Hari ini ada rapat dengan seorang professor dari sekolah bisnis di Eropa yg selalu masuk top 5 dalam peringkat teratas sekolah MBA di dunia. Dari kami hadir CEO dan dari department saya hadir GM dan saya beserta kolega saya dari Perancis. Kami berdua adalah deputy GM.
Saat ice breaking, sang professor bercerita ttg perjalanannya ke Afghanistan bulan lalu. Yang menarik bagi saya adalah persepsi sang professor terhadap muslim.
“I was impressed because Thaliban gave me protection so I can be safe from ISIS. Can you imagine, both are evils, but Thaliban treated me very well. Maybe because it was ramadhan, you know, they are fasting. So, when people are hungry they don’t go bombing people”
Saya cuma tersenyum.
Sehabis meeting, GM saya ngamuk. Dia orang US dari negara bagian yg terkenal keras perangainya, negerinya para cowboy,
“How come the professor talks that way about something related to fasting, ramadhan etc while someone in this call is really practicing it? Are you sure you are comfortable with that, Arif?”
Saya cuma tersenyum dan menjawab.
“First of all, I agree that ISIS are evils. While for Thaliban, although we are in the same religion, we are different in practicing some matters. But I can understand if professor has a biased perspective toward muslims due to media propaganda.”
Kolega saya yg orang Perancis menjawab.
“Let me talk, the professor should be able to talk about the trip to Afghanistan and tell about how good the people treat them without saying anything about ramadhan. It is just not a proper conversation.”
Saya cuma tersenyum.
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The power of media, berhasil mencuci otak milyaran manusia di muka bumi ini dan melekatkan stigma buruk kepada muslim sedunia, bahkan sekelas professor senior dari sekolah bisnis ternama dunia.