the world through the
organization’s outreach.
Atiq believes that hatred is primarily generated along religious, racial and
economic lines, but that most people have much more in common than they do
differences.
“I believe that in our very essence, everyone is the same,” said Atiq. “But
there is a general feeling that those who have been richly blessed may not care
about those who are less fortunate.”
A former president of the Fifty for the Future civic organization here, Atiq is
saddened by the struggles faced by “so many people in this area.”
“Because of my background — I was educated by Christian and Jewish instructors —
I feel I can have a particular influence,” he said. “I want to help reach across
and eliminate barriers.
“Race or religion doesn’t matter when we share a challenge. We need to define
ourselves by our best.”
Toward that goal, Atiq’s organization recently donated $50,000 to the Delta
Literacy Project, organized and directed by Dr. Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas
Baptist College in Little Rock.
“Education is the key to curing our ills here,” said Atiq, who speaks of Pine
Bluff with affection. “Our rate of illiteracy is appalling. Even some people who
have completed high school can’t read or write.”
Meanwhile, the Peace Initiative has pledged $50,000 to the Heifer International
Project, an Arkansas-based global effort seeking to alleviate hunger, poverty
and degradation through gifts of food and income-producing farm animals.
It troubles Atiq that many persons of other religions view Muslims as supportive
of terrorism and also despising other faiths.
“I want to dispel that perception,” said Atiq, who has worked with the American
Jewish Conference in visiting Israel and publicly condemning terroristic acts.
“Through the American Muslim Peace Initiative, we want to provide assistance to
others so that we can bring an awareness to the public that Muslim Americans are
a part of the fabric of the American society.”
And while he longs to seemingly make the world smaller by bringing people closer
— so they can move forward in peace by purging themselves of misunderstanding
and resistance — he also wants to help celebrate and maintain diversity.
“God Almighty had the power and in His own wisdom created us differently,” said
Atiq. “Who are we to judge Him? That’s His decision, not ours.
“We’ve all been blessed, and we should all have a sense of obligation. We must
return to God the goodness we’ve received by sharing with others.”